Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 25^th October 2023. 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 25^th October 2023 were signed as a correct record by the Chair.

There were no Items of Urgent Business.

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no Declarations of Interest.

Report of Chief Officer People and Policy. 

Representatives of Lancashire Constabulary have been invited to the meeting. 

The Cabinet Members with responsibility have been invited to attend. 

The Chair welcomed Councillor Caroline Jackson, Inspector James Martin, the Chief Officer People and Policy and the Resilience and Community Safety Officer to the meeting.

It was reported that since the last Crime and Disorder meeting last November, the Serious Violence Duty had come into force and amendments had been made to Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to ensure that preventing and reducing serious violence was a priority for all Community Safety Partnerships. Serious violence consisted of the following crime types : - Homicide, Knife Crime, Gun Crime, Assault resulting in injury, rape, robbery, aggravated burglary, domestic abuse and violence, child exploitation (criminal and sexual.)

Data produced for the Lancaster District Needs Assessment indicated that Lancaster District had the 5th highest rate of serious violence in Lancashire, with Lancaster City Centre having the highest volume within the district.

It was noted that the current priorities from the Strategic Needs Assessment were Domestic Abuse, Violence,  Anti-Social Behaviour, Road Safety, Serious & Organised Crime and Exploitation (Criminal and Sexual). The Lancaster District Community Safety Partnership had identified three issues to concentrate on - Anti-Social Behaviour, Violence and Road Safety.

The Committee was informed that anti-social behaviour data provided by both Lancashire Police and Lancaster City Council indicated a decrease in the number of ASB incidents reported over the last 12 months, however Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service continued to experience an increase in deliberate secondary fires.

It was reported that the Lancaster District Public Space Protection Order that had been made in December 2021 was working well.

Members were given details of several funding streams that have been used to address local issues such as CCTV on the Cycle path between Morrisons in Morecambe and Lancaster City Centre. Funding had also been successfully gained by the Community Safety Partnership across the district. In Poulton Ward, a bid to the Police Crime Commissioner’s Safer Neighbourhood Fund for £10,000 had been successful with match funded by Morecambe BID to install additional CCTV cameras covering areas that have been identified as hot-spot locations for both incidents of antisocial behaviour and serous violence.

The Committee went on to discuss Community Triggers and how they worked.

Members of the Committee went on to ask a number of questions covering many issues including the Public Space Protection Orders, Anti-Social Behaviour and the work of the Community Safety Partnership.

A discussion on the use and legality of E-bikes and E-scooters took place as there had been issues with fake batteries setting on fire. It was reported that it was not illegal to sell these items and also the law regarding such vehicles was in need of updating.

The Chair thanked Inspector Martin for the Police presence at the Cenotaph in Morecambe prior to Remembrance Sunday amid concerns of vandalism.

Resolved :-

That  Councillor Caroline Jackson, Inspector James Martin, the Chief Officer People and Policy and the Resilience and Community Safety Officer be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

To consider any issues to include in the Work Programme that may arise from the previous item. 

There were no issues raised from the previous agenda item.

The List of Forthcoming Key Decisions can be viewed here

The Forthcoming Key decisions were noted.