Agenda item

The Board received a presentation from Michael Andrews and Simon Blackwell from Cheshire Police regarding the current and future work of the Community Safety Team.

 

The presentation detailed the following:

 

·               Community safety team – staff involved;

·               The role of the team;

·               Engagement and liveability;

·               Current and repeat crime;

·               Policy community support officers (PCSO’s);

·               ASB multi-agency meeting (MAM);

·               Tasking and co-ordination;

·               Anti-social behaviour strategy;

·               Initiatives;

·               Performance;

·               Comparative crimes;

·               Strategic needs assessments;

·               Challenges, and the future.

 

Arising from the discussion, it was noted that the statistics could be provided in order to ascertain which wards were problematic and resources could be investigated in order to tackle these areas. This task would be undertaken once the Strategic Needs Assessment and the Local Area Agreement Targets had been completed.

 

Members discussed the idea of having a suitable controlled area in a safe environment for people to use mini-motors. It was noted that there was one similar in Rainhill and this would be investigated into.

 

Present at the meeting was a group of students from Fairfield High School. The Chairman suggested that they could ask questions to the Community Safety Team raising any issues that they had at present.

 

The young people raised the following issues:

 

·               Lighting needed to be improved;

·               More activities were required to keep young people busy;

·               Information was not provided to the young people regarding current activities and schemes going on in the Borough.

 

Members reported that young people could engage in the Splash programmes and there were lots of activities available to young people during school holidays. Young people were informed of new scheme called Frenzy which had been funded by the Fire Service and various partners which involved themed discos. This was to be rolled out across trial locations. Adverts would be posted in the local newspapers.

 

It was evident that there was a lack of communication between the Council and the young people as they were not aware of all the activities available.  It was reported that there were various DVDs that provided details of activities available and these would be collected and a package would be sent to schools.

 

Various ideas were suggested to improve communication as follows:

 

·        messages containing details of events and activities could be displayed on the start up screens of computers in schools;

·        a group could be set up consisting of Members and pupils from the school to discuss ideas and events;

·        children can apply to the Youth Bank for funding for projects; and

·        events could be advertised on local radio as not many children read newspapers.       

 

The young people were advised that if they knew of a hotspot area that encountered trouble they should notify the Ward Member and they could visit the site with the Fire Service and Police.

 

Mrs Rigby from Fairfield High School thanked the Chairman for allowing the young people to attend the meeting as it was a useful experience and could inspire young people to get into local government.

 

RESOLVED: That

           

1)     the performance data be noted;

 

2)     a group of Members and young people meet on a regular basis in order to discuss ideas of events and activities for young people in the Borough.