The Parish Council is saddened to report an increase in incidents of vandalism and antisocial behaviour in Eynsham. Over the last couple of months, we’ve dealt with two break-ins at the Sports Pavilion, retrieved discarded bins and dog waste from the Fishponds, and cleared up broken glass in our children’s play areas.
The cost of repairs and increased security for the Parish Council is now over £1,000. This sum must be found in our limited Budget, funded by our residents’ council tax, and results in us having less money to spend on other projects. More importantly, these incidents present a risk to our community, especially to children who may be playing in areas that are unclean or unsafe.
The Council will continue to do all we can to prevent these incidents, but we’d welcome the support of the community. Residents can help us by immediately reporting any incidents of vandalism or antisocial behaviour that happens in Eynsham. Thames Valley Police are supportive and ready to act on any reports we make.
If you witness vandalism, anti-social behaviour and/or crime taking place in our village then please report it to the police immediately. This includes speeding, noisy vehicles that are wilfully causing a disturbance, as well as other issues mentioned above. Take photos and videos if you can. Crimes can be reported online via Report a crime | Thames Valley Police, or by phone (101 for a non-emergency, 999 in an emergency).
It can feel daunting to report crimes, given the fear of reprisal or threats. Be reassured that the names of those who report a crime are not revealed. There should also be no concern that any report might be wasting police time. Our local police are eager to help us in these matters.
Eynsham is a wonderful parish and we want to keep it safe, welcoming and functioning for all of our community. Please help us stop that minority who seeks to despoil our facilities and place our residents at risk.