By Viv Robins
I’m sorry to have to report some low-level vandalism in the Oxford Street playground area. A few months ago some shallots disappeared from one of the allotments and, for the second time, the rubber edging around the entrances to the concrete tunnel has been torn off. This is not just childish and annoying; it is also stupid, because each time the edging has to be replaced at a cost to the Parish Council, which in an admittedly very small way feeds into the annual precept which in turn increases the size of the Council tax which the parents of the offenders have to pay. If you do see any signs of vandalism or anti-social behaviour on the allotments, or indeed anywhere else, it is always worth reporting it to the police. The contact numbers for the Neighbourhood Officer Melvin Mutch are 01494 781940 (Chesham police station) or mobile 07976 989238. If he is not contactable then it’s a good idea to ring Thames Valley Police headquarters on 0845 8505505, so the incident can be formally logged.
When he came to address the Parish Council meeting last month PC Mutch said people sometimes complained that they never saw a police presence in their area but that deployment was linked to the incidence of crime in that area, so there is an advantage to all of us in ensuring that incidents do get logged.