Tuesday 20 December 2022

Public Meeting at Du Boisson Village Hall Tonight

Du Boisson Village Hall, Wood Lane
Tonight at 6pm at the Du Boisson Village Hall (the old Drill Hall) on Wood Lane, "Sergeant Tom" from our local Police force is hosting at meeting to discuss the Partial Closure Order currently in force across Shepherd's Bush Green.

Is the PCO working? Does our local community approve, or disapprove? PCOs are a relatively draconian policy, and the current order expires on 27 February 2023. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the PCO has had a positive impact on crime and anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhood.  One local resident explained that the Sainsburys Local on Shepherd's Bush Green has reported a drop in shoplifting, for example.  Come along tonight at 6pm and share your views.

Partial Closure Order (PCO) for Shepherds Bush Green
Local Police Officers with copies of the PCO
On 22 November local police attended Westminster Magistrates Court to secure a "Partial Closure Order" (PCO) of Shepherds Bush Green.

The PCO includes a number surrounding streets, notably the "Caxton Village" area north of Shepherd's Bush Green, which has been the scene of considerable anti-social behaviour in recent months.

The PCO took effect from yesterday, Monday November 28, and lasts for three months, until 27 February 2023.

Partial Closure Order
What does this mean? A Partial Closure Order is a statutory device created by the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, giving the police expanded powers to limit access to certain premises - or, in this case, Shepherd's Bush Green. 

The police have extra powers to move people on, and limit the anti-social behaviour which has become so common in our neighbourhood in recent years and months.  At a meeting of our local Ward Panel last night, police explained what the PCO involved, and handed out copies of the leaflet below.



28 November to 27 February 2023
Can Shepherd's Bush Green Be Improved?
The PCO lasts from 28 November to 27 February, and is a response to long-standing concerns over anti-social behaviour on Shepherd's Bush Green. 

Our local police officers described the securing of the PCO as a "massive amount of work", which they hope will lead to a better environment for local residents. 

FOSBG Statement
Jonathan Pearl, Chair of the Friends of Shepherd's Bush Green, welcomed the PCO, arguing that Caxton Village have "suffered sky-high levels of ASB for a number of months now", and expressed "huge gratitude to the Safer Neighbourhood Teams of Met Police dealing with the Green and surrounding areas".

Local Concerns
Public drinking in Caxton Village
Overall, the response of local residents at the meeting was positive, though some expressed concerns that moving people on from Shepherd's Bush Green and Caxton Village would only make trouble for other neighbourhood streets, such as Macfarlane Rd and Minford Gardens.  

Breaking the Cycle
The police response to this was that the PCO was designed to break the long-standing cycle of anti-social behaviour, and that by securing a PCO the police could at last make a concerted effort to clean up our neighbourhood.

The Shepherd's Bush Blog offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story, email us at shepherdsbushblog(at)gmail.com. And don't forget to add your opinion in the comments section below.





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