Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities meeting held on 14 July 2016.

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2016 were signed as a true record.  There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

Note: Councillor O’Boyle, a St Michaels Ward Councillor and petition sponsor and the petition organiser have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which responded to a petition bearing 10 signatures, sponsored by Councillor O’Boyle, a St Michaels Ward Councillor which had been submitted to the City Council on 4 July 2016 calling for the City Council to place pressure on West Midlands Police to address issues of drug dealing, damage to property and anti-social behaviour occurring in the area.  The petition also called for the City Council to place pressure on the private management company, KT Management, to support residents in their quest for a peaceful life.

Councillor O’Boyle and the petition organiser attended the meeting together with representatives from West Midlands Police and KT Management.

All attendees spoke in detail about the difficulties experienced by local residents in respect of a number of anti-social behaviours in the area which had been taking place over a long period of time and which residents described as “plaguing our flats and its surrounds in Swan Lane and Thackhall Street”.  Councillor O’Boyle and the petition spokesperson also spoke about frustrations around reporting such behaviour and stressed the need for greater police resources in the area. Ms Taylor from the property management company, KT Management, spoke about the problems in the area and her experience of reporting incidents. Officers from West Midlands Police spoke in detail about their ongoing work in the area, reporting that they would continue their daily patrols.  It was anticipated that a new reporting system, which graded incidents according to priority, would go live in November 2016, and it was hoped that this would offer a long term solution.

Following discussion, the Chair directed Ward Councillors to meet with KT Management, local residents and Police Officers in 6 months’ time in order to discuss progress and identify any actions going forward. 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

(a)  Request that West Midlands Police and KT Management continue their monitoring of the area and respond accordingly to residents requests for assistance.

(b)  Encourage residents to set up a Neighbourhood Watch in the area and report incidents of concern to Police as soon as they occur.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

Note: Councillor Welsh, St. Michaels Ward Councillor and petition sponsor and the petition organiser have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which responded to a petition bearing 32 signatures, sponsored by Councillor Welsh, a St Michaels Ward Councillor which had been submitted to the City Council on 5 April 2016 and referred to issues of anti-social behaviour, police patrols and street cleansing in Cawthorne Close.

Councillor Welsh, the petition organiser, local residents and representatives from West Midlands Police were present for this item.

The Petition Organiser and local residents explained the issues they were experiencing on a regular basis.  Police Officers went through the crime data in the area for the preceding months and had met with local residents. In light of the issues raised, Sgt Mercer reported that a named officer would be assigned to the area as a single point of contact.  The Police Officer’s contact details would be shared with local residents so that they could report incidents directly with him.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

(a)  Request that West Midlands Police, Council Officers and Ward Councillors continue their monitoring of the area and respond accordingly to residents requests for assistance.

(b)  Encourage residents to set up a Neighbourhood Watch in the area and report incidents of concern to Police and the Council as soon as they occur.

There are no outstanding issues to report.

There were no outstanding issues.

To consider any other items of business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of business.