MEASURES ALREADY IN PLACE

MEASURES PLANNED FOR DELIVERY

POSSIBLE FURTHER MEASURES TO BE CONSIDERED

Brenchley Gardens partnership working group- Monthly meeting to develop ideas and initiatives based around intelligence and data around the park to ensure Brenchley Gardens is promoted and celebrated as Maidstone’s hidden gem.  (Since Spring 2020)

PCSO Task Force- High visibility foot patrols by dedicated policing team, supported by MBC CPT and BID Ambassadors.

Increased use of the park through a series of events- increases footfall, increases natural guardianship, feel good atmosphere. (August and September)

Weekly Youth Outreach visits - partnership officers from Switch Café, Salus, KCC Youth Services and Kent police visit Brenchley Gardens and surrounding area every Friday night to engage with young people. (Ongoing for many years)

Summer Deck Chairs- supervised provision of chairs for people to use and enjoy in the park.  Increases footfall and natural guardianship (August/September)

Monitored/Passive CCTV-  a high-resolution CCTV camera in the middle of the park provides both monitored and passive surveillance through the partnership with One Maidstone and Mall Security Officers.

Communications Strategy- positive pieces about the events and the park’s history. 

Schools Officers- Kent police have introduced new school officers who can be used to identify and work with young people who are accessing the park

Olympia Boxing – weekly youth outreach provision funded by Maidstone local children partnership group (KCC) where a trained youth engagement team will work with young people using boxing as an engagement tool.  This is not about teaching people to fight but encourages discipline, fitness alongside tackling general behaviour and life issues.  The provision will run weekly on a Friday night from September with the hope to engage a small group that will then move to a nearby indoor location in the winter months. 

Parks Accreditation-  Our outrageous ambition is to get the park formally recognised for excellence through an appropriate scheme such as Green Flag.  This can take up to 5 years. 

Reinstating the “frill” railings on the bandstand- This could reduce the use of the bandstand by those looking to perch or congregate under the bandstand.  The original railings were removed so the metal could be used as part of the world war response.  The railings will also increase stability of the bandstand itself.  Works on this would be subject to funding and planning permission due to the heritage nature of the bandstand/park. 

Installation of gating and Night time closure-

This needs very careful consideration balancing the views of various stakeholders; it is proposed that a conclusion is not reached on the way forward until the task force has completed its work.

Assessments of the area by Designing Out Crime Team at Kent police identified that one way to reduce incidents in the park at night would be to close the park.  This could be through a partial closure of some of the entrances from Maidstone East and Station Road, or a full closure if it includes the vehicular access from St Faiths Street.  This would be subject to consultation, planning and funding. 

Consideration would need to be given as to how this would impact on reasonable enjoyment of the park by the general public, whether this impacts on commuters.  A partial closure may also create a space where people become unwittingly trapped and a full closure will reduce a natural surveillance and could lead to those who are willing to gain entry to the park by climbing existing fencing and then being out of sight for extensive periods of time.  Another consideration is displacement as this may see vulnerable people moved to areas with less guardianship and could therefore be more vulnerable in a different location. 

Increased CCTV Coverage- Additional CCTV could be considered to cover the entrance from the high-level bridge or the rear of the Museum if it could be deemed proportionate to increase surveillance in the park.  This would be subject to additional funding of compatible CCTV units. 

Redevelopment/removal of the existing toilet block- Proposed through a Ward Cluster meeting, consideration could be made to utilising either the building or the space better.  Ideas such as a café or a space for a vendor to be stationed could be considered.