Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 18^th October, 2017 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18^th October 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To consider the attached Community Safety Partnership Review 2016/17. 

As part of its Work Programme the Committee has also requested that the following be considered at this meeting:

Community Cohesion within the District. 

Feedback from the Hate Crime Workshop. 

Monitoring of the Lancaster City Centre PSPO.  To be reviewed annually by the Committee. 

Update on the recommendations of the Late Night Economy Task Group that were agreed by Council to the November 2017 meeting. 

The Chairman welcomed Sergeant Lindsay Brown, the Chief Officer (Environment) and Craig Brown, the City Council’s Community Safety and Safeguarding Officer to the meeting.

Members were requested to consider the 2016/17 Community Safety Partnership Review. It was reported that the current priorities agreed by the Partnership were:-

·         Violence Against the Person (Violent Crime)

·         Anti-social Behaviour

·         Road Safety

·         Domestic Abuse

·         Community Cohesion (Including Hate Crime & Hate Incident)

The Committee was informed that the Community Safety Partnership had allocated funding for specific projects to tackle Hate Crime which had increased since last year’s Referendum to leave Europe.

An update was given on the current Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) that were in force in the district. These were on Ridge Square, Lancaster and Lancaster City Centre. A third PSPO was being considered for Morecambe which would include Poulton, Westgate, the West End, Heysham Barrows and Happy Mount Park.

Concern was raised over the rise in number of casualties from road accidents, particularly child casualties. It was reported that a number of factors made the Lancaster District a hotspot for road accidents such as the A6 corridor into the City Centre from the South, motorbikes going to the TTs passing through the district, motorbikes heading for Kirkby Lonsdale and also the M6.

It was agreed to request data from the Community Safety Partnership analyst on specific locations of road accidents and those of child casualties within the district.

Members further agreed to request Lancashire County Council to update the Committee on its Traffic Masterplan, which included the gyratory system in Lancaster City Centre.

The Committee went on to discuss domestic violence, CCTV and Hate Crime.

An update was given on the Hate Crime Workshop which had taken place in the previous month. It was very well supported by Lancashire local authorities and was positively received.

Resolved :-

(1)  That Sergeant Lindsay Brown and Craig Brown be thanked for his attendance at the meeting

(2)  That the Committee request data from the Community Safety Partnership analyst on specific locations of road accidents and those of child casualties within the district.

(3)  That the Committee request an update from Lancashire County Council on its Traffic Masterplan, which included the gyratory system in Lancaster City Centre.

Cabinet Member with responsibility for:

Community safety

Clean and Green

Councillor Hughes has been invited to the meeting. 

The Committee was given an overview of Councillor Hughes portfolio which included Community Safety and Clean and Green.

It was reported that Environmental Services were looking at different methods to deliver their service focusing on community led, neighbourhood initiatives.

The depot was now, for the first time, selling Christmas trees to raise revenue and this was proving very successful.

Further areas of development and improvement with the service were trade waste, Williamson Park and CCTV.

The Chairman highlighted the excellent work and quick response to the recent flooding that had been undertaken by Environmental Services.

The Committee congratulated Councillor Hughes, the Chief Officer (Environment) and his staff and the City Council’s partner agencies on all their hard work during and after the floods. 

Members of the Committee were invited to ask questions of Councillor Hughes.

With regard to the recent flooding, several Members requested clarity on the ownership of gullies within the district. It was confirmed that Lancashire County Council owned all gullies and drains unless it was privately owned land.

The Committee went on to discuss the response that members of the public, who were flooded, received when they called the City Council or other partner agencies. There was a concern regarding the ways residents reports of flooding were dealt with, in non emergency situations , as it had been reported, in some cases, that members of the public had been advised to call the appropriate agencies, rather than agencies referring between partners, as discussed at the meeting. 

The Committee agreed to request information from partners and agencies on the reporting process and possible sharing and referring of information, in the period following the initial emergency.

Other questions were raised on the use of smart technology, emptying of bins, the cycle track and CCTV.

Resolved :-

(1)  That Councillor Hughes and the Chief Officer (Environment) be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

(2)  That Councillor Hughes, the Chief Officer (Environment) and his staff and the City Council’s partner agencies be congratulated on all their hard work during and after the floods.

(3)  That the Committee request information from partners and agencies on the reporting process and possible sharing and referring of information, in the period following the initial emergency.

To consider any items the Panel may want to consider from the meeting. 

Members were reminded that the Loneliness Summit was taking place next Wednesday 6^th December, 2017 and all Councillors were being encouraged to attend. The response to the Summit had been overwhelming so much so that the main part of the event had been moved to the Ashton Hall.

It was reported that at the Committee’s additional meeting on 6^th December, 2017 the Chairman had agreed that a presentation would be provided on Digital Lancaster. Member were reminded that the meeting was being held at 6.10pm at Lancaster Town Hall following the Loneliness Summit.

Councillor Jackson, as Chairman of the Resilience Commission Informal Task Group, advised the Committee of an invitation that had been received from Electricity North West for a site visit to the Caton Road sub station to see the improvements that had been made to prevent further flooding after Storm Desmond in 2015.

A date would be agreed for the site visit and an invitation would be circulated to Members of the Committee. As numbers were limited, attendance would be on a first come first serve basis.

The Committee went on to discuss the recent floods in the district and the recommendation that had been made earlier in the meeting to request information from other agencies on their responses.

It was agreed that the Committee invite the City Council’s partners and other agencies to the January 2018 meeting to discuss a joint response process, where reports requiring an emergency response could be referred between partner organisations in future emergency situations. It was further agreed to invite members of the flood forum that had been established and to obtain a presentation on flooding from Leighton Moss Nature Reserve.

Resolved :-

(1)  That a date be agreed for the site visit to the Caton Road sub-station and an invitation be circulated to Members of the Committee on a first come first serve basis.

(2)  That the Committee invite the Council’s partners and other agencies to the January 2018 meeting to discuss a joint response process, where reports requiring an emergency response could be referred between partner organisations in future emergency situations and that members of the Flood Forum be invited to the meeting.

(3)  That the presentation on flooding be obtained from Leighton Moss Nature Reserve and circulated to the Committee.