Post 10a of 10 – The Next Steps | The Englefield Green Neighbourhood Plan
**Elapsed**
Post 10b of 10 – What To Do Next & Summary
So this is the last of the weekly posts of this campaign. I will continue to post updates periodically as developments occur.
What To Do Next
– Please continue to remain a member of this group for both updates and the possibility of other future campaigns.
-Please continue to talk about the campaign with friends, neighbours and family. And please continue to share the link.
-Please continue to report any student ASB that you may experience to RHUL. As mentioned in Post 8, I think it is a good idea to extend the reporting phase of this campaign. If you can please continue to report all student ASB to RHUL indefinitely, this will of course strengthen the case. We recognise reporting can be tiresome – I have now turned reporting into a sport to make it less arduous. My emails are for the most part very brief. To dampen some concerns, please note that reporting student ASB to RHUL has no comeback to you. The students that you are reporting will not be informed that it is you that has made the complaint – please do not be fearful reprisals.
-Please consider joining the WhatsApp group, ‘RH Antisocial Behaviour’ for conversation around this subject. (The group is now open for conversation again after a brief interlude following a hijack by a SPAMer.)
-If you live in Englefield Green, please consider giving feedback on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan around Policy RHUL1 by 22nd October.
Summary
So I think that is it for the time being. Thank you for taking the time to read the Posts, discussing the topic with family & friends, sharing the link and reporting any ASB that you have experienced.
It is now our intention to use the evidence collected to drive change within RHUL. We want them to change their conduct policy so any ASB caused by their students can be managed effectively. We will also present to them some of the other ideas that have been put forward. A holistic approach we think will give those that are disturbed by student ASB the best chance of having a better quality of life.
RHUL may not have a statutory obligation to manage this problem and I know they would prefer to pass on the responsibility to RBC and/ or the Police but I think they have a moral one. And deep down I think they know it too. Of course it is easier for them (and less expensive) to pass the buck to these other agencies but it is not up to the taxpayer to foot this bill.
And whilst we are on moral issues – RHUL have a duty of care to their students. I feel that if this issue is left unabated, resentment toward RHUL and its students will only continue.
Only last week I saw that a dog owner had decided not to pick up his dog’s mess; the reason why – the dog had defecated next to a student car that was parked inconsiderately blocking the entire pavement – a small act of revenge.
But it gets more serious – a couple of months ago on Englefield Greenies, I saw that a student HMO had its internet service sabotaged on multiple occasions – I can only imagine by a disgruntled local resident who had had enough.
And as a student in Jesmond, I recall the story of the party where the front door of a student HMO was kicked in by a local resident – he then went over to the sound system and ripped out all the speaker wires before walking calmly out with them.
And I can empathise. The drip drip drip of student ASB can be maddening. And it is made worse when you seek help from RHUL and nothing happens and the ASB continues. Unfortunately I think it is only a matter of time before a student is physically hurt due to RHUL’s lack of action.
On another note, I would love to meet the people that were on the Planning Committee that rubber stamped the student accommodation developments on Harvest Road, Englefield Green. What idiotic decisions – who there could not see the negative impact that these developments were going to have on the surrounding area.
And to our councillors, are you going to continue to turn a blind eye? You have been elected to represent your residents – not the interests of RHUL. The impact goes beyond ASB – you can see by the data that our community’s carefully balanced ecosystem is now out of kilter. Former family houses have been turned into student HMO and continue to do so at pace – no wonder the schools are finding it difficult to fill their spaces and subsequently are missing out on funding. Please do something.
Apologies for the rant. The situation makes me upset. As we as a family fundamentally like living here.
I know there are other things going on in the community, other ASB that is not caused by students for example, a lack of secondary school options, lack of mental health provisions, traffic congestion etc. And nationally there are a few interesting months ahead as the economy remains unsettled and household finances continue to be squeezed. And internationally we have a madman waging war, climate change, I could go on . But this issue is very much mangable and can be resolved if RHUL applies itself.
Thank you again for being part of this campaign: hopefully collectively we have been enough of a nuisance for RHUL to have a look at this problem with fresh eyes.
Finally, Andrea has offered to lend a CCTV system to any resident that is struggling with student ASB/ ASB. If this is of interest please contact him for further information.
I will sign off with a poem first penned 10 years or so ago, written by a neighbour who has lived in Englefield Green for the past 40 years or so.
Released from Home’s Restrictions by AV
Released from Home’s Restrictions,
Your emancipated state
Allows you freedom to sleep in
And stay out very late.
Your neighbours have their differing lives,
For better, or for worse –
You don’t need to be a blessing
(Although it’s nice when you are)
Just try not to be a curse
Best
A Gnat