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NORTH EDITION
Your English Newspaper
roundtownnews.com
Issue 765
13-19 JUNE 2014
Neighbourhood Watch launch by Jack Troughton
Looking the part for the start of San Juan
Crowning glory By Jack Troughton YOUNGSTERS WEARING their best traditional dress took part in the historic Proclamation of the Queen at the start of the fiesta of San Juan in Javea Old Town on Saturday. The event announces the adult, juvenile and infant queens, their courts of honour and escorts.
CRIME FIGHTING on the Costa Blanca took another step forward with the launch of the 50th branch in Spain of the international organisation Neighbourhood Watch. More than 100 people packed into the Cumbre del Sol Restaurant and voted to start a new branch of ‘Vecinos Cooperando’ – backed by Benitachell Town Hall, the local police and Guardia Civil. The organisation has existed in Spain for 15 years – head office is in Torrevieja – and work to cut crime by increasing public vigilance rather than creating vigilantes. And Mayor of Benitachell Josep Femenia said the town hall approved of the scheme and hoped it would be very successful. “I understand how living here on Cumbre del Sol you want a happy and peaceful life and this initiative will reduce worry about crime,” he said. In response to questions about policing, he said numbers were governed by law but crime in Benitachell was lower than many neighbouring towns “and actually getting lower.” The Mayor added: “Remember, the purpose of Neighbourhood Watch and the intention of the town hall is to prevent crime – some things we can hopefully do before it takes place – for example, we are spending 30,000€ on improving street lighting on Cumbre del Sol.”
A show of hands brought the new branch into existence and Margaret Hales MBE was elected President and Andy Keen Vice President. In a multi-language presentation, Andy said: “Neighbourhood Watch was set up to combat local crime – we help combat local crime by increasing vigilance. “We assist the police and the Guardia Civil in promoting effective communication and prompt reporting of criminal activity – we watch our neighbourhood but not our neighbours.” He said it was the inaugural meeting of the organisation after a group of Cumbre residents got together and realised Neighbourhood Watch was wanted in the area. He said it worked by sharing information through a system of two-way reporting between head office in Torrevieja, the branch, town hall, and police, to residents via co-ordinators. “Information is passed via email, telephone and newsletters.” Andy added: “We work with police, Guardia Civil and the town hall, and do not, in any circumstances, take over their roles and responsibilities in law enforcement. “We are not vigilantes or the police. We are only about passing and receiving information through our coordinators – information works both ways all the time, the police tell us trends and what is happening along the coast.” Continued on page 3