Agenda item

PC Ian Richardson from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team and Andrew Williams, Street Environment Officer will update the meeting about what they’ve been doing in the ward.

Safer Neighbourhood Team

 

PC Ian Richardson explained that there is a new inspector in the team, Insp. Alisdair Day, and that he and Sgt Musgrove would join the meeting later.

 

PC Richardson explained that the policing priorities of residents in the ward in 2008 were

 

Ø      Anti-social behaviour

Ø      Police response times

Ø      Speeding

  

Calls to police reporting instances of anti-social behaviour have dropped. The police have found that, contrary to expectations, anti-social behaviour peaks at 8pm on Thursdays, so the Safer Neighbourhoods Team have been trying to target this period. They have also arranged more patrols to target locations in the ward where anti-social behaviour is a particular problem.

 

The Safer Neighbourhoods Team have secured nine Acceptable Behaviour Contracts with known offenders in the ward area and a Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order has been issued on one known offender.

 

The police are monitoring calls reporting anti-social behaviour. Police response times are a wider organisational issue and not just down to the Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

 

PC Richardson also drew attention to the new Speeding Concern Report, which can be used to record concerns about speeding in particular locations in the ward. The form will facilitate tasking relevant agencies and departments with investigating the problem.

 

The recent consultation on residents’ policing priorities slightly altered the order of the priorities:

 

Ø      Anti-social behaviour

Ø      Speeding

Ø      Police response times

 

In addition to residents’ policing priorities, the police crime reduction priorities are:

 

Ø      Auto crime

Ø      Dwelling burglaries

 

The crime figures have been steadily declining since November 2008. Auto crime and theft rose by 31% in November, largely as a result of one individual who has since been prosecuted. In December 2008 crime rates were down by 7.7%, with a notable reduction in non-dwelling burglaries, and in January 2009 there was a drop of 54%, particularly in burglaries and auto crime. Overall, the figures show a drop of 25% in crime rates since April 2008.

 

In December the Safer Neighbourhoods Team ran a three day Safer Cycling Campaign to address the problem of people cycling without lights and cycling on pavements. Over the course of three days they issued 60 verbal warnings, 15 Fixed Penalty Notices and 2 court summons. They also gave out some bicycle locks and PCSOs are going in to schools in the area to discuss the cycle laws with pupils.

 

Neighbourhood Watch in Clifton Without has proven successful and they are hoping to expand it to Skelton and Rawcliffe. They are also looking at extending the Shipton Road Business Watch (modelled on the one at Clifton Park Avenue) to the Skelton area.

 

In other initiatives, the Safer Neighbourhoods Team have been holding joint drop-in sessions with social landlords to facilitate finding solutions to problems and PCSOs are planning to take part in youth activities with Youth Services.

 

Q. As we don’t get a response after 12am, would it not be good idea to a high fence with a lockable gate at the park?

 

A. The possibility of installing a gate has been discussed in the past and we could revisit the idea.

 

Q. What’s a CRASBO?

 

A. A CRASBO is a Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order and people that have been issued with one face more severe penalties for breaking the law.

 

Q. Do you realise that the Traveller’s Site is perceived as a no-go area by the public?

 

A. The Traveller’s Site is not a no-go area; members of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team patrol there on a daily basis and it is no different to other streets in the ward. The individual responsible for the instances of criminal damage mentioned earlier in the meeting has been prosecuted and is no longer at the site.  

 

Insp Alisdair Day introduced himself to the meeting and invited questions. He pointed out that nowhere in the ward is a no-go area.

 

Q. (Cllr. Moore) How will the Safer Neighbourhoods Team address the potential increase in crime as a result of the credit crunch?

 

A. The Safer Neighbourhoods Team is very successful and will continue to be. Crime rates are vulnerable to local issues and we don’t yet know what will happen in the ward area in terms of employment, etc. Nationally, burglary and crime are increasing, but for now, this is a very safe ward and a very successful Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

 

Q. Councillors often refer residents to the police, even though police resources are limited.

 

A. The police have finite resources, especially at night, so they need to allocate resources to the most serious incidents. They will respond or attend all complaints if they can.

 

Councillor Watt pointed out that the Safer Neighbourhoods Team have been very successful and that the situation in the ward has improved as a result.

 

 

Street Environment

 

Andrew Williams highlighted what had been happening in the ward over the last few months and mentioned about the new ‘report sheets’ which can be used to report an issue. These were available at the back of the room.

 

The two biggest issues for the Street Environment team are litter and dog fouling.

 

To address the problem of dog fouling;

 

Ø      New signs are going up around the ward

Ø      The visible presence of Animal Health Officers acts as a deterrent

Ø      If incidents of dog fouling are reported to the York Pride line, someone will respond within two hours.

 

Councillors have asked him to address the litter problem. There are particular problems in the Rawcliffe Lane area and he is meeting with the head teacher at Canon Lee School to address this. Parish councillors have also written to the school to address their concerns.

 

There has been a change of policy when dealing with littering by those aged under 18. The Street Environment Officers were issuing fixed penalty notices but the policy has changed due to government advice on best practice. The new policy is that under 18s will be asked to pick up the litter and issued with a warning, which will be shared with the Youth Offending Team. If necessary, a fixed penalty notice (£75, £50 if paid within ten days) can be issued in the presence of a parent or teacher. It is also possible to offer offenders the opportunity to make reparation instead of a fine. If the offender fails to make reparation or pay the fine, they can resort to a court appearance, but this is a last resort.

 

Q. As the dog fouling problems are mainly after dark, is it possible to report incidents out of hours?

 

A. It is possible to report incidents but a response is not available out of working hours.

 

Q. There is a problem with paper litter at the entrance to the lake.

 

A. The Probation Service is working to clear the litter there. The Council is also looking at the cleansing schedules to address the litter problem in the ward.

 

Q. Could training be provided to people working in rubbish collection, especially recycling collection, as it seems to create a litter problem?

 

A. Often recycling is not left out securely. To address the problem, cleansing crews follow the rubbish collection. 

 

Q. Is the council responsible for the Rawcliffe Grange area?

 

A. At the moment it is still Barratt’s responsibility. The Parish Council and the Probation Service are working together to address the problem on the Recreation Field. Once it is the City Council’s responsibility a schedule will be implemented to include the estate in the council’s services.