Neighbourhood Watch AGM highlights progress in community safety - Burstow

6.21.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th May 2007

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has hailed the recent Sutton Neighbourhood Watch AGM as a mark of the progress being made in improving community safety in the borough.

Mr Burstow, who is the President of Sutton Neighbourhood Watch, and was a key player in re-establishing the borough association, chaired the meeting, which was attended by over 60 local Neighbourhood Watch representatives. The meeting saw the association welcome a host of new volunteers.

Mr Burstow introduced the meeting, speaking about the preliminary findings of a crime survey he conducted throughout his constituency, which showed high levels of satisfaction with police response to reports of crimes. Attendees also had the chance to ask questions of Insp. David Gair, the policeman in charge of the borough's Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

Speaking after the meeting, Paul Burstow MP said:

"The Borough's Neighbourhood Watch goes from strength to strength, with new local branches and more volunteers getting involved.

"The AGM provided an excellent opportunity for local members to meet, discuss priorities, and ask questions of the police officers who keep our area safe."

"I believe that a close working relationship between local people, their representatives and the police, is a key factor in maintaining and improving community safety."