Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed Sargeant Stevenson (Cambridgeshire Constabulary), Carol Leonard, Executive Committee Member (Cambridge City area) Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Watch and Rachel Fairhead (Anti-Social Behaviour Officer) to the meeting.

 

The Committee received a report from Sargeant Stevenson regarding policing and safer neighbourhoods’ trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the last reporting period. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details). Previous local areas of concern and engagement activity noted in the report were:

      i.         Anti-social driving

    ii.         Cycle theft

   iii.         Drug dealing and the protection of local young people – child criminal exploitation.

 

The virtual Area Committee would not be making a decision, so would not vote on priorities set by the Police. The Police reported back on the local areas of concern they were currently focussing on. Councillors and members of the public could not change these, but they could suggest ideas/issues for the Police to focus on.

 

It was suggested that anti-social behaviour was included to the drug dealing and the protection of local young people – child criminal exploitation.

 

In response to Members’ discussion Sargeant Stevenson provided the following responses:

      i.         Noted the comments regards vehicles breaking the 20pmh speed limit in Romsey and Abbey (particularly the Whitehill Road area).

    ii.         Requested names of the streets could be passed on so they could be monitored.  Residents could also report these offences on the 101-phone number or the relevant web page.

   iii.         The Police could issue a traffic offence report if drivers were caught breaking the 20mph limit.

  iv.         Residents could join the community volunteer programme Speed Watch which enabled volunteers to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding with training on the necessary Police equipment. 

    v.         The Speedwatch co-ordinator could arrange for advisory notices to be issued. There was a contact at Parkside Police Station who could facilitate resident groups. speedwatch@cambs.pnn.police.uk

  vi.         Cycle theft was no longer the top crime in Cambridge and down 24% from the previous year.

 vii.         It was important to cycle owners to keep a record of the frame number of their bike which could be placed on the national bike register www.bikeregister.com or the Immobilise website www.immobilise.com) which

viii.         Stolen cycles could also be reported to via 101or the Cambridgeshire Constabulary website.

  ix.         Noted the comments regarding drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in Burnside (Romsey) and the request for CCTV in the area. Advised all issues should be reported as was only aware of a couple of incidents. In conjunction incidents should be reported the City Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team. 

    x.         The mobile CCTV units were assets of Cambridge City Council. Between this team and the Police, the two would determine where the location of the mobile CCTV units should be placed based on the number of the incidents reported.

  xi.         Not aware that Anti-Social Behaviour was higher than usual in Mill Road at this current time. 

 xii.         Racially motivated crimes were automatically dealt with by the Neighbourhood Policing teams to investigate and were treated very seriously.

 

The Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator advised she would be happy to co-ordinate those Neighbourhood Watch Groups who wished to work on the Speedwatch scheme. ACTION Councillor Davies

 

Councillor Thornburrow advised that Cambridge City Council were working with external partners on a Cycle Prevention Task and Finish Working Group examining cycle parking at the train station. Suggested a report could be brought to a future meeting on the work was being undertaken. ACTION Councillor Thornburrow.

 

The Anti-Social Behaviour Officer advised she would find out the location of the CCTV in Petersfield as requested by Councillor Howarth. The Committee were then advised of the Cambs against County Lines which had been delivered to over 300 secondary school students. The project had received positive responses and would continue to be shown in January.

 

The Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator advised that a separate meeting could be set up to discuss the work of the Neighbourhood Watch. Councillor Baigent advised a Member briefing session would be passed on the relevant Officer who could arrange this if there was interest.

 

A member of the public raised the following question:

On policing & antisocial behaviour: many residents in the East Area are reporting antisocial behaviour by noisy motorcyclists/moped late at night. After 11 pm, very clearly and persistently audible from Edward Street (near Norfolk Street).

 

What exactly is being done to address this?

 

Is the problem just being shifted around by targeting Area A, shifting it to Area B?

 

Sergeant Stevenson added the named streets to the list for patrol.