Issue - meetings

          The Board received a presentation from Adam Norton from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit on County Lines.

          County Lines is a term used to describe organised distribution of illegal drugs across networks.  This is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another and often across police and local authority boundaries, usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs.

          The presentation provided an insight into County Lines and the work going on in Halton and the wider footprint to tackle county lines and its impacts.

Following the presentation, Members’ discussions and comments included the following:

·       More education needed for communities and more opportunities in early educational settings regarding healthy relationships;

·       It was suggested that the most vulnerable children were those with parents with few parenting skills;

·       Examples were given how older people could also be victims of crime;

·       Any Members with concerns regarding problem addresses, were invited to contact the Community Safety Team; and

·       Mr. Norton offered to speak to local landlords and housing providers. 

The Board thanked Mr. Norton for an interesting and insightful presentation.