Letter to Police from Cllr Tom Sams: 3rd Mar 2011

Letter to Police from Cllr Tom Sams:

Dear Chief Inspector Reeves

I have read your response to Keith Taylor MEP letter with a mixture  of surprise and disappointment. Mr Taylor visited this area last winter at the express invitation of parish councillors, and concerned residents.. This was as a response to the ward completing a 1000 plus named petition, presented to Maidstone Joint Transportation meeting in July. The petition stated….. We the undersigned call upon Kent County Council to review its policy on speed limits starting with those around schools.  We would like ideally a 20mph speed limit in all residential areas, but to start with we call for the Council to pro-actively work with schools, and where there is a request from parents and support from local residents, implement 20mph speed limits in the area around that school. This to be done in full consultation with the community.

Obviously this was received by the committee and a response drafted at a subsequent meetings outlined in brief the same message to Mr Taylor (see attachment). My surprise and disappointment is firstly that the police should be so negative about the matter. They have an opportunity to engage with communities and at a time when consultation and dialogue through localism is supposed to work with communities then this seems to fly in the face of such an idea. PACT’s were formed in both villages and highlighted their support for such initiatives. Parish Councils supported the principal. Councillors at both borough and county level supported the initiative. Speedwatch schemes were also begun and it is viewed as supporting this call for this initiative. It was discussed locally by all members of the community, in various groups and at schools, yet still the police response was negative.

I fail to see when funding has been identified (which it has) that pays for the installation of the speed limits outside the schools, that communities are willing to discuss and even raise other safety issues, like seat belts, mobile phones, safe parking, that the opportunity seems to being wasted. I have looked at other areas, some 20 mph zones, which are costly, and have to say that where 20mph areas are created that the community self enforces the concept and polices it much of the time themselves. This can be seen particularly in Lenham where the primary school children are proactively supporting the campaign and where the secondary school, through one of its students, has even gone to his fellow students and gathered data and highlighted the school’s support for the initiative.

Looking nationally we have councils supported by their police force, in a manner that their communities appreciate. If you visit 20’s plenty website  www.20splentyforus.org.uk you will find up to date information on the wider campaign and its growing support. When looking around other areas in Kent eg Sandwich we see a town that has 20mph areas and it is working and supported by its community.

I see this a wasted opportunity, and when we in the community are trying to work so very hard with the police, we have a great difficulty in supporting initiatives enthusiastically , when the community wants support from its police force and receives the response given by yourself. I want and I believe what others want is a positive can do attitude, working with partners in reducing speed and saving lives. It can be done, and it must be done. Your support is essential to make this happen.

I would welcome the opportunity for you to visit the Parish councils, schools, and community leaders and see the support for the 20’s plenty campaign in our community. Perhaps you can offer a time and date and we might facilitate an event on speeding and road safety. Your police officers do this extremely well locally.

We will continue to campaign on this matter, and invite you to become involved.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Tom Sams