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Residents take ownership of their gardens
Residents of Hazell Road flats in Prestwood enjoyed a party 1 September to celebrate a new fence around their homes erected to reduce anti-social behaviour.
The residents have been unhappy for a long time about group of youths hanging around on the steps of their flats at night.
Having worked with local police and residents, Paradigm Housing, which owns the flats, has now erected fencing to make it more difficult for non-residents to get in, or to use the communal grounds as a cut-through. Thames Valley Police paid £8,000 towards the cost of the fencing, while Paradigm has paid the remaining £10,000.
Paradigm’s Community Involvement team has also worked with the young people, to try to help them understand why residents found their behaviour intimidating.
Maureen, a resident of the flats said: The whole thing makes you feel as if you’ve come home, and you have a right and a say.”
Acting Sergeant Rhianne Connor, of Thames Valley Police Great Missenden and Chiltern South, said: “This kind of job is really important in demonstrating the important role people play in the area they live and that by working with the police, council and housing association they have managed to be a part of the solution.”
