Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the North East Area Manager and West Yorkshire Police

The North East Area Manager submitted a report prepared jointly with West Yorkshire Police which updated Members on how the new North East Leeds Police Division was operating, sought the Committee’s views on plans to invest further into Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs), and outlined the new amalgamation of two   Divisional Community Safety Partnerships (DCSPs) and their sub structures.

Chief Superintendent Gerry Broadbent, Inspector Marcus Griffiths, and Rob Wark, Neighbourhood Policing Chief Inspector, all of West Yorkshire Police, in addition to Sandra Fowler, North East Community Safety Co-ordinator, were all present at the meeting to respond to Members’ queries and comments.

Having received a brief overview of the key issues detailed within the report, a discussion then ensued. The main issues raised were as follows:-

·  Further information was provided on the predominant areas of the city which were affected by hate crime;

·  Members discussed the position of Co-Chair of the Joint Tasking Team for the Harewood and Wetherby Wards which was currently vacant, a position in which Councillor Shelbrooke had expressed an interest, and sought further information on the general appointment process which had been established for the Co-Chairs of Joint Tasking Teams throughout the North East Leeds Police Division. In response, the North East Area Manager undertook to pursue the matter and relay any information received to Members;

·  The Committee discussed the new Contact Management Unit which had been introduced in October 2007, and highlighted that under the new system, callers could not directly contact their local Police Station. In response, Members were advised that the new system was a requirement which aimed to ensure that the Police’s call bureau was a one stop shop which dealt with the majority of enquiries in the first instance. Members noted that in addition to the revised system, a mechanism had been established to enable local stations to continue to deal directly with issues of a very local nature;

·  Members discussed the proposed allocation of Police Community Safety Officers (PCSOs) across the Neighbouhood Policing Teams in the Division, and discussed possible ways in which Wellbeing funding could be used to increase the provision of PCSOs in the Harewood Ward. In response, the North East Area Manager undertook to pursue this matter;

·  Members discussed the proposed allocation of Police Constables and PCSOs as part of the new Neighbourhood Policing Teams’ structure, and considered the ways in which such allocations would differ from current staffing levels;

·  The Committee considered the implications of the revised shift pattern structure which was proposed to be introduced in the new year. Members then went on to discuss the current working arrangements for PCSOs in the area;

·  Members expressed a desire for PCSOs to have a greater level of interaction with local businesses in the area. In response, Inspector Marcus Griffiths assured Members that PCSOs would be encouraged to do so in future;

·  The Committee then received a brief overview of the procedures in place for the introduction of Interim Banning Orders and Section 27 Orders.

RESOLVED -

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That subject to approval by Member Management Committee, Councillor Lamb be nominated as the Area Committee’s representative on the Divisional Community Safety Partnership;

(c). That further information which relates to the appointment process for the Co-Chairs of Joint Tasking Teams be sought and submitted to Members for their consideration.

(Councillors Mrs R Feldman and R D Feldman joined the meeting at 7.31 p.m.,   during the consideration of this item)