Issue - meetings

 

The Committee received a report from Inspector Wood regarding Policing and Safer neighbourhood trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the West Central Area Committee of the 07 January 2015 on the priorities that had been set. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details).

 

Comments from members of the public:

 

     i.        Since the 20mph enforcement came into the effect in August 2010 on Maid’s Causeway it would appear that no enforcement has been carried out. Could the Committee make this a Police priority?

    ii.        Requested that cycling should be retained as a priority. There were a small minority of cyclists who continued to ride dangerously and examples of these cyclists need to be made.

   iii.        Asked if the Police were aware that a large portion of the paths on Parkside were of duel use as the Police report had highlighted an issue with cyclists on Parkside.

  iv.        Would like to bring to the Police attention the numerous vehicle drivers who jumped red lights particularly on Newmarket Road / Elizabeth Road roundabout. This was not just something that cyclists did.

   v.        Enquired if the Police had been involved with the County’s proposals to turn off street lights between midnight and 6.00am

  vi.        Would like to see a Police presence in the areas where punt touts operated and enforcement undertaken as had witnessed money exchanging hands.

 vii.        Requested anti-social cycling should be a priority.

 

Comments from the Committee

 

     i.        At the last Council meeting the Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places stated that the byelaw to deal with illegal punt touts was not very effective. This was because it required individuals to provide their name and address which that was required for action to be taken to Council Officers. However these details did not have to be supplied to Officers.

    ii.        Noted a significant increase in burglaries as shown in the report

   iii.        Enquired what the view of the Police was if the County’s proposals to switch off street lights occurred and would the Police address the issue of burglaries, particularly in Castle Ward which had seen an increase. 

  iv.        Asked if the Driver Speed Awareness Schemes for 20mph was available in Cambridge.

   v.        Highlighted a minority of taxis showed disregard to pedestrian and cyclists and asked what could be done on this issue.

  vi.        Noted that punt touts who stood outside the Guildhall on a daily basis sent the wrong message to the public that this was acceptable.

 vii.        Enquired what areas of the City were covered by Speed Watch volunteers.

viii.        Suggested the next set of priorities should include dealing with illegal punt touts.

  ix.        Requested that a report be brought to Committee on the Public Space Protection Orders (ACTION).

 

In response the Police Inspector and Safer Communities Section Manager made the following statements:  

 

     i.        Enforcement had been undertaken on Maid’s Causeway. Student Officers would spend three months on 20mph enforcement in the City Centre inlcluding Maid’s Causeway. Statistics could not be broken down unless specifically requested to do so.

·        Speed Watch volunteers had covered Huntingdon Road, Trumpington Road and Tennyson Road.

·        The difficulty of the byelaw relating to punt touts meant that the City Council would have to go to Court and prove beyond reasonable doubt that the byelaw had been broken.

·        With a Public Space Protection Order a fixed penalty notice could be issued for a breach on the balance of probability.

·        Had not been aware /seen that money was being exchanged on the street between punt touts and the public. If witnessed this could be reported to the City Council’s Safer Communities Team. The more information supplied would assist in gathering evidence to the Public Space Protection Order.

·        Comments had been made by the Police to the County Council on their proposals to switch off the street lights.

·        A significant factor relating to burglaries was that residents did lock their properties. Burglaries did not just take place at night.

·        Was aware of the dual use of paths on Parkside. The issues were outside of the school and opposite the Police Station.

·        The National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) has been rewritten to accommodate breaking 20mph speed limits and had been made available in Cambridge

·        Encouraged residents to sign up to the Neighbourhood Alert Scheme to report issues such as inconsiderate cyclists.

 

Resolved (unanimously) to set the following priorities:

·        Night time economy

·        Traffic Junction Enforcement ( All road users)

·        20mph in City Centre.