Agenda item

To consider a report by the North West Divisional Community Safety Partnership which provides an overview of the performance of the partnership and the ward based Neighbourhood Policing Team.  The report also includes details of initiatives that have been delivered in local communities to reduce crime and disorder for the period 1^st July 2007 to 30^th September 2008.

(Executive Function)

RESOLVED -   

(a)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(b)  That any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by those   officers identified within the minutes and reported back to Ward   Members.

The North West Divisional Community Safety Partnership submitted a detailed report and Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) Inspector Tom Horner gave an extensive update on the following:

(a)  Multi-agency ward based sub groups and activities; 

(b)  Performance of the North West Police Division and Ward crime   statistics;

(c )  An update on Neighbourhood Wardens and Police Community Support   Officers (PCSOs) activity and;

(d)  the Police Operations from 1^st July 2007 to 30^th September 2008.

Appended to the report was an extensive document on the Performance Framework Strategic Plan for 2008/2011 for Members information and comment.

Inspector Horner gave an extensive overview to Members regarding community safety initiatives in the West Outer area relating to:

·  the improvement on figures for the area in relation to theft from vehicles and criminal damage which have gone down.  It was felt that these improvements were achieved mainly through partnership initiatives such as Operation Champion action days, going out consulting and talking to local people and getting them involved more with issues going on in their neighbourhood.

·  the only area for concern in West Outer was the Farnley and Wortley area and the need to tackle well known nominals living in the area in order to make any improvements in this area.  It was reported that the next Operation Champion would take place on the Greenthorpe and Gambles

estates at the end of January 2009.

·  the success of the Drug Action Day.

·  tackling domestic violence in the area and the partnership working with Health, Women’s Aid, Early Years, Domestic Violence Unit and the work done in schools to break the cycle on domestic violence. 

·  the successful work of the Neighbourhood Teams and partnership working in tackling anti social behaviour in the West Outer area.

·  the three main key issues for Police priorities for the Calverley area which were raised by Ward Members, local residents at public meetings and the local neighbourhood watch were, speeding on Woodhall Road, house burglaries and anti social behaviour in the local park.

·  the Inspector requested that Area Committee Members let him know what the three key issues in their Wards were and he will make arrangements for them to be dealt with either directly by the NPT or through the partnership network.

·  a city-wide initiative on tackling burglaries/intruders was to be operated from the Killingbeck Police Station over the Christmas period. 

The Inspector went on to inform the meeting of the recent visit in the Calverley area made by the Rt Hon Jackie Smith MP in the West Outer area to roll out the new ‘Policing Pledge’ and to see first hand the work of the Neighbourhood Policing Team and its partnership work in the area.  The Inspector was very proud and privileged that the West Outer NPT had been picked as an example for their partnership working on fighting Crime and Grime in the West Yorkshire Area. 

Steve Crocker, West North West Area Manager informed the meeting that West North West Area Management were considering developing a pledge involving partnership agencies for the West North West area.  The Area Manager informed the meeting that he had been attended a meeting in Leeds involving Central Government Cabinet Members and had the opportunity to talk with the Rt Hon Jack Straw and informed him of the concerns of the Area Committee.  Jack Straw had also visited the LASER Centre in West Leeds and the Prime Minister took the opportunity to do a little Christmas shopping at the Owlcotes Centre in Pudsey. 

Members requested an update on the licensing issues in relation to the the Black Bull Public House.  The Inspector informed the meeting that at the moment he did not have an update as the issues concerning the Black Bull were going to be a lengthy process but he would keep Ward Members informed.

The Area Committee thanked Gill Hunter, Area Community Safety Co-ordinator for West Leeds for her very informative report.  Farnley and Wortley Ward Members requested that the Area Community Safety Officer liaise with them on initiatives in their Ward which particularly relate to the problem of domestic violence.

The Chair thanked Gill Hunter and NPT Inspector Tom Horner for their attendance.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by the   officer identified within the minutes and reported back to Ward   Members.