In the Whitstable times this week there was an article titled “Police Message Alert” that goes on about a new SMS messaging service recently launched by the Kent Police.
As the vast majority of people now own a mobile phone, this must be one of the fastest ways of distributing information going. Imagine a robbery taking place in Tankerton, witnessed by a member of the public who contacts the police who then in turn SMS (once a confirmation process has taken place) local people to be on the look-out for X colour car, with X registration mark. So long as we don’t get a spate of have-a-go hero's, feedback from this type of communication can get the right people into the right area quicker than driving about looking.
We know that Whitstable; along with other local towns have seen in the past a reduction of patrol and beat officers. Neighbourhood Watch signs are up in places where there is no longer a Neighbourhood Watch in operation any longer. Something like the Kent Community Messaging would be of benefit to everyone.
Imagine being the parent of a child that goes missing while the family enjoy themselves on our beach. Or if you happen to be a victim of an assault in town how quickly a description of either could be circulated to many hundreds of people!
Anything like this service is open to abuse, but just imagine the benefits to the community and how the people who commit crimes in our area would react to having a neighbourhood network like this in our area.
Also in the Times this week is mention of the preparation of “The Shoreline Management Plan” which will look into ways of protecting the coastline along the North Kent area.
I for one would like to see the adoption of plans to build close to the shoreline housing developments that can be used as a sea defence system.
Now the residents of Whitstable know where the danger areas in and around our town are, but Londoner’s don’t.
Imagine having a sea defence system that you could sell to unsuspecting Londoner’s. It would be self financing, and the rest of us could sleep easier in the knowledge that their weekend retreats would be protecting our one and only house.
Locals could also have a competition to see how many names for these developments we can come up with that would appeal to Londoners as a second address, but without being too blatant describe their future. Something along the lines of Atlantis Court, Dunwich Basin & Rungholt Reach.
If you can think of any other suitable names for these developments, drop me a line.
Just incase these ideas may prove useful, I have e-mailed the people concerned in the preparation of the plan a link to this page. You just never know.
The people of Bosham enjoy it when tourists come to their village and partake of the parking facilities on the shoreline, especially when the tide comes in! On one of the web-sites for the area it proudly says:
“Watch the cars parked on the shoreline disappear as the tide comes in!”
Whitstable could better that.
“Watch the Londoner’s property get reclaimed each Spring Tide!”
We could even produce a tide table of expected dates and times!
Already responses to the e-mail I sent to the parties involved in the plan have started to arrive.
One, who will remain nameless writes.
Thanks very much for that. Not an idea that has been raised so far. Such developments would certainly have a good sea view.
