“Kiss of death” for local Neighbourhood Watch schemes?
Gordon Henderson has expressed concern about the future of Neighbourhood Watch schemes across Swale following news that the Government plans to cut off financial support to the National Neighbourhood Watch Association (NNWA).
The Home Office has effectively banned the NNWA, an umbrella organisation of all Neighbourhood Watch groups, from using the Neighbourhood Watch logo in commercial sponsorship. The NNWA has warned that it might be forced to close as early as next month.
Mr Henderson said:
‘By questioning the right of the NNWA to use the Neighbourhood Watch trademark, and announcing that it will not support the NNWA during the next financial year, the Home Office appears intent on bringing about the demise of the Association, presumably so that the Government can take control itself of the neighbourhood watch movement.
‘That would be a disaster. Let the Government anywhere near the running of Neighbourhood Watch and it will be the kiss of death!
‘Any moves by the Home Office to take over the role of the NNWA will be resisted by the Conservative Party, which respects the independence of the Neighbourhood Watch movement and its 165,000 schemes up and down the country.’
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Notes:
1) Extract from a NNWA Parliamentary briefing note: “The NNWA is facing closure. Almost simultaneously the Home Office has refused to provide vital interim funding, whilst at the same time preventing us from signing a significant five year sponsorship agreement that would allow us to continue our work without public funding. If the Home Office cannot be persuaded to change its position the NNWA will be forced to close as early as July 2004”
2) The NNWA is a registered charity and was formed in 1995 by Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators who realised that there was a need for a framework organisation for the 165,000 schemes operating in the UK.
3) The NNWA’s financial crisis stems from the Government’s refusal to allow the NNWA to seek commercial sponsorship after the Norwich Union withdrew sponsorship in 2002. The NNWA managed to arrange a sponsorship deal with a leading High Street Bank, which would have left the NNWA self-supporting by July 2005, However, the Home Office have challenged the NNWA’s right to use the Neighbourhood Watch logo and have effectively blocked the deal.
Contact details for Gordon Henderson
Day time telephone: 07866 719923
Evening telephone: 01795 669108
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