PRESENT: Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Treasurer John Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Muhammad Chaudhry, John Clark, Vi Clark, Brian Jones, Kath Jones, Ishmael Stevens, Madge Sutton, Roy Townsend, Pat Townsend, Bob Walter, Robert Williams
ALSO PRESENT: PC Atkinson - Broad Street Area Beat Manager, PC Kuklinski - Vice Manager, PCSO Rogers, PCSO Millarvie, Councillor’s - Junab Ali, Bob Wright and Julie Wright, Frances Barrone – SBC, Tim French, Fozlur Rahman
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Diana Banner, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Kay Malko, Cluniford Mason, Evelyn Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, Ros Timlin, Mark Walker Town Centre Locality Lead,
MATTERS ARISING from the October drop-in notes:
Fly tipping and empty alcohol containers still a big problem.
Confirmation of October drop-in notes: Proposed Pam Freegard, Seconded Roy Townsend
The following issues and points were reported, raised and discussed
Ongoing problems - Boxes and rubbish at back of a shop at 105 Broad Street were being blown and kicked around. Empty boxes were also being placed at the front of the empty shop next door. A resident had reported this issue to Street Smart.
Was there still a dedicated street cleaner in the area, as Wendy was no longer doing the job?
Drivers were still ignoring the parking restrictions on Manchester Road.
Had the possible euro bin proposals progressed any further?
What was happening with the orange box recycling collections?
Shrubbery in Manchester Road by the electricity substation was overgrown.
Cllr. B. Wright – There were 2 interim cleaners, but a person who knew and cared about the area might be a better way forward. Manchester Road was now a clearway and when reported, the Parking Inspectors were now responding quicker to the parking issues and undertaking enforcement. No more info on Eurobins but a new person, as yet unknown, would be taking over from Richard Fisher. Orange box recycling and green waste collections were currently under public consultation.
Cllr. J. Wright – Cllrs. J and B Wright, Anna Aston (SBC) and Mark Walker had walked around the area looking at shops. 105 Broad Street, the shop owner had been spoken to previously about waste issues, but denied the boxes outside the empty shop next door came from his shop. Polski shop in Manchester Rd. - the bins were being stored on the pavement, the shop owner said he would put them in his garage – still not moved! Anna Aston took photos of the problems connected with both shops, SBC could not fine shops, but had to take them to court, so the costs had to be weighed up. There was a 26-ton lorry being unloaded on Manchester Rd. outside the old George Whites building. It was not parked in a designated unloading bay causing traffic problems, Parking Enforcement attended; the shop owner was spoken to about it and it was eventually moved. A meeting would be requested with MP Robert Buckland concerning shop issues and the laws as they stood.
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: Beat Manager - PC Luke Atkinson
Criminal damage – 1. (2012 – 6)
Violence – 7. (2012 – 7)
Theft – 29. (2012 – 16) (Vast majority from shoplifting)
Drugs – 0 (2012 – 2)
Dwelling Burglary – 2 (2012 – 1)
Robbery – 1. (2012 – 1)
Anti-social behaviour – 6 (2012 – 8)
PC Luke Atkinson report -
All crime this year to date in the town centre was down 5.2% compared to last year. In Broadgreen victim based crime was also down 20.7%. This equated to 100 less reported crimes in the 12 months to October 2013 than in the 12 months previously. Vehicle Crime, Burglaries and offences of violence were all down between 12% and 26.4%
Incidents of Anti-Social behaviour had also reduced; in October there were 6 reported incidents whilst in both August and September there were 13 calls to Police.
Targeting Anti-social behaviour and reducing crime was still the main priority and the NPT had been pro-actively patrolling Broadgreen in plain clothes and uniform over the last month. Since the last meeting 67 additional patrols had been carried out in the area specifically targeting ASB in addition to routine patrols.
As previously stated since the last meeting Wiltshire Police had received 6 calls relating to anti-social behaviour taking place in public areas in Broadgreen. All of these calls had been attended by Officers who seized alcohol, dispersed groups, issued penalty tickets or made arrests. All Swindon officers were well aware of the ASB in Broadgreen and a targeted patrol plan had been put in place by PC Atkinson to encourage other officers to patrol the area. Broadgreen was still subject to a designated public place order and as such open containers of alcohol had been removed from any and all individuals caught drinking in the area.
Two pieces of good Policing work for residents –
1. There was a serious knifepoint robbery in a local shop in early October, where the suspect left with lots of cash after threatening an employee. This person had now been identified through proactive Policing and had been arrested in relation to this offence.
2. A drugs warrant executed in the area in the last week found a substantial amount of Class-A drugs and cash at an address. As a result, several drug dealers were arrested and were currently on bail pending further enquiries.
The most important part of dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour from a Policing basis was to identify the people involved so a case file of evidence against them could be built up. There were then several tools such as anti-social behaviour contracts/orders that could be used to curtail their behaviour and movements.
PC Louise Kuklinski Vice-Manager – There were no complaints from residents in the last month, but 4 active sex worker (Loitering or Soliciting for Prostitution) cautions had been given out, 4 kerb crawlers had been caught - 3 were given cautions and 1 was being taken to Court.
Engagement and Support Orders – Following a meeting PC Kuklinski had had with the head of Wilts. CPS, the use of the Orders was now approved and with some tweaking would be used shortly. At the moment if prostitutes were sent to Court, they would be fined around £80 - £100 and go back out on the streets to pay the fine, the new Orders would allow added conditions to be put in place that might allow them to get away from the reason they were working as a prostitute e.g. by having to attend a set number of appointments with drug or drink rehabilitation agency.
Resident’s questions and info –
Cllr. Ali informed the Police about an unreported attempted bag snatch by a man in a hoody, in Gladstone Street and also relayed other information, that he had not previously reported to the police, concerning 6 street drinkers he had seen exiting Carlton car park the day before, and asked if the police patrolled the car park? Cllr. B Wright informed the police that the reason they had not reported it in at the time, was because a number of people had asked for a survey of the car park area at the October BSACC drop-in, as they were frightened to go near Carfax Surgery due to drinkers. The NPT had taken the issues away to be looked at and the Councillors were expecting a report as to what had been done about it, at this meeting.
PC Atkinson and PCSO Rogers – The car park/Carfax Street area was regularly patrolled, as was the rest of Broadgreen, the NPT had spoken to security at the surgery who were now aware of the issues and the problem no longer appeared to be as bad as it had been.
Suspicious activity and drug using was reported by a resident to the police at the time it was happening, but was not attended by the police. – PC Atkinson was on a rest day at the time the incident took place, but took details and would follow it up.
A questionnaire was handed out by Hayley Westlake from the Police Corporate Community Team, asking for residents views on Wiltshire Police service delivery.
Please could residents continue to make contact with Police using the 101-telephone system or via PC Atkinson’s email address, so that they were made aware of incidents of ASB and could respond. The NPT were frequently out and about in the area so please feel free to have a chat. For crimes in progress please continue to use the 999 telephone number.
Policing was an Intelligence driven business, please contact Wiltshire Police on 101 if there was something residents needed to report. Or alternatively email Community Beat Manager PC 2410 Luke ATKINSON on luke.atkinson@wilthire.pnn.police.uk
COUNCILLORS REPORT : Cllr. B. Wright
New ‘no waiting and delivery bays’ had been introduced in Manchester Road.
Wellington St – taxis were still parking on yellow lines – issue taken to officers and licensing. There was a review of taxi ranks.
Cockram Court – The pavement relaying in Medgbury Rd had now been completed.
Parking review – The County Ground Event parking consultation was under way but so far there was no clear direction from the residents.
There was a motion put to SBC, to turn the football stadium into a community asset – Cllr. Wright was concerned that all of the County Ground site should be under the same protection.
Parking around the Mosques. Cllr. Wright didn’t understand the concerns brought up at a previous meeting concerning Mosque parking at other times of the day, other than around prayer times, as a previous investigation had showed that the only unusual Mosque parking times occurred at Ramadan and there was nothing else to indicate there were any other unusual hours that might have caused problems. The Mosques did things to control parking and there were logs to show when parking services visited the area.
There were 2 representatives of the Mosques at the meeting and the problems and concerns, including late night disturbances during Ramadan were passed onto them. Both Mr Rahman and Cllr. Ali assured the meeting that Mosque users did not intentionally cause problems and were regularly reminded to be courteous and respectful and to not cause problems for residents. Mr Rahman said they were not aware that there had been issues during Ramadan, but would investigate this further and during prayer times they stood outside making sure people did not park where they should not be parking. Cllr. Ali said that he personally had gone out with a high vis. Jacket on and phoned the parking inspectors to ticket vehicles blocking alley ways and major arteries and next June during Ramadan a contact phone number could be provided should there be problems and he was also readily contactable.
Parking logs – over the last 6 months there were 901 visits, 1289 vehicle registrations logged, 1077 vehicles drove away, which was very high and 212 Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued. The high number of vehicle owners driving away gave a strike rate of only around 15% because the inspectors had to put the PCN on the vehicle whilst it was in breach of parking regulations.
CORRESPONDENCE
SENT – None
RECEIVED – None
PLANNING – S/13/1102 - | Texaco Service Station Fleming Way SN1 2NG - Erection of a single storey side extension to existing sales building - Application granted
TREASURERS REPORT - to 06 November 2013: John Freegard
ANGUS MACPHERSON – Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.
Mr Macpherson had been in this newly created position for nearly a year and his term of office would be until 2016. The job responsibilities were purely strategic and covered the following – a duty to ensure there was an efficient and effective police service in Wiltshire, to appoint or dismiss and hold the Chief Constable to account for the policing in the area and hold the Chief Constable to account for delivering the 4-year Police and Crime Plan. Mr Macpherson wrote the crime plan, which was published in March, but it would be revised and amended as required. There was an obligation to consult with communities as to what further priorities might be included in any revision. There was also an obligation to take into consideration the plans of Community Safety partners and councillors. Better collaboration with local authorities was being sought, as well as cutting the back offices while trying to maintain front line services. Recruitment of new replacement Police Officers was now under way.
It was not the Crime Commissioners job to have a hand in daily police operations, this was down to the local police teams, but there was a fortnightly monitoring board meeting where decisions were made and recorded.
The Crime Commissioners office had 7 full time members of staff, as did the previous Police Authority, but since taking over from the Police Authority around £147,000 had been under spent and any savings would be put back into front line services. The budget was now being spent on community policing and engaging and supporting communities through community speed watches, neighbourhood justice panels and neighbourhood watch.
Street prostitution – tackling substance abuse was fundamental to reduce harm and supporting women to exit prostitution, many of which couldn’t see any other viable future. It was down to authorities to ensure the support services were there to help. There was a need to address people who were controlling prostitutes or kerb crawling - remove the demand and the supply would be removed.
Questions asked –
Would the Neighbourhood Police Teams be kept?
- Wiltshire Police were devoted to neighbourhood policing and would fight hard to protect them, because it was local policing and intelligence that fed into the newly formed National Crime Agency. There was also a need for more Special Constables working at a neighbourhood level.
Was the vice officer role, currently held by PC Kuklinski a permanent role?
- This was not a decision for the Crime Commissioner but down to the Chief-Constable, but from his strategic view it was about addressing street workers and vice head on and if it was in the policing plan he would expect there to be someone on the ground doing that piece of work.
Could Mr Macpherson direct more resources to the vice issues?
- No, but he could put the objectives in the Police and Crime Plan, but how the Chief Constable directed his resources was a matter for him operationally.
Were systems and equipment outdated?
- PDA’s were about 5 years old; Wiltshire Police were one of the first to bring in this system in the country and it still had more functionality now than some of the latest technology currently being introduced by other forces.
Were prisoners released with no help and what was being done to stop them re-offending?
- Prisoners were engaged with before being released, sorting out benefits and accommodation etc.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Following a number of complaints to the community council about the Breakfast Club held at St. Luke’s, Mr Macpherson, as Chair of the club, was asked about the behaviour of some of the clients outside of the premises and, as it was a residential area, if the people running the club should be responsible for the behaviour of their clients in the vicinity of the club. Mr Macpherson said that the operations of the club was dealt with by the coordinator, but he had spoken to them and, compared to 4 or 5 years ago, the number of actual drinkers attending was few and far between now. There were notices up and staff also talked to users asking them to leave immediately. As the club closed at 9.00am the drinkers had not started drinking then, however because there was also a lunch club, the bad behaviour occurred later, when they had started drinking and came back into the area. A resident living opposite St. Luke’s hall said that drinkers put their cans in bags and hid them outside the hall while using the facilities and picked them up when they had had their food, however it was mainly a problem witnessed during the lunch club hours.
A sign in Corporation Street was facing the wrong way.
Meeting closed 9.30pm
