Meeting documents

Ben Barley, Office Manager - Urban Challenge provided a report to enable members to scrutinise the workings of the West Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership in respect of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour within Lincoln and advised:

a. that the West Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership (WLCSP) is the partnership that has the statutory responsibility for the reduction of crime, disorder and anti social behaviour within Lincoln.

b. that the Partnership has a strategic group, a performance group and a number of thematic delivery groups.

c. that as a result of the Police and Justice Act 2006 District Councils have a duty to scrutinise the work of the community safety partnerships.

d. that each year the partnership undertakes a strategic assessment of Community Safety in order to identify its priorities.

e. that the partnership has identified the following strategic priorities for 2011 -12 and 2012 -13:-

          2011 -12

• Anti Social Behaviour
• Violent Crime (including domestic abuse)
• Domestic Burglary
• Offender Management
• Substance Misuse - cross cutting priority    

          2012 -13

• Anti Social Behaviour
• Violent Crime (including domestic abuse)
• Acquisitive Crime (domestic burglary and vehicle crime)
• Offender Management
• Substance Misuse - cross cutting priority

f. on an overview of how the partnership was performing including data for the period April to December 2011.

Members commented as follows:-

1. Arson is only a small proportion of ASB, do we have any figures in respect of ASB as a whole?
   
   Response - The Partnership has not set any figures to reduce ASB, however they are looking to increase the reporting of incidents. Reporting is fragmented as reporting arrangements vary between districts. The provision of the new database will assist in producing figures in future.
    
2. In respect of increasing the reporting of ASB, how is this to be done?
   
   Response - An extensive amount of advertising including letter drops and inclusion on websites will be undertaken.
    
3. Will the data be included on the City Council's new IMPS system?
   
   Response - Only the data that the ASB Team hold. We cannot put the Partnership's data on our website as we do not own it. We will look to see if there are any data that we could publish as we do collect some data on behalf of the Partnership.

 RESOLVED that the report be noted and Officers consider what information can be included on the IMPS system.

Simon Colburn, Environmental Protection and Anti - Social Behaviour Manager updated members on the proposed changes to national anti - social behaviour tools and powers and advised:-

a. that in February 2011, the Home Secretary launched a consultation called "More Effective Responses to Anti - Social Behaviour". It proposed a radical streamlining of the tools and powers currently available to anti - social behaviour (ASB) practitioners

b. that whilst no date has been set as yet, the Home Office is anticipating that the proposed regulations will be fundamentally the same as those proposed in the consultation

c. that it is unlikely that the legislation will come into force before 2013

d. that the consultation proposed a radical streamlining of the tools and powers with a move away from having a tool for every different problem to ensuring that Councils, police and other partners have faster, more flexible tools

e. that the proposed tools and powers are as follows:-

•     Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO)
•     Crime Prevention Injunction
•     Community Protection Order (CPO) Level 1
•     Community Protection Order (CPO) Level 2
•     Direction to Leave - Police "Direction" Power
•     Community Trigger

Members commented as follows:-

1. Was there evidence to suggest that the current arrangements did not work?
   
   Response - It would appear so.
    
2. This new system looks very similar but with different names
   
   Response - In theory, yes, but it provides alternative ways of dealing with issues. It is to early to make a judgement yet, but we do know that it is going to be introduced
    
3. This follows on from the previous report. In respect of the criminality element enforcement through the courts doesn't often work. This offers alternative options to address issues
    
4. If the ASB Team has a whole raft of powers then they should be able to address problems. Other areas have similar enforcement powers and will have been trained, Some of the issues to be resolved will be in respect of who will be enforcers and who should receive training

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Sam Barstow, Acting Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, updated members on the Purple Flag Scheme and advised as follows:-

a. that the Chair had been a member of the Substances Misuses and Violent Crime Theme Group which had considered the potential of applying for Purple Flag status

b. that an application was submitted and an assessment undertaken which included the answering of some very challenging questions

c. that a response was still awaited, however the indications are good and a response is expected in April

d. that the North West Public Health Observatory had identified Lincoln as the 6th worst place in the country in respect of drink and violence. Applying for something like Purple Flag involves all agencies and is good PR for the City

Members commented as follows:

1. The award of Purple Flag is not a given and a third of applications fail. A really good case was made.
    
2. The late night levy maybe included as one of the proposals within the BID Ballot 2014

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Matt Corrigan, Lincoln BIG updated members on the role of Lincoln BIG and its connection with other agencies within the City and advised as follows:-

a. that Lincoln BIG had two roles connected with safety and security both within the daytime and evening

b. that in respect of ASB whilst figures are increasing nationally, Lincoln's figures are reducing

c. that in respect of the night time economy Pub Watch had identified 50 individuals who were banned from premises

d. that there had been an increase of daytime thefts by persistent offenders and by gangs coming in from other areas. Records were kept of thefts and the information was shared.

e. there were sanctions available to the Police and the Courts; in addition there was the Civil Exclusion Scheme and the Civil Recovery Scheme

f. businesses welcomed the introduction of the DPPO as there had been an increase in the numbers of problem drinkers seen in the City Centre

g. the Police Beat Scheme will be co-located at the Lincoln BIG offices

Members commented as follows:

1. The work undertaken by the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee in respect of the DPPO was significant. It just needs to be implemented.
    
2. What are your views on "chuggers" and how far does the Lincoln BIG area stretch?
   
   Response - The issue of "chuggers" was debated at the last BIG Board meeting. There is a voluntary agreement in place between the Public Fund Raising Association (PFRA), the City Council and Lincoln BIG. They operate four times a week and PFRA would not want to visit less. There is unenacted legislation that needs to be enacted. Lincoln BIG is currently watching what happens elsewhere in the country.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.