MINUTES OF ST. LEONARD’S WARD PANEL MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY 8TH MAY 2007 AT 7 P.M.

PRESENT: Lee Alley (Chair), Alan Davidson (Vice Chair), Ruth Edwards (Treasurer), Rosalie Lawlor (Secretary), Inspector Richard Hall, Steve Christmas (PC), Michael Kuell (CPSO), Jenny Partridge (CPSO), Nabil Mezoughi, Community Safety Partnership Co-ordinator, Gillian Lunnon, Gaye Weston-Simons, Tina Phillips, F. Garerod, M. Collier, M. Stephens, M. Lightbourne, G. Nye, Peter Lloyd, Maureen Lloyd, Jack Ward, Clive Bennett, Jonathan Taylor, Mandy Hodgson, Sue Quinn, Paul McGuinness, Wendy Newell, Ben Everitt, Sid Narayanan, Paula Veiga

1. Welcome

Lee Alley welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Ruth Edwards and the Synagogue for the use of the hall for our meeting.

Lee explained that he would like all questions to be addressed through the Chair and also for any other business to be declared now.

2. Apologies

Katherine Thomson-Glover, Leah Levane

3. Minutes of meeting dated 8th March 2007 and Matters Arising

Lee Alley reported on Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 with regard to the proposed closure of the Maudsley mental A&E unit. Lee explained that this item would be discussed more appropriately when the Chairs of the four panels meet with the police. Section 17 relates to all statutory bodies in the Borough having within their remit a requirement to work together to mitigate and minimise crime in the Borough.

4. Police Update

PC Steve Christmas (Gary Lehaine’s replacement) introduced himself. He has only been in the post for two weeks, but he knows Streatham extremely well.

PC Steve Christmas presented the latest crime figures for the ward. The figures had only just been received and Steve he was unable to give many details. He can only assume that the reduction in some figures is due to the fact that a person/people who have been caught and have been removed from the streets.

St. Leonard’s Crime Stats. March 2007 – May 2007

Vehicle Crime (Theft from MV)
Jan-Mar: 23
Mar-May: 23
-7

Vehicle Crime (Theft of MV)
Jan-Mar: 11
Mar-May: 21
+10

Vehicle Crime (Crim. Damage)
Jan-Mar: 0
Mar-May: 0

Residential Burglary
Jan-Mar: 32
Mar-May: 22
-10

Robbery Person
Jan-Mar: 28
Mar-May: 18
-10

Theft from Person
Jan-Mar: 7
Mar-May: 3
-4

Inspector Hall reported that a new sergeant has been recruited to replace Sgt. Trevor Struthers.

Inspector Hall continued by reporting on Operation Aerial. This was a combined operation of the police, traffic division and TfL and involved the police using a number plate recognition device, whilst standing by the road. This was a successful operation as two burglars and a number of street robbers were arrested.

Crime in the Thurlow Park area has been reduced by the arrest of one man. A cold calling zone is being installed in this area for a four month period. All callers to houses must make appointments and if this is a success it will be spread out to other areas.
For the first time in London, Inspector Hall will be holding a Polish surgery at the White Eagle Club, Balham, on 13th May. This is also in conjunction with the Spires Centre, with a hope of diverting some people from anti-social behaviour.

With regard to complaints about the street window cleaners, Inspector Hall advised that cleaning wind screens is not against the law. When the new sergeant is here, this will be something Inspector Hall would like him to look into. Inspector Hall would also like the new sergeant to look into making Streatham Green a no-drinking zone as a first step to possibly making the town centre a no drinking zone.

There have been a number of staff changes, but Inspector Hall thinks the new recruits are all settling down and hopefully he will have more to report at the next meeting.

Inspector Hall reinforced the Police message to take basic, sensible precautions with property and premises to reduce the opportunity of crime.

There had been a successful outcome of an incident in Natal Road, where a bogus caller called on an elderly lady asking for a glass of water. This resident was quick witted enough to prevent the person entering her house and called the police. There was a possible accomplice at Potters Lane who may have been co-ordinating these events and who was questioned. Inspector Hall reminded everyone that even if you are not sure about something still ring 999.

The team now has 5 PCSOs.

The new Rector of St. Leonard’s Church introduced herself to the meeting and confirmed that it would be nice to make the church yard a no-drinking zone as well. At her previous parish the shops around the church were not permitted to sell alcohol. In a response to a question about revoking the licenses of the shops around the Green to enforce the no-alcohol rule, Inspector Hall said it is very difficult to rescind a license. Inspector Hall advised the Rector to contact the local councillors and the local authority.

Inspector Hall also mentioned he is working with the Vision Ministry to organise an event to reinforce the anti-gun message and he would like all the Chairs of the panels to get involved in this.

In response to a question about PCSOs taking details of cars in Streatham, it was pointed out that these particular PCSOswere PCSOs working for TfL and were not our Safer Neighbourhood PCSOs.

5. Reports by Officers:-

Crime Working Group: Rosalie Lawlor reported that essentially the meetings are of a similar content to the safer neighbourhood meetings, but of course cover the whole of Streatham, whereas we are just concerned with St. Leonard’s ward and some of the content of her report had been covered by Inspector Hall. Rosalie reminded the meeting that in October 06 Jack Bowles came and gave a talk to the ward panel about the group and the Minutes of this meeting are available on the web site.

The group produces an annual action plan for Streatham. As the group looks at crime over the whole of Streatham, there may be some compatibility with the SNTs.

Crime in Streatham has been falling over the past five to six years and some credit is due the Crime Working Group and its action plans and the way the police have been asked to work towards the goals of the action plans. An example of where the group’s involvement has improved residents’ lives is in improving street lighting, the Streatham Green improvement, Potters Lane improvements and working with the Streatham Rangers and Street Wardens. A lot of these things were not police activities, but activities to do with other agencies and the group works with all these people to make things happen.

The police attend the meetings, along with local councillors and there is also a guest speaker(s) to give a talk. The next meeting is on 12.06.07 at Sunnyhill House at 7 p.m. At the moment meetings take place very two months.

As the Streatham Crime Working Group is a local group reflecting local issues, the group would like there to be more people attending and ward panel members would be ideal attendees.

Neil Thurlow used to be the Community Safety Officer and has moved to Brixton and we now have Nabil Mezoughi in his place.

At the last meeting held on 3rd April, 07 Neil reported that the no cycling signs had gone up, but as had been agreed they would be coming down and then go up again. This is thought to maximise their impact.
It was explained how the reported number of stolen vehicle licence plates has risen due to the ease with which it can be reported and there is a temptation to report stolen licence plates to avoid paying the congestion charge or to avoid paying a speeding fine having been caught on camera.

At the last meeting it was reported that Lambeth were going to be awarded a commendation from the Home Office and the Safer Neighbourhood Teams were up for an award for best practice.

The cash in transit robberies are a growing problem and robbers have worked out a way to launder the dyed money. They put it into lottery machines, car parking machines etc. as these machines cannot recognise dyed money. The PCSOs are being trained to be vigilant to such attacks in the High Road and Operation Vanguard in place. The security companies are rather relaxed about the robberies because they have insurance.

Streatham Area Committee/Council Proposals for Panels: Lee Alley reported that the Council has instructed the area committees to cease and Lee reported on his attendance at the last Streatham Area Committee. There is no alternative to the area committees in place at the moment and one proposal at the moment is to use the ward panels as a venue at which not only local crime matters are discussed, but area matters as well. There was some discussion and it was suggested that the Streatham Forum would be a better venue. On 23.05.07 all the ward panel chairs are meeting and the current feeling is all the chairs are opposed to the idea. Lee Alley said he would forward Lambeth’s proposals to Deputy Assistant Commission Alfred Hitchock, who is a keen advocate of the safer neighbourhood initiative.

ACTION: Lee Alley

CPCG Meeting: Alan Davidson reported on his attendance at the CPCG meeting held on 01.05.07. The main point of interest to Alan was the report on the reduction in stop and searches and the affect this was having on the people who would normally be targeted. There is less antagonism in the community. More details of this will be available on the web site.
Another topic mentioned was the council’s suggestion that councillors become ex-officio members of ward panels and the CPCG is not receptive to this idea and it will be discussed at their next meeting.

6. Discuss Feedback – Kiosks Question

Lee Alley reported that Superintendent Tottman has secured funding from the Met. Police for 5 feed back kiosks to be situated at various places in the borough, with one being a circulating kiosk to be located at other sites. The kiosk is a touch screen device and people are being asked to answer multiple choice questions on their experience of the Police. The success or failure of this experiment could be down to the type of questions asked and Lee will be posting this item on the web site for feedback.

ACTION: Lee Alley

7. Removal of Street Wardens – Monitor Impact On Crime in the High Road

The Police were asked if they could tell the meeting whether the levels of crime had dropped, increased or stayed the same with the removal of the wardens. Steve Christmas reported that the Police receive a good amount of intelligence from other sources about criminal activity. While the wardens patrolled they kept a note of what needed doing and created a database for this. The PCSOs also carry out environmental audits; they note abandoned cars, graffiti, sign posts and telephone boxes that need repair. All repair jobs are photographed, graded into priorities and grimebusters are called in when necessary. The PCSOs still patrol the side roads of the ward. It was also pointed out to the meeting that the wardens worked 9-5 p.m. and the PCSOs work mixed shifts where required and the eyes and ears of the area have not been lost.

In response to a comment about the loss of a Somalian warden and the good influence he had on the Dip, Inspector Hall reported that we have another Somalian PCSO in place and the Police have received Lottery funding for a football scheme to take place in the summer.

8. Priorities

Norfolk House Road Group: Some representatives of residents in Norfolk House Road reported that they have been subject to anti-social behaviour by the residents of a particular house in the road for about 3 years. Enquiries about who owns the house have been to no avail and the Council’s response to their problem has been to suggest they try mediation. They have called out the police on several occasions, but the culprits disappear when the police arrive. They gave a long description of the types of behaviour they have been subjected to and asked the meeting for help. Inspector Hall said this was precisely what the Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative was about and requested the group give their details to PCSO Jenny Partridge, who was present at the meeting.
A resident from Hoadley Road reported similar anti-social behaviour in Hoadley Road and wondered if they were the same group. Recently on seeing a group of youths behaving badly the Safer Neighbourhood number was called and information given.

A resident commented that the drinkers on the Green are entrenched there and the litter is not being collected from the Green either. Overall the impression is not a nice one and the resident requested the police patrol more frequently.

Theft of vehicles, theft from person and cycling on the pavement were also mentioned as possible priorities. Inspector Hall requested that the priorities be restricted to two. He explained that the situation in Norfolk House Road will generate a lot of paper work, which keeps officers off the streets. The matter of cycling on the pavement is an on-going matter and does not need to be listed as a priority. The committee accepted Inspector Hall’s recommendation and the priorities are:-

1. Norfolk House Road.
2. Anti-social drinking.

9. Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting is 2nd July 2007 at 7 p.m. at the Synagogue in Prentis Road, SW16.