PRESENT: Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Treasurer John Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Diana Banner, Muhammad Chaudhry, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Cluniford Mason, Madge Sutton, Ros Timlin, Roy Townsend, Pat Townsend, Bob Walter, Robert Williams and 4 other residents
ALSO PRESENT: NPT Sgt. McLaughlin, PC Atkinson - Broad Street Area Beat Manager, PC Kuklinski - Vice Manager, PCSO Rogers, Mark Walker Town Centre Locality Lead, Councillor’s J and B Wright, Tim French, Kathryn Hawke
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: John Clark, Vi Clark, Kay Malko, Evelyn Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, Frances Barrone – SBC
CONFIRMATION of the August drop-in notes: Confirmed Pam Freegard and seconded Madge Sutton
MATTERS ARISING from the August drop-in notes:
Was there feedback concerning a direct number to call the Broadgreen Police Team? PC Kuklinski believed the PDA’s currently being used were being replaced by a new tablet, and would update on the situation then.
Due to a lack of time, it was agreed that the BSACC 40th Anniversary afternoon planned for October would be postponed until 2014.
The following issues, points and information were raised and discussed
Parking in alleys, causing obstruction and blocking access to garages. It was asked if double yellow lines could be put in the alleys. – Cllr. B. Wright said that obstruction was a police issue unless there were d/y lines. There were 4 highways activities in the area – Cockram Court path repair, 20mph - already done, Manchester Road restrictions - it was hoped that Manchester Road would be made a clearway, meaning there would be no parking at anytime and shop deliveries would be made in specific drop off points and County Ground event parking. It was being proposed that a Gateway scheme would cover the whole area – when people entered the zone, including alleys, there would be one sign saying that the zone had been entered, at which point SBC parking services would be able to deal with all the parking issues. The first part to be implemented would cover the County Ground area.
Due to confusing road markings in Corporation Street and a way of avoiding the traffic lights, motorists were using Armstrong Street and Alfred Street as a cut through to Manchester Road.
Rats still a significant problem in the area, probably due to fly tipping issues. Concerns that SBC charge £50 to treat an infestation on private land.
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: Beat Manager - PC Luke Atkinson
Criminal damage – 14. (2012 – 5) (Increase due to a series of vehicle damages on Rosebery St)
Violence – 8. (2012 – 6) (Increase due to several domestic incidents inside homes)
Theft – 20. (2012 – 16)
Dwelling Burglary – 2 (2012 – 5)
Robbery – 0. (2012 – 0)
Intelligence reports – 55. (2012 – 50)
PC Luke Atkinson report -
All crime to date in the town centre is down 5.2% compared to last year. In Broadgreen victim based crime is down 20.7%. This equates to 101 less reported crimes in the 12 months to August 2013 than in the 12 months previously. Vehicle Crime, Burglaries, Criminal Damages and offences of violence are all down between 1.5% and 23.8%.
Unfortunately incidents of Anti-Social behaviour in the Broadgreen area are slightly up year to date equating to 17 additional ASB calls to Police.
Targeting Anti-social behaviour is currently the main priority and the police are aware of incidents in the alleyways and outside the Breakfast Club on Broad Street involving street drinkers. Since the last meeting 69 additional patrols have been carried out in the area specifically targeting ASB in addition to routine patrols. As a result of these, numerous individuals have had alcohol confiscated. PC Atkinson and PC Kuklinski have personally arrested 3 separate individuals for drunken behaviour in a public place and a total of 6 have been arrested since 1st August. Words of warning have also been given to shops on Manchester Road who are known to sell alcohol to intoxicated individuals and fixed penalty notices will be given out where offences are identified.
Since the last BSACC meeting Wiltshire Police have received 9 calls relating to anti-social behaviour taking place in public areas in Broadgreen. Officers, who have seized alcohol, dispersed groups, issued penalty tickets or made arrests have attended all of these calls. All Officers in Swindon are now aware of the ASB issues in Broadgreen and are targeting the area.
The alleyways and public places in Broadgreen have been subjected to a targeted patrol plan but as the police are not able to be in the area 24/7 It was asked that Residents continued to make use of the 101 telephone system so that the police are made aware of ongoing incidents of ASB and can respond.
PCC Angus McPherson has been invited and will hopefully be in attendance for the November meeting and will have more in depth knowledge about the activities and future of the Breakfast Club on Broad Street.
PCSO Emma Millarvie is currently off work following an operation and will hopefully rejoin the police team by the end of the month. Until this time PC Atkinson and PCSO Tariq Rogers are the only specifically designated Officers working the Broadgreen Beat area.
PROSTITUTION REPORT: - Vice Manager - PC Kuklinski
In response to issues brought up at last months BSACC meeting, concerning late night problems in certain alleys, to show a visible presence and help deter this, 69 extra patrols had taken place late at night/early hours in the places reported. Since that time, no residents had reported any problems to the police. Although the problem was still going on, since the patrols had started, there had been a visible decrease in the number of prostitutes seen on the streets.
There were 34 known prostitutes in the whole of Swindon and they were risk assessed monthly by the police along with partner agencies. 22 were high or red risk meaning they were actively working on the streets of the town, but not necessarily all at the same time, or in Broadgreen. Prostitutes worked all over the town, including Queens Drive, Old Town and from their homes. Not all prostitutes were working because of drug issues, they might have a family that didn’t know what they did and would therefore avoid Broadgreen because it was known that the police actively targeted the area.
Home Office guidelines say that kerb crawlers must be targeted above prostitutes as they can be prosecuted. It is not always easy to catch kerb crawlers so the police request that if residents identify a vehicle being used regularly to kerb crawl or to pick up prostitutes then please record a description of the vehicle, registration and person if possible. A police visit to someone’s home is often enough to deter them from doing it again.
Prostitutes have to be put on an active caution and will only be prosecuted if they break the caution during a 3-month time period. Unfortunately if they are sent to court during this time, they are generally fined £100 and so go back to work on the street to earn the money to pay the fine. This leads to magistrates questioning the reason the police have taken them to court in the first place.
One answer to this is Engagement and support Orders - the police are meeting with the head of the Wiltshire CPS and hopefully these orders will be used against prostitutes in Swindon. As these are court orders, specific punishments are attached to them, so if a prostitute breaches the order, they can be arrested and sent to prison.
Questions asked:
How safe was the Vice-Officer role as it has made a big difference, but it was a concern that people were not now reporting things that could be used as evidence that the problem was still there?
PC Kuklinski was satisfied that they had plenty of evidence to justify the role. It had been reviewed once, and will almost certainly become a permanent position shortly.
Residents wanted the problem gone from the area; it had been here for a very long time and people were fed up, could the residents not help, even by reporting areas where condoms or needles were found?
– Many of the problems happened in the early hours and in alleys, the prostitutes often associated with drug dealers and users so the biggest concern about community help would be the possible danger people could be put in if they actively targeted it, however many of the prostitutes had a certain area they go and the police were aware of these places, but reporting in rubbish left behind from prostitution activities would help the police identify areas currently not on their radar.
COUNCILLORS REPORT : Cllr. J. Wright
A consultation was currently taking place to look at the viability of introducing loading bays and an extension of resident parking at the junctions of roads leading off of Manchester Road and introducing no parking at any time for Manchester Road. Businesses had been written to about this matter with the offer of loading bays for their premises only.
A walkabout of the area to look at rubbish problems took place with Richard Hurley, Lead Member for StreetSmart. Anna Aston of Enforcement was contacting the businesses in the area about their responsibilities in regard to their rubbish. StreetSmart were also told to act on the rubbish in the area. An update has not been received and the build up of rubbish has not improved.
Councillors took part in the Community Clean Up in Broadgreen, Rushey Platt and Dean Street area.
A meeting had been requested with the Lead Member for Planning about the current planning regulations for the Central area. Currently businesses could open without the need for parking which was very frustrating. However the Lead Member would not meet until the Local Plan had been adopted.
Cockram Court – pavement repair should have been completed in March 2013. It had still not been done, Mark Walker to pursue.
A resident living on the top floor of Cockram Court was playing music extremely loud. The problem escalated, resulting in an arrest being made.
The possibility of a taxi rank on Wellington Street would be strongly opposed.
Eurobins – a presentation to the BSACC by StreetSmart to explain the proposals was still outstanding.
MARK WALKER Town Centre Locality Lead
Euro bins – a meeting/drop-in would be arranged during the winter to gauge resident’s thoughts and feelings about the possible introduction of communal bins rather than each property having a wheelie bin. If a majority of support for the idea were shown, they would probably be introduced. – There was some considerable concern that unless all residents were informed about this and properly consulted, then the consultation results might not reflect the actual feelings of people.
CORRESPONDENCE
SENT – None
RECEIVED – Tracy Geiran, Project Co-ordinator, Community Payback Team. Re – re moving forward with community gardens
PLANNING –
S/PRIORH/13/1196 - 36 County Road Swindon SN1 2EW - Prior Approval Notification for the erection of a single storey rear extension measuring 4.25m (from original rear wall), 2.9m (maximum height) and 2.9m(height to eaves) - Application Pending Consideration
S/13/1102 - | Texaco Service Station Fleming Way SN1 2NG - Erection of a single storey side extension to existing sales building - Application Pending Consideration
S/TC/13/0982 | Telecommunications Mast Magic Roundabout Shrivenham Road - Replacement of a 15m telecom pole and 2no. equipment cabinets.
S/13/0905 - 1-8 Manchester Road SN1 2AB - Change of use from retail to market stalls – Application Withdrawn
S/PRIORC/13/0820 - 74 County Road Swindon SN1 2EW - Prior Approval Notification for the change of use from offices (class B1(a)) to dwelling houses (class C3) (2no. flats) – Prior approval not required
S/13/0801 - 11 Gambia Street Swindon SN1 2DZ - Erection of a single storey rear extension - Application Granted
TREASURERS REPORT - to 04 September 2013: John Freegard
HISTORY REPORT: Kevin Leakey
Unfortunately, as nobody supported the meeting organised before the August drop-in, to discuss the history group and the Library event, it was cancelled. No new date was arranged as it was taken that there was little interest.
At the August drop-in we showed some images and information about ‘famous’ or well-known people connected to this area to try and generate some ideas for the Library event, but due to the nature of the drop-in session and the number of people that attended, this didn’t go to plan.
The Central Library yearly autumn event – Heroes & Villains’ was on Saturday 21st September 10 to 4. The theme this year was about historical local people: We would be having a table. It would be great if people could come along and support this. If anyone could spare an hour or so on the day to help, it would be much appreciated.
The latest copy of the Swindon Heritage magazine was out now and could be purchased at a number of outlets, including the Central Library and Havelock News. £4.99
ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Community garden’s – 3 residents expressed an initial interest in helping.
Concerns about parking and safety at the forthcoming football matches against Bristol City and Chelsea.
Meeting closed 9.20pm
