Town Councillors to Take Part in Police and Crime Focus Groups on Behalf of Residents

Councillors will raise local concerns and help ensure issues affecting Hailsham are considered as policing priorities are reviewed across Wealden South.

Hailsham Town Council is taking part in a series of online focus groups being hosted by the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) Office this autumn, providing an opportunity for local concerns to be raised directly as part of discussions about policing and community safety across Wealden South.

Designated Hailsham Town Councillors Anne Marie Ricketts, Dave Chapman and Paul Holbrook will attend the sessions on behalf of local residents, bringing forward issues and concerns that may not always be formally reported to Sussex Police or other relevant agencies.

The focus groups are intended to provide an opportunity for local representatives to highlight matters affecting their communities, including issues that may be under-reported, overlooked or not fully reflected in existing information available to policing and partner agencies.

Feedback from the sessions will be collated anonymously and used to help inform the PCC’s policing and crime priorities and shape the future Police and Crime Plan.

The initiative provides another route for Hailsham Town Council to represent residents’ concerns and ensure that local issues are brought into wider discussions about policing, community safety and the services residents would like to see.

Cllr Anne Marie Ricketts said: “It is important that the experiences and concerns of Hailsham residents are properly represented when discussions take place about policing priorities and community safety. Not every incident or concern is necessarily reported to the police, and that can mean that the wider picture within a community is not always fully understood.”

“Our councillors attending these focus groups will be there to listen, raise issues on behalf of residents and make sure that matters affecting Hailsham are part of the conversation. We will use the opportunity to highlight concerns that have been brought to the Town Council and to ensure that the views of our community are heard.”

Cllr Paul Holbrook commented: “This is about constructive engagement and making sure there is a clear channel between our community, local representatives and those responsible for shaping policing priorities. We will continue to work with Sussex Police, the PCC’s Office and other partners wherever we can to support a safer and more confident community.”

Cllr Dave Chapman added: “Town councillors are often in a position to hear directly from residents about the issues they are experiencing in their neighbourhoods and public spaces. That local knowledge is valuable, particularly where concerns may not always result in a formal report or where residents may not know which organisation is best placed to deal with an issue.”

“The focus groups provide a useful opportunity to bring those concerns together and present them in a constructive way. We will be attending to represent Hailsham residents and to help build a clearer understanding of the issues that matter locally.”

“I hope this process will help strengthen communication between local communities and the organisations responsible for policing and community safety, while ensuring that residents’ experiences are taken into account when future priorities are considered.”

Town Clerk John Harrison said: “The Town Council has an important role to play in representing the interests of the local community and ensuring that concerns raised by residents reach the appropriate organisations.”

“These focus groups provide an additional opportunity for councillors to share local information and observations, particularly in relation to matters that may not be fully captured through formal reporting channels. The feedback will be provided anonymously and will contribute to the wider process of understanding community concerns across Wealden South.”

“We welcome the opportunity to participate and will continue to work constructively with the PCC’s Office, Sussex Police, Wealden District Council and other relevant partners to ensure that issues affecting Hailsham are properly communicated and considered.”

The focus groups are one of a number of ways in which Hailsham Town Council works to represent residents and raise concerns with the relevant authorities.

One recent example is the ongoing work to address reports of antisocial behaviour at Hailsham War Memorial in Vicarage Field and the neighbouring parish churchyard.

Concerns about behaviour in and around these important public spaces were raised by residents at the Annual Town Electors’ Meeting last spring and subsequently discussed by the Town Council’s Remembrance Day Sub-Committee.

In response, the Town Council wrote to Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne outlining reports received about repeated antisocial behaviour in the area. These reports included public drinking, shouting, loud music, intimidating behaviour, public urination and suspected drug-related activity.

The Town Council and Wealden District Council have also raised concerns about the impact such behaviour can have on residents, visitors and local volunteers who regularly use and care for the area, including those involved in maintaining Hailsham’s floral displays.

The War Memorial is an important civic and commemorative site for Hailsham and is visited throughout the year by veterans, families, residents and visitors. The Town Council believes that people should be able to use and visit the area safely and without fear of intimidation or disorder.

Hailsham Town Council and Wealden District Council are continuing to work together on the issue, while maintaining dialogue with Sussex Police and other relevant partners. Both councils are exploring practical measures that could help address the reported behaviour, improve reassurance and support positive changes in the area.

The Town Council will continue to use opportunities such as the PCC’s focus groups to raise relevant local concerns and ensure that the experiences of Hailsham residents are reflected in wider discussions about policing and community safety.