Monday, January 30, 2017

WHO WILL POLICE BRIGG REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 2017 ROAD CLOSURES?


Whether Brigg receives police officers to close the town's main roads to through traffic during this November's Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying at the Monument  will be a matter for the Chief Constable.
That has been made clear by Keith Hunter, the Police & Crime Commissioner for Humberside.
He accepted an invitation to attend Brigg Town Council's January meeting and soon stressed that his role does not include having an input into where PCs and PCSOs are deployed.
The invitation was sent to him following the police's decision last November to change a practice that had been in place for many years - sending staff along to put out the cones and close the A18, the A1084 and Bigby Street to through traffic for about an hour, either side of the wreath-laying.
Brigg Town Council, which organises the ceremony, did not receive very much notice and was left with little time in which to find volunteer marshals to shut the roads and a firm prepared to put up the necessary road signs to alert approaching drivers. 
The ceremony went ahead as usual, but it was a near thing.
Brigg councillors put their concerns, questions and views to Mr Hunter and Chief Inspector Jenny Bristow, who oversees neighbourhood policing.
Mr Hunter went into great detail to spell out what a Commissioner is required to do.
It was also suggested during the debate that road closures are a matter for North Lincolnshire Council, as the highway authority.
Following a positive comment made by Chief Insp Bristow, we can expect to see Humberside Police laying its own wreath again during the ceremony this November. This did not happen in 2016. 
It also expected that the police force's decision on whether it will provide PCs and/or PCSOs to assist with the road closures will be made known to Brigg Town Council much earlier than was the case last year.
Coun Rob Waltham, the Leader of North Lincolnshire Council as well as being a town councillor, gave the meeting welcome news about the unitary authority giving assistance with future road closures for community events. Further details are expected to be made available in due course.
One question that remains unanswered about last November's Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying is why a police car arrived on Wrawby Road, resulting in many members of the public having to be moved aside to let it squeeze past on its journey towards Barnard Avenue along the A18 (see picture below).
Coun Mike Campion raised this matter during the meeting in the Angel Suite. No answer was forthcoming. Nor was a reason given to Brigg Blog when we asked the police to explain why last November.
Some police officers were near the Monument on Remembrance Sunday 2016 but they were not detailed to help with the road closures which were were managed by a specialist company assisting the town council and by volunteer helpers (see picture above).
Blog followers with views on this issue are asked to email them to scoopfisher@aol.com





Brigg Town Mayor Coun Ann Eardley with Commissioner Keith Hunter in the Angel Suite where he spoke to Brigg Town Council.

The Commissioner addressing councillors. From the left, Deputy Town Clerk Alison Hannath, Chief Inspector Jenny Bristow, Mr Hunter, Deputy Town Mayor Coun Sharon Riggall and Town Clerk Claire Davis, nearest the Press table from where Brigg Blog took this picture.
Police near the Monument as crowds dispersed following the Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying during November 2016,



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