Greenscaping

Greenscaping are the hedges, trees, grass, plants and bushes that form part of the wider landscape.

Semilong Northampton is lucky in having a good amount of greenscaping which adds to the neighbourhood and stops the area from feeling like a `concrete jungle` and gives residents places to unwind or for the younger ones, to play free from traffic.

Greenscaping Maintenance

The only drawback with greenscaping, is that it does need to be maintained and developed.

If it is not maintained it can create problems for crime prevention and also it gives the impression that the community is unmanaged and uncared for. This leads some people to feel encouraged to act anti-socially. That is why proper greenscape maintenance is not only necessary but essential to the community.

With these points in mind SEMILONG.ORG have to wonder why Northampton Borough Council allow the hedge height around one car park on Mill Road to on occasions reach 6 or 7 foot tall and with the hedges along Lower Adelaide Street to also get out of control. These are the same areas that were not fenced in to allow the community access.
See Accommodation

Could it be Northampton Borough Council are saying "yes you can use the area but we don't care what happens to you or your vehicles there", or "the area is there but use it at you peril" ??

CASPAR

CASPAR, "Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Partnership", "is an estate based crime reduction initiative which works in partnership with the Police, Borough Council, County Council and local community". The aim is to act "together to reduce crime and the risk of crime, and to increase resident cohesion and involvement in the community, to take back the streets from criminals".

CASPER's own documents recommend local authorities maintain hedges and estates

CASPER's recommendations include tackling the appearance of a neighbourhood in order to cut down crime. Part of this project encouraged local agencies to maintain hedges, to prune trees and hedges and to carry out repairs to community areas promptly.

Despite the aims of CASPER and the wishes of residents, Northampton Borough Council state they do not have the money to cut hedges more than once a year. This makes Semilong Northampton a criminal's paradise.

Community Payback

The Community Payback Scheme which requires people to do work in the community for recompense for a crime is ideal.

Northampton Borough Council advise residents that they cannot trim the hedges more than once a year due to costs, so how about the Community Payback workers fill the gap? Afterall it is still work in the community that residents would be thankful for.

Due to the rules of the Community Payback Scheme the community cannot ask them to cut the hedges as it is a job that Northampton Borough Council currently do once a year.

This situation is very unfortunate for the whole Semilong Northampton community.

Conclusion

Northampton Borough Council must take its social responsibilities more seriously in regard to greenscaping.

Greenscaping Issues Include...

Greenscaping left to grow wild giving the mistaken impression to some that no-one cares about the environment in Semilong Northampton so they can litter, fly-tip rubbish and behave as anti-socially as they like.