Issue - meetings

Representatives of the Safer Communities Team will talk about the work they do to address Anti-social Behaviour across the city.

The Committee received a presentation from the Safer Communities Section Manager and Senior Anti-Social Behaviour Officer about how the Safer Communities Team tackled anti-social behaviour.

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

1.       Leila Dockerill asked what facilities were available for older children ie 8-16 year olds.

The Safer Communities Section Manager said the council tried to set up some projects some time ago but teenagers were not interested. The council would review what could be offered by community centres in future.

2.       A member of the public asked for an update on the Fen Road CCTV camera.

The Safer Communities Section Manager said the City Council had given a grant for a column to be erected in Fen Road, on which a CCTV camera could be mounted as it would not fit on a streetlight etc. The camera had been purchased, the column was on order from Balfour Beatty and should arrive in the autumn.

3.       Mr Taylor asked for an update on the Fen Road Task and Finish Group, also if the CCTV camera column money would be controlled by residents.

The Safer Communities Section Manager said the City Council would work with Fen Road residents to install CCTV. The Council would own the column.

Councillor Bird said there was no Fen Road Task and Finish Group. Two public meetings had been held in March and May 2018 to which the Police and public had been invited. There had been no subsequent meetings. Councillors Bird, McQueen and Thittala would consider setting up another meeting with residents in future, if residents did not, to give a report on actions to date. This meeting would (again) be open to the public.

4.       Councillor Thittala asked how evidence of anti-social behavior was processed.

The Senior Anti-Social Behaviour Officer said the Legal Team took evidence to the Civil Court to obtain injunctions against individuals committing anti-social behaviour. If necessary criminal proceedings were pursued through the (County) Civil Court via joint working with the Police.

If City Council Officers were notified that the Police were already pursuing criminal proceedings after council officers had started civil proceedings, options could be pursued through the problem solving group that partner agencies were members of. (To avoid a conflict of processes.)

5.       Mrs Harris asked who viewed carpark CCTV.

The Safer Communities Section Manager said authorised persons in Central Operations viewed CCTV footage if an incident needed to be followed up.