Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from Sergeant Ian Wood regarding the policing and safer neighbourhoods’ trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the East Area Committee on 7 July 2016. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details).

 

Previous priorities and engagement activity noted in the report were:

     i.        Continue to target the supply of controlled drugs

    ii.        Continue to target street based anti-social behaviour (ASB) in and around Mill Road

   iii.        Retain speed checks.

 

There were six recommendations which the Committee had been asked to recommend three for focus over the coming months:

     i.        County lines issues

    ii.        Responding to street life ASB issues in Mill Road

   iii.        Dwelling burglary

  iv.        Road safety in known hot spot areas

   v.        Youth ASB in areas including Coleridge Rec and Cambridge Leisure Park.

  vi.        Green space ASB in areas such as Stourbridge Common, Coleridge Rec and other communal green spaces.

 

Chief Inspector Paul Ormerod (Chief Inspector: Operations, Cambridge City) said that since the last East Area Committee meeting specific speed monitoring had taken place at Cherry Hinton Road; Coleridge Road; Mill Road and Tension Road to establish whether speed enforcement would be appropriate. The report referenced information of the speed monitoring. It highlighted that Cherry Hinton Road and Coleridge Road were not suitable for a 20mph speed restriction enforced by signing alone, and required some engineering by way of calming in order to render them self-enforcing.

Members of the public asked a number of questions, as set out below.

 

Margret Cramer: I have sent pictures to the Police of vehicles parking on the pavements on Mill Road but have not received a response. Has action be taken on this matter?

 

Chief Inspector Ormerod apologised for the lack of response but reiterated parking had been decriminalised in Cambridge City leaving the Police no powers. The photos could be passed to the relevant civil enforcement officers but in reality they had to be present when the offence was taking place.

 

Sergeant Wood confirmed that officers out on patrol would intervene if they witnessed a parked vehicle causing an obstruction.

 

Al Storer: How should the excessive speeding on Perne Road late at night be reported?

 

Sergeant Wood explained that an alternative way to report an issue not deemed an emergency (999) call, other than calling 101, was the live web chat operated by Cambridgeshire Constabulary agents who were available 24/7 to assist with non-emergency queries.

 

Richard Cramer:  I have sent a freedom of information request concerning the data radar information but to date have received no answer.

 

Frank Gawthrope:  As part of the Tennison Road traffic calming scheme two data boxes were provided to remind motorists of the speed limit. These boxes also recorded the number of vehicles on the highway and the speed of travel. Could the Police be encouraged to look at this data?

 

Sergeant Wood advised that data was looked at to assess risk. The data box provided such information as peak time traffic flow and grouped the type of vehicles on the highway. Crash mat data could also be obtained which showed how many road traffic collisions had taken place. There was one traffic management expert who had specialist knowledge to extract detailed data but all Police Officers could read the basic information. If a freedom of information request had been sent a response would be given in due course.

 

The Committee then discussed the enforcement of 20mph, particularly the ACOP (Association of Chief Police Officers) agreeing to the revised guidance on not supporting 20mph limits that were clearly signed or indicated.

 

Councillor Herbert expressed the committee’s disappointment with the Police response to enforcing 20mph zones in and around the City. He remarked a wider range of data should be taken into consideration when considering enforcement. Cambridge City Council officers had produced detailed data on two separate occasions regarding Colderidge Road. This had shown the average speed had decreased by 2mph and 3mph on different sides of the road, indicating that progress could be made. A second meeting with the Police was needed to continue the discussion on 20mph enforcement.

 

Sargent Wood then went on to explain that the rise of violent crime in Colderidge Ward had been due to continuing county issues, ie, drug dealers coming in from outside the county.

 

Following discussion, the Committee resolved (unanimously) to agree the following amended priorities:

 

          i.       County lines issues

         ii.       Responding to street life ASB issues in Mill Road

         ii.       Road safety in known hot spot areas