The Task Group to elect a Chair for the 2014/15 municipal year.

RESOLVED –

That Councillor Kelly McLeod be elected Chair for the municipal year 2014/15.

It was noted that Councillor Mehta had been added to the Task Group’s membership.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Martins and Mehta.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To submit for signature the minutes of the meeting of 18 February 2014.

(All minutes are available on the Council's website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2014 were submitted and signed.

Representatives of the Community Safety Partnership have been invited to the meeting.

They will cover the following topics for the Task Group:

• A introduction to the work of the CSP
• A review of the performance of the CSP in 2013/14
• Priorities for the CSP in 2014/15

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator introduced the presentation.  He provided the Task Group with an overview of the structure and responsibilities of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) in Watford.

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator explained the work of the Antisocial Behaviour Action Group (ASBAG) and extended an invitation to councillors to attend a meeting to understand how it operated.

ACTION - Councillors to contact the Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator should they wish to attend a meeting.

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator also covered the following areas:

• the specific situation in Watford
• types of antisocial behaviour that the partnership dealt with
• the recent changes to antisocial behaviour legislation
• the powers for victims of antisocial behaviour under the new regime

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator highlighted his Action Plan for 2014-15.  There had been a dramatic reduction of more than 35% in antisocial behaviour over the last seven years, but the number of incidents had now levelled off to a baseline. 

Among his objectives were:

1.To mainstream the new Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act,

2. To work with the Home Office to trial one of the first Public Spaces Protection Orders.

3.To communicate key community safety messages.

Following a question from Councillor Williams, the Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator confirmed that 'neighbours’ included anyone living or passing through the vicinity affected by the antisocial behaviour. This could include businesses as well as private homes. 

Councillor Mills asked for more information about crime levels in West Watford which she felt had not decreased. The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator confirmed that the levels had gone down.  There had been some challenging behaviour from a group of street drinkers and New Hope was working with them.  The Council was looking to ban one of them from Watford completely.

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator clarified, following a question from Councillor Aron, that the community trigger was available to people who had made complaints about three separate issues within the last six months or by three individuals reporting similar incidents within six months

Councillor Bolton asked about the procedure when antisocial behaviour was reported. The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator underlined the importance of calling 101 immediately so that the incident could be logged.

Inspector Lillitou introduced his presentation to Members.  He gave an overview of the structure of the Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team.  The Task Group asked if all councillors could be sent a copy of the structure including contact details.

ACTION – Inspector Lillitou

In response to a question from the Chair, Inspector Lillitou confirmed that the neighbourhood priorities were set separately from the action plan.

Inspector Lillitou presented the action plan for the Police.  Last year there had been a fall in crime of over 10%. The changes in the national crime reporting standards would have an effect on levels recorded in Watford.

Inspector Lillitou reported on the following areas of crime which were key in the action plan:

• vehicle crime
• domestic burglary
• violent crime
• theft from person
• criminal damage

He provided information about the response to different types of crime and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Task Group is asked to review the attached list of actions and sign off any which are complete.

The Task Group received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer updating Members on outstanding actions from previous meetings. 

It was agreed that a number of actions could be signed off.

The Task Group agreed it would be useful for the response of the Housing Section Head be re-circulated.

ACTION – Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer

RESOLVED –

that the update report be noted and the completed actions be signed off.

Members are asked to consider and agree the attached work programme.

The Task Group is also asked to agree the details of what should be covered at each meeting.

The Task Group received a proposed work programme for consideration.  The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer presented the work programme and drew the Task Group’s attention to the proposal for October and asked whether this should be a formal meeting or a briefing.

It was AGREED that the meeting in October should be a briefing for all councillors.

The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer suggested that the Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator’s previous presentation on the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act be circulated.

ACTION – Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer

Members felt it was important that the Task Group should receive an update on the Probation Service during 2014/15. If the new structure was not sufficiently embedded, councillors would like details of the interim arrangements.

The Task Group agreed it would be useful to have the topic suggestion form.

ACTION – Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer

Councillor Williams suggested that it would be useful to add domestic abuse awareness to the programme in early 2015.  There had been a briefing on this topic in 2012, and an update would be useful.  The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer said she would circulate the documents from the last briefing.

ACTION – Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer

RESOLVED –

That the updates to the work programme be noted.