Agenda item

Inspector Alisdair Dey will tell you about the Police Pledge and the Safer Neighbourhoods Team will give you an update on their activities.

4.1 Insp. Alisdair Dey spoke about the police priorities and the process of consultation that informs them.

4.2 He informed the meeting that he would like to readjust the police priorities for the ward so that they reflect the policing issues in the ward and relate to issues that lie within the remit of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team. 

4.3 The police priorities are currently: anti-social behaviour; police response times; and speeding.

• Anti-social behaviour is an issue in the ward and across the city and is a priority of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team.
• Police response times, however, are a tactical issue and are therefore not within the control of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team. Under the Policing Pledge the officers of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team are committed to spending 80% of their time in the area.
• Speeding is a recurring problem but North Yorkshire Police Traffic Management has a process in place to address it. They are committed to responding to every incident of speeding reported through the speeding report forms by installing equipment to ascertain the nature of the problem and identifying a solution, e.g. adjustments to road layout, signal timings, or enforcement. Officers in the Safer Neighbourhoods Team are now trained to use speeding enforcement equipment, so they will be involved if enforcement is identified as a solution.

4.4 Insp Dey informed the meeting that autocrime is an issue in the ward and a police priority, and therefore suggested that it become one of the ward policing priorities.

Questions

Among the issues raised in questions from residents were: speeding on Moorlands Road, motorists using mobile phones while driving, and the police perspective on police priorities in the ward.

In response Insp. Dey said that incidents of speeding on Moorlands Road should be reported through a speed report form; Traffic Management will investigate every incident reported. Motorists face penalties for using a mobile phone while driving. Regarding the police priorities, it was pointed out that, by most standards, the Safer Neighbourhoods Team performs very well in tackling crime in the ward; one of the greatest challenges they face is fear of crime and building community confidence in policing.

4.5 PC Ian Richardson of the Safer Neighbourhoods Team gave an update on crime in the ward.

4.6 He informed the meeting that crime is down by 12% overall, but that there have been increases in shop theft and cycle theft.

4.7 Regarding anti-social behaviour in the ward the Safer Neighbourhoods Team are focussing on three areas:

• Clifton Without Library – there is a problem-solving plan in place to identify offenders, speak to parents and liaise with the library.
• Eastholme Drive shops – PCSOs are currently working on a problem-solving plan.
• Fairway Alley – the Safer Neighbourhoods Team is working with Andrew Williams, Street Environment Officer, to improve the appearance of the alleyway and deter anti-social behaviour.

4.8 The team is tackling the problem of autocrime on the Shipton Road corridor with the Display and Pay campaign.

Questions

Among the issues raised by residents were: the need to publicise the positive crime figures in the media; cases of reported arson; and the possibility of having cycling education as a police priority.

The response was given that the team is not aware of any cases of reported arson but would investigate further; the team has been involved in cycle education in the past and would like to continue this work.