An opportunity to question the Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Eugene Ayisi, on developments within his portfolio.
Minutes:
Councillor Eugene Ayisi, the Cabinet Member for Communities, reported on developments within his portfolio as follows:
· Consultation had taken place on proposals in respect of the Police estate. As part of this, it was proposed that that there would no longer be a Police contact centre in the west of the borough, However, there would still be a 24 hour presence at Tottenham Police station. The proposal had been discussed at the Community Safety Partnership and there had also been a public meeting to receive the views of local residents. Concerns had been expressed regarding the visibility of the Police but an average of only 1.5 crimes were day were currently reported to Hornsey Police station. By contrast, approximately 34 crimes per day were reported at Tottenham Police station. The way that people reported crime had changed and people now tended to telephone. In addition, they could now report on-line. Police officers would soon also be able to input crime data directly into the system without the need to return to the Police station. Maintaining the physical space would cost the borough 8 Police officers. There was a need to communicate the new arrangements effectively to residents. A range of public spaces could also be used to increase the visibility and accessibility of the Police;
· In respect of the voluntary sector, there had been a meeting of relevant community organisations last November. Good progress had been made since then and there was now greater clarity regarding where decisions were made. As a result of this, community organisations could now bid more confidently for grants and could operate more strategically;
· On 30 November, the annual Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) White Ribbon Day would take place. Men were a key component of the work to prevent VAWG as they were often the perpetrators and therefore needed to take ownership of the issue. The aim of White Ribbon Day was to highlight the issue, particularly within organisations;
· Communities had highlighted the need for young people to have somewhere to go in order to divert them from anti-social behaviour. The proposal to develop a Youth Space could provide an opportunity to address this as part of an improved offer for youth within the borough;
· In response to the terrorist incident that had occurred in Finsbury Park, the Faith Forum was being launched and work was being undertaken to develop resilience within communities.
In answer to a question regarding the large increase in gun crime within the borough and its relationship to young people, the Cabinet Member reported that similar increases had been reported across London. The issues that could lead to gun crime started from a young age and early intervention could assist in addressing them. A high percentage of young people who became involved in knife crime had been exposed to domestic violence. They could also be coerced into crime. There had been a stripping out of services for young people in the past few years. Work was taking place with schools to address the issue of attainment amongst black young people. Work was also being undertaken with the Police which was based on viewing such young people as vulnerable with a safeguarding approach more appropriate than enforcement. The view was that Early Help could cut the supply of young adults that get involved in gun crime.
Eubert Malcolm, Head of Community Safety and Enforcement, reported that 9 of the gun discharges that had been recorded were linked to Ducketts Common and issues related to drug dealing and anti social behaviour that had taken place there. Acting Detective Superintendent Caroline Haines, from Haringey Police, reported that current figures showed 29 gun discharges which equated to a 107% increase. There had been a spike between September and October last year when there had been 9 firearm discharges in the Ducketts Common area. An operation had been mounted to address the issues that had arisen in the area and these had now diminished. The 9 discharges that had occurred had accounted for one third of the ones that had taken place in the borough in the past year. They were often linked to gang disputes and the numbers had levelled out recently. There needed to be a balance between diversion and enforcement.
In answer to a question regarding the whether young people would be prepared to travel across the borough to access youth facilities, he stated that a large number travelled from west to east on a regular basis. Only 5 young people had been identified as having specific issues with travelling across the borough. He felt that the Youth Zone was a much needed facility that would provide activities for a large number of young people every day of the week. Its benefits far outweighed the alternative of doing nothing. The offer would be varied and suitable for all sections of the community. It would be remiss of the Council to turn down the offer, which would provide £3 million of capital and revenue funding as well. The Friends of Chestnuts Park had indicated that they did not want their park used for the project but the intention was to come back with further proposals in due course.
In answer to a question regarding CCTV installation, he stated that gangs knew exactly where cameras were located and often inflicted damage on them. Their installation could also merely displace crime and anti social behaviour. Care therefore needed to be exercised when deploying them, despite their popularity with residents. Each licensed bar was required to provide and monitor its own system.
The Panel noted that the new on-line system of reporting crime removed the need to engage with the Police on a face-to-face basis. Information could be inputted using a map and the new system had the potential to improve intelligence on crime. Work was being undertaken with libraries on the possibility of them being used as a contact point.
Panel Members commented that there were people who lived in the vicinity of Chestnuts who were in favour of the proposed Youth Zone as they were concerned at the lack of facilities for young people in the area. Councillor Ayisi stated that there was only currently £250,000 for youth services in the borough. He felt that serious consideration should be given to developing the Youth Zone should an alternative site come available.
The Panel thanked Councillor Ayisi for his contribution.