Glenwood UIP ready to tackle next phase
Glenwood UIP directors say the foundation has been laid, and now the next step will be taken to take the UIP forward.
THE Glenwood UIP held its first annual general meeting this week. Speaking to Berea Mail recently, director, Neil Lamble, since the UIP was established last year they are able to look back with pride and satisfaction at what has been achieved.
“We have built the foundation of the ‘house’, a really good base, and from phase one, we are moving forward and ready to take the next step,” he said.
Since October, Brig Vernon Stokes took over as manager of the UIP and progress was made regarding developing a logo, website and sourcing an office in Davenport Square.
“This was largely a setting up phase and working with our strategic partners Urban Management and Ensure Security we were able to get up and running. We have a control room and 24/7 hotline number operational for the community and business to report issues through the Incident Desk, such as crime, potholes, lights not working and so on. These are escalated and in the case of crime, sent through to the armed response vehicle which is dedicated 24/7 to the area, working with SAPS and Metro,” he said.
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Linda Ndlabi, field manager for Ensure Security, speaks about the armed response vehicle.
Lamble said there were now 30 Ambassadors on the ground who have received training. Membership boards have been put up at businesses and entrance boards have been made to erect at key areas. He said the Ambassadors addressed crime and grime on the ground and had collected 1 000 bags of rubbish between 1 September and the end of December. The area covered by the UIP has been divided into seven zones for optimum deployment of Ambassadors. Lamble said Ambassadors would also be awarded for outstanding work each month.
“We feel we have achieved a lot and we have identified six or seven areas which we will focus on. We want to have a strategic planning session to address these areas such as vagrancy, policy for street traders, prostitution and conversion of buildings into student accommodation. This will be the next phase,” he said.
Director, Chris Beresford, said: “It’s more than cleaning up the crime and grime, it is about encouraging people to come back to the area, which is positive for business. We also encourage people to use our Facebook page and website.”
The Glenwood UIP Hotline number is 0861 888 443. Visit: https://glenwooduip.co.za/site/
