To receive a presentation on the new policing review. 

34.1           The Environmental and Housing Services Group Manager introduced a presentation which set out details about the Borough’s Community Safety Partnership. The key points were provided as follows:

·         Current Model – This was not working very well and had not done for some time. It had been agreed by the previous Chairman that things needed to change to ensure the Partnership was more effective and the current Chairman had indicated that she was happy to continue this work and explore the changes. Currently the Neighbourhood Watch organisations received information but there was no particular involvement with the Community Safety Partnership. There was an Anti-Social Behaviour meeting every six weeks at which operational issues were discussed and shared by a number of agencies that were in attendance; this was a particularly successful meeting that worked really well and was a model that Officers would like to replicate if possible.

·         Proposed Structure – The same groups would be involved (Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators; Neighbourhood Coordination Group Chairs; Anti-Social Behaviour Meeting; Statutory Members; and Registered Providers) but they would all link into the Community Safety Partnership rather than only to each other. The Community Safety Partnership would work in partnership with all agencies for projects to be delivered on the ground to address emerging issues of anti-social behaviour in an effort to increase public perception.

·         Involving Communities – Help to relaunch Neighbourhood Coordination Groups; encourage attendance and community leadership; better advertising; and use available money to tackle issues in communities. Local area contact through Community Development Officers. Address emerging issues through Anti-Social Behaviour Meetings; there was money available to tackle issues in communities. Use the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators; the eyes and ears ‘on the ground’. 

·         Funding – Bid submitted to Police Crime Commissioner which targeted six priorities (Accessibility and Accountability; Older but not Overlooked; Young People becoming Adults; Safe Days and Nights for All; Safe and Social Driving; and Safer Cyber), currently had £20,000 to spend on four of those priorities (Older but Not Overlooked; Young People becoming Adults; Safe Days and Nights for All; and Safer Cyber).

·         What’s Next – Arrange workshop to share the structure and receive feedback from partners; understand the new policing model and impact; and decide launch date.

34.2           In making his presentation, Inspector Goga explained that he had been in Tewkesbury since May 2014. A new Police operating model had been in place since July with most Officers now working in a pattern of two early shifts; two late shifts and two night shifts. This ensured everyone was doing their fair share of working during peak demand times. Over 100 shift patterns had been in place prior to the reorganisation. For Tewkesbury there had been a big impact in two ways, firstly there were more Officers available to meet demand and, secondly, Tewkesbury was quite unique as it touched every other local policing area in the County. Prior to July, Cheltenham and Gloucester had its own incident response teams but now they were all working out of Bamfurlong which was within the Tewkesbury Local Policing Area. Part of Tewkesbury Local Policing Area was in the middle of Cheltenham/Gloucester and the reconfigured response teams would go from Bamfurlong to those areas. Tewkesbury had its own response team to respond to incidents in the north and central areas of the Local Policing Area. This new approach had created capacity for Tewkesbury which meant Officers could start being proactive in dealing with community priorities at a local level. He felt that the reorganisation had been successful with all of the Community Sergeants having given a positive response and indicating that they were happy to have additional capacity to deal with concerns. Street Safe had been reintroduced for Friday and Saturday evenings and the Pubwatch Scheme had been reinvigorated with local licensees; both of which had been very positive. Since July, the numbers of crimes and incidents had begun to drop which it was felt was due to more Officers being on duty at the right time. In Tewkesbury particularly, mobile working had had a big impact on Officers time as they could deal with incidents out in the patch rather than having to go back to the Police Station to fill in forms etc. He hoped the current momentum would continue and he felt that improving the Community Safety Partnership would have a very positive impact in the future.

34.3           During the discussion which ensued, a Member indicated that he had thought the Neighbourhood Watch had been disbanded. In response, the Environmental and Housing Services Group Manager advised that this was not the case. Some Coordinators had left and the Neighbourhood Watch organisation was in the process of being reorganised; it was now up and running across most areas. It was hoped that joining it more with the Community Safety Partnership would help reinforce the work it did. In respect of ‘Rural Watch’ a Member advised that, as a Coordinator, he used to receive texts and calls to update him on crimes in the area; however, he had now had no contact for five/six months and he questioned why this was. Inspector Goga indicated that there was an Officer who was an integral part of Rural Watch; he understood that this year she had had a strategic role supporting the Themeis Operation but Rural Watch should still be running. He undertook to try and establish where the missing link was in the chain as this was a scheme that was really important in the rural areas. In terms of Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators, he agreed that there had been difficulties in recruitment but they were extremely important and this was a priority for the Police.

34.4           Referring to the Crime Performance Indicators, the Chairman indicated that the 12 month rolling programme had confirmed an increase in crime of 8%; he questioned why this was the case when Inspector Goga had noted a 10% reduction in crime. In response, Inspector Goga explained that the Tewkesbury Local Policing Area had seen a spike in crime last year but since mid-July this had fallen rapidly and was now resting at a lower rate. A Member questioned whether those figures included crimes investigated by the Military and, in response; the Inspector explained that this was something that he was investigating. Currently the crime statistics received from the Military were quite sparse and he had asked his Sergeants in Churchdown to improve links in that area as the Police statistics should include the Military.

34.5           In terms of the funding for the Police Crime Commissioner’s priorities, a Member questioned how much could be used on anti-social behaviour. In response, the Environmental and Housing Services Group Manager explained that the bid had been for addressing emerging issues around the four priories identified (Older but Not Overlooked; Young People becoming Adults; Safe Days and Nights for All; and Safer Cyber). When people looked at percentages of incidents, anti-social behaviour looked quite high but, in actual figures, the incidents were extremely low compared to other Districts. Inspector Goga offered reassurance that community priorities were in place and the Anti-Social Behaviour Group was a really well organised Group that had a real understanding of anti-social behaviour issues in the area. He was sure the funding available would go to the right places. The Environmental and Housing Services Group Manager advised that funding was allocated in order of priority and Officers would look for Groups to come up with bids for the projects they were running which would include information on objectives, outcomes and how the project was creating sustainability. In terms of anti-social behaviour, the Chief Executive expressed the view that partnership was absolutely essential and he felt that having the Police based at the Council Offices really helped to enforce that link.

34.6           One Member indicated that the Police used to attend Parish Council meetings in his area which he had always found very useful. This had ceased in recent times and he questioned why this was. Inspector Goga explained that the reorganisation of the Local Policing Areas meant that there were Officers identified for each area and this was something he would look into. He indicated that his Officers would not always be able to attend Parish Council meetings but there needed to be a link established so that they knew when they were and then could accept or decline invitations as appropriate.

34.7           Members thanked Inspector Goga for his time and it was

                  RESOLVED          That the presentation provided on the Community Safety                                   Partnership and new policing review be NOTED.