Issue - meetings

To provide an update to Panel members on Community Safety and its delivery at county and local level (report of the Executive Director of Place and the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities enclosed).

The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities and the Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Governance and Transformation will be in attendance for this item.

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director Place and the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities, which provided an update to Panel members on community safety and its delivery at county and local level.  The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities, the Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Governance and Transformation, the Community Safety and Enforcement Manager and the Communities Manager were in attendance to provide information to members.

Members considered the information and the following issues were raised:

·         The report stated that the Anti-Social Behaviour Officer had dealt with 28 new cases between April and September, and that the current case load was now 26, suggesting that only 2 cases had been completed.

o   Members were advised that although there had been early intervention in all of these cases, they were not always easy to resolve due to many complex issues.

·         Members of the public often fell victim to issues such as scams and cons – there had to be education so that people could take control in these situations.

o   Members were advised that education was key to combat this area – partners were being worked with, awareness weeks were held and certain information could be targeted.  The public needed information to safeguard themselves.

·         Members raised concerns regarding CCTV and how it was used to address anti social behaviour – the report provided a positive picture but members could not recognise this from a local viewpoint.  In their opinion the police response to antisocial behaviour was poor; the use of CCTV to survey antisocial behaviour was not sufficient.

o   Councillor Taylor commented that in some instances, there were operational issues for the police.  There were certain aspects of CCTV that could not be measured e.g. CCTV preventing crime taking place.  With regard to anti social behaviour, this should be addressed via the Police as it was an operational issue. 

·         Crime always moved and criminal activity would always move to areas where there was no CCTV.  The Police had to use resources, including CCTV, in a more intelligent way.

o   The Communities Manager advised that she would speak to the Neighbourhood Policing Team regarding this.  Members were also advised that due to antisocial behaviour in Crowland, the cameras there would be monitored more closely.  Crowd safety was also an area that needed addressing.

·         Members questioned whether CCTV in Spalding provided value for money.  How many screens were being monitored in the South Holland area?

o   The Executive Director Place responded that proactive, intelligent monitoring of CCTV cameras was required.  Officers would liaise with the monitoring centre in Boston to ascertain how they were monitored.

·         Public perception of crime was not positive.  Many victims did not report crimes as they felt it was not worth it.  The Police did not provide arrest information to Parish Councils, and this was disappointing. 

o   Members were advised that there was a shared obligation with the Police in respect of community safety.  Members’ comments could be fed back to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21