The YMCA has set up a meeting on Wednesday 15 October to discuss some of the concerns raised recently about its residents and some of the issues raised in this forum. Representatives from the YMCA management, the Safer Neighbourhood Team, local Ward Councillors, Resident Associations and Business Watch have been invited and are expected to attend.
If you would like to attend this meeting please contact Paul Coates by email. paulcoates@kwymca.org.uk or by tel. 020 8390 0148 for further details.
Registered users can submit their own event to our calendar by using the Submit content option on the right.
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I attended the meeting at the YMCA on the 15/10/2008. To my surprise I was the only person from the Surbiton.com forum who was there, so I better give you all a very short report:
1. Report from YMCA managers Paul Coates & Angela Garett about the background to the meeting (i.e. Surbiton.com entries) and the work of the YMCA.
2. Report on homelessness need and provision in Kingston by the Head of the Housing Mike England.
3. Report by Sgt Robbie Manns of crime in the area.
4. Issues of concern and question chaired by Father Martin Hislop, St Lukes Church, Kingston.
5. Summary of issues raised by Stuart Leamy, Chief Executive Kingston & Wimbledon YMCA.
Those attending to the best of my memory. Two officers of RBK Housing Dept, 3 YMCA officers, 2 Resident Association reps, 3 St Marks Ward councillors, Edward Davey MP, Sgt Manns of Met Police, a Neighbourhood manager, Helen Whately PPC Conservative, and three interested residents.
Main Points:
YMCA houses a range of differing ages, but no a high proportion of teenagers.
CCTV now watches YMCA entrance.
Smoking allowed outside because if not they would go around corner....not covered by cctv.
Many residents considered 'vunerable' so YMCA takes care not to make them more vunerable to others
Residents may have up to two visitors....all signed in.
There are incidents from time to time, inside and outside, but YMCA is not a crime hotspot.
No facts of criminal incidents commited by YMCA residents were submitted at the meeting by YOU(?)
YMCA hopefully will attempt to keep local residents more informed to it's activities.
Helen Whately spoke about her meeting and concerns.
Edward Davey MP spoke about the work done by the YMCA
If you wanted to know more then you should have been there. Before I spoke I asked if any other Surbiton.com contributors were there. As they weren't I spoke about how YMCA residents have been, and could be targeted by drug dealers etc. That the YMCA and other local Housing Associations must be more proactive in dealing with any anti-social behaviour by it's residents etc. Sorry but I intended to go and listen, but once the Surbiton.com was mentioned a number of times I had to speak. If that is not welcomed by some of you, then where were you? The meeting was advertised on Surbiton.com and all you had to do was accept the YMCA's invitation to attend.
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