Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Safer Neighbourhoods

Inspector proving an overview of action taken since the last reporting period and identifying on-going and emerging crime and disorder issues.   

 

The report summarised the action taken against the following objectives:

 

·        Continue to target the supply of controlled drugs.

·        Road safety (around parking ) to continue, ASB parking around the City particularly in south near schools, and speeding  

·        Anti-social behaviour at the Cambridge Lakes to include preventative patrols to target hot spot areas around the lake and to speak to the management regarding the possibility of installing CCTV

 

The following recommendations were proposed in order to facilitate effective policing and partnership working;

 

1)   Combatting ASB in the CB1/ Brookgate Development

2)   Promotion of road safety

3)   Drug dealing / use in the south of the City

 

Regarding enforcing the 20mph speed restrictions, the Police view was that they should be self-policing and should involve more than just the speed limits being painted on roads, namely physical features aimed at slowing down traffic. He clarified that it was not Police policy, as advised by the College of Policing, to undertake speed checks in 20 mph limit zones. 

 

The Committee raised the following policing issues:

 

i.          Highlighting that the issue around Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) parking close to schools was the biggest concern to many residents, with Cherry Hinton highlighted as an area inundated with complaints, which required further sustained Police action.

 

ii.         Seeking clarification regarding the report referring to the public being involved in recording speeding. In reply, it was explained that this was where Community Speed Watch Schemes had a role to play.

 

    iii)   What action was taken regarding drivers caught speeding by

Community Speedwatch volunteers? it was explained in reply that they would be written to by the organisation, but would not be prosecuted. If the same driver persistently flouted a speed limit, the person would be reported to the local Police Team who would then arrange to visit the person.

 

    iv)   Whether statistics were available regarding parents being fined for obstructing school gates / entrances to schools? In response, it was indicated that police constables did undertake early patrols and took action where they found drivers obstructing school gates. Statistics were not kept regarding drivers who had been fined. Action: The Sergeant was happy to include increased patrols as part of the work around Road Safety.

 

v)    On Recommendation 1 ‘combatting ASB in the CB1/ Brookgate Development’ clarity was requested on what the issue was and what the Committee was being asked to approve? It was explained that it was mainly in relation to noise nuisance / cannabis use by groups of young people congregating together.

 

vi)   An issue was raised regarding Automatic Number Plate Recognition issues in Addenbrooke’s Road where the speed camera had been turned off and where rat running was a particular issue.  Chief Inspector Paul Ormerod explained that the siting and maintaining of speed cameras had to take account of what was reasonable and proportionate, and also whether funding was available.  He was due to meet with the Taskforce Unit and Addenbrooke’s security and it was hoped that enforcement measures would shortly be in place.  Action from Police: An update report could be provided on progress at the next Area Committee meeting. 

 

  vii) Reference was made to the increase in rat running in the 20 mph restricted area of Rosemary Lane and Church End Road where it was felt enforcement had been more effective when the speed limit had been 30 mph. In reply the Chief Inspector suggested that 20mph limits were not always the best option on some leading roads as enforcement required to be proportionate and there was a risk that speeding slightly over a 20mph limit road could incur higher penalties than breaking the a 30 mph limit by a higher margin. The aim of Speedwatch was to help educate drivers, while also highlighting that the Police did not have the capacity to undertake enforcement measures on all roads and so were having to look at roads with a higher risk threat from speeding vehicles. 

 

viii)    Another Member made the point that 70% of the public had supported the lowering of the speed limit to 20mph and that Cambridge needed to be seen as a special case by the Police, bearing in mind the number of pedestrians and cyclists. Action from Police:  The Chief Inspector provided an assurance that he would go away and look into the issues raised while still confirming the Police view that enforcement should be through physical road design measures d to slow down traffic.  In response to this, one City Councillor highlighted that in some areas where gating had been suggested e.g.  Churchend Road or raised platforms as in Cherry Hinton Road, these had not been supported by County Council’s officers who had not considered that they were necessary.   

 

ix)    What would be done to ensure the request for police to concentrate their attention to prevent parking near school entrances as there was no detail provided in the current report? Action from Police: It was confirmed that PCO’s would be sent out to patrol school gates early in the morning, while at the same time the sergeant also highlighted that parking had been de-criminalised in Cambridge.

 

x)    How did people go about seeking to obtain speed cameras in Queen Edith’s Way?  As a response it was explained that the justification for a speed camera needed to be shown in terms of the number of serious or fatal injury statistics recorded, as it had to be shown that they were not being erected as an income generator (cash cow).

Police Action: An undertaking was given to install speed monitoring equipment to monitor whether Queen Edith’s Way was likely to qualify.

 

xi)    What level of hate crime had been recorded following the European referendum result? It was explained that there had been an initial spike in recorded numbers after the result, but this had now decreased and was in numbers of less than 10.

 

Members of the public raised the following issues 

 

i)             With reference to the issues of cycling on pavements referred to earlier in the meeting, as an Action Point: Sergeant Misik agreed that this would be taken away as part of the work under recommendation 2.

 

Following discussion of the recommendations, in respect of promotion of road safety, it was agreed that this should be amended to specifically highlight the need for greater enforcement of preventing parking at schools entrances, especially as the autumn term would have a new intake of parents and that visible enforcement measures would help deter repeat behaviour. 

 

Members unanimously resolved to:

 

 approve the following priorities:

 

1)   Combatting ASB in the CB1/ Brookgate Development

2)   Promotion of road safety with specific reference to prioritising Schools Parking

3)   Drug dealing / use in the south of the City.