Decision details

Advise on the priorities to be adopted for the next period of Neighbourhood Policing.

The Committee received a report from Sergeant Wragg regarding Policing and Safer Neighbourhood Trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the North Area Committee of the 9th April 2015. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details).

 

The Committee and members of the public asked the following question regarding the report:

 

Q1 Resident of Victoria Road

Concerned that heavy goods vehicles continue to use Victoria Road in the early hours of the morning. Can technology be used to monitor this and seek prosecutions?

 

Sergeant Wragg stated that it was hard to tell what work to date had achieved. Police would be happy to continue with the priority and would welcome feedback for the community.

 

Q2 Kay Harris

Mrs Harris agreed that lorries using inappropriate roads at night were a problem. Histon Road also suffers.

 

Q3 Doug Whyte

What has happened to the Speed Watch volunteer training?

 

Volunteers had been trained. Their reports generate advisory letters. Further action could be taken against repeat offenders.

 

Q4 Councillor Bird

The mobile camera outside Grumpy’s has achieved the desired results. Could a permanent camera be considered?

 

Sergeant Wragg noted the request.

 

Q5 Councillor Bird

A horse and trap was again being used in Chesterton Recreation Ground and is dangerous for children.

 

Sergeant Wragg requested more information on this matter.

 

Mr Bond said that a steel fence had been removed and this allowed the owner of the horse and trap to access the recreation ground. The City Council’s open Spaces Manager had been informed.

 

Q6 Councillor Scutt

Bateson Road residents report drug dealing happening in the gardens.

 

Sergeant Wragg stated that the area was monitored regularly.

 

Q7 Councillor Scutt

Would an additional pedestrian crossing on Arbury Road help reduce speeding and if yes where should it be?

 

Sergeant Wragg suggested a crossing near the Manor School and Arbury Court would have a visual impact.

 

Q8 Councillor Austin

Residents of Arbury Road and Orchard Road complain that vehicles are rat running in residential streets.

 

Sergeant Wragg would look into this.

 

Q9 Councillor Austin

Can Sergeant Wragg comment on why the crime figures for West Chesterton all show an increase?

 

Sergeant Wragg suggested that housing in West Chesterton was as easy target due to the layout of the street and the feature of the housing. Overall crime figures were low so the activities of a few individuals could skew the figures.

 

Q10 Councillor Austin

Drug dealers are reported to be targeting younger children. Is advice being targeted at the 14 plus age group?

 

The police had not seen an increase in young drug users. Educational teams do target this age group in schools.

 

Q11 Richard Taylor

Do you have to return to the area of the offence to undertake a speed awareness course?

 

Councillor Todd-Jones had investigated this and confirmed that the courses could be taken anywhere.

 

Q12 Richard Taylor

The statistics in the Police report continue to be broad brush strokes and do not offer sufficient details.

 

The Safer Communities Section Manager stated that it was not possible to break down the statistics at present. This would have to be done manually and was not considered the best use of Police time.

 

Q13 Councillor Pitt

Is the rise burglary and violent crime seasonal?

 

Sergeant Wragg stated that a change to crime recording was a significant factor in the increased crime rates. Police are being encouraged to log incidents that might previously have been dealt with by the individual officer. However, the darker evening do contribute to increased crime figures. In addition, prison releases of serial offenders can produce a spike in crime figures.

 

The committee discussed on-going priorities around traffic concerns.

 

Sergeant Wragg requested that the priorities were limited due to resourcing issues. Councillor Manning suggested that this was a political discussion and that the Committee should be free to set priorities. If those priorities were not achieved, the Police should give an account of the reasons why at the next meeting.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved unanimously to prioritise the following:

 

     i.        Continue the safeguarding / enforcement work around the supply of Class A Drugs (Op Hexham).

    ii.        Road enforcement action (to include overnight use of Victoria Road by heavy goods vehicles).