St Leonards Safer Neighbourhood Panel Meeting
St Leonards Church, 1 April 2009
Minutes
1.Welcome and Apologies
Lee welcomed the attendees, including Claire from Love Streatham, Mel from Streatham Food Festival and thanked Moyra from St Leonards Church for the use of the venue. Philip White, the new ASB officer was unable to make it.
Apologies were received from:
Philip White
Nickie Gore
Jason Prentis
Fiona Brent
Wendy Newall
Cllr Clive Bennett
Cllr Brian Palmer
Cllr Roger Geiss
Rahoul Bhansali
Sally Fleming
Rosalie Lawlor
Ruth Edwards
2.Minutes of the meeting held on 11.2.09 and matters arising
The minutes to the previous meeting were accepted, signed and adopted. There were no matters arising.
3.Officers Reports
a.Chairman’s report:
The post of Town Centre Manager is a new role that is being introduced to support the development of business on the high road. There will also be an input into community safety. The Town Centre Manager will be independent of the Council. This is already underway in Croydon and Kingston.
Lee continues to represent the St Leonards Safer Neighbourhoods Panel at the Town Centre Management Board. Lee has invited Chief Inspector Harper to the next meeting. For business lobbying contact the board.
The Streatham Forum is reopening. The forum will be set up by the Council but run by local people. There will be some overlap with the Safer Neighbourhoods Panel and the Town Centre Board. Lee is attending and will hopefully be able to do something about the number of empty shops on the High Road. For cultural issues, contact the forum.
The High Road improvements are continuing. The current work is to replace the barrier in the middle of the road by the Odeon Cinema with trees. The consultation exercise is complete.
Lee’s work on the website means that we are now on the first page of results in Google for various searches such as ‘Streatham Safer Neighbourhoods’ and #1 for 'Safer Neighbourhoods team Streatham' and that residents can report cases to the panel, or issues to the Police via the website. There are also useful links, handy guides on setting up a Neighbourhood Watch, an e-mail newsletter and discussions board.
The dates and locations of the Street Surgeries are also on the website.
ACTION – Everyone. To have a look at the website and use it as a means of raising issues if appropriate. http://www.stleonardsward.org.uk/
The wider panel’s ongoing input into Community Policing can be enhanced. Information on hostels and temporary accommodation is particularly useful for the police in dealing with issues such as vice. There is a form on the website for anyone to submit information.
ACTION – Anyone. If there are any hostels or temporary accommodation ‘bunkhouses’ in your area, please let the team know by filling in the form on the website. www.stleonardsward.org.uk
The No Cold Calling Zones have been rolled out in the South of the Ward, but the signs are not yet up.
ACTION – Sgt Louise Miller to chase the NCCZ people.
b.Amanda noted the reduction in prostitution activity although there are still some committed offenders that the police are dealing with. The panel thanked the Police Officers for their help with this.
There is, however, a notable increase in burglary in the ward.
As part of the Streatham Septagon Neighbourhood Watch group, Amanda delivered a Streetcare leaflet drop in the North of the Ward. Information Streetcare is available on the website. www.stleonardsward.org.uk
c.Ben noted the increase of litter and dumping, particularly around Swallow Close and Mitcham Lane.
There is also a continuing issue with ASB around Babbington Court, where some residents have reported suspicions of drug dealing. There is a house on Pathfield Road, that residents have reported ASB circulating around.
The Shrubbery Road Police Station is ‘not closing any time soon’. However the building is still inappropriate and indeed is rat infested. The site itself is ideally located, the problem is that the building is past its sell by date.
4.Police Update
Smart Water
The Police have secured funding for Smart Water, which is a clear liquid that is uniquely identifiable “a cross between DNA and a bar code”.
The Smart Water is free for the first year of availability and from then on is distributed at a fee. The Police plan to give it out at street briefings.
Community Engagement
The Borough Sub Commander, Dave Musker, invited Safer Neighbourhood panel Chairmen into a fortnightly operational briefing. The panel Chairmen are writing to Mr Muscar with their thoughts.
The visit highlighted the multi agency approach now taken to neighbourhood policing. In particular the police work with the Probation Service to exchange information about offenders being re-established within the community.
Crime Report (Sgt Miller)
Cannabis Smoking is an issue in Somerset House.
The Somali youths congregating in the dip are still causing a disturbance to some residents. The police are looking at adding more lighting in the area.
There has been a good result on Vice, with an ASBO for the most prolific prostitute. The issue of the bushes is still open and the team are talking to Wandsworth and the Parks Police.
The team are encouraging a Neighbourhood Watch in the Garrads Road area.
The Streatham High Road team is being re-constructed.
Street Briefing (Sgt Miller)
More dates are planned for street briefings, including one in Wimpy on the High Road.
06/04/2009 - 19:00 - 20:00 - Street Briefing - Junction of Woodbourne avenue and Steep hill
20/05/2009 - 10:00 - 12:00 - Drop-in Surgery - Wimpy Streatham High Road
20/05/2009 - 14:00 - 16:00 - Drop-in Surgery - Wimpy Streatham High Road
ACTION – Lee to link to dates on the website
Contact Details
There are three ways to contact the police:
1.in an emergency, always dial 999
2.for reporting offences, where a police officer is required but ‘it’s not life or death’ dial 0300 123 1212
3.for community policing issues, speak to the Safer Neighbourhoods team directly on 07920 233 841 or send a message via the website www.stleonardsward.org.uk
5.Streatham Food Festival
The food festival is a joint initiative with Streatham festival and the Council. It has two broad aims:
1.to promote local food outlets
2.a day of activities to promote food
Anyone is welcome to get involved and good groups and volunteers are particularly welcome.
Food festivals can be an important part of a community.
6.Love Streatham
Claire gave an update on progress of the Christian faith-based project planned to roll out in June/July. The project aims to build a stronger community within Streatham and has three specific outputs:
Street Pastors
This initiative has been active elsewhere for four years and has proved successful in reducing crime figures. It is a partnership between the council and the church and provides a presence on the streets in the evening up to about 03:00.
Social Action
This include initiates such as debt counselling and computer literacy workshops.
Street Cleaning
This includes anti-graffiti and litter picks conducted by young people from the local churches.
The Street Pastors are under training and will be active on Friday and Saturday nights
Further information is available on the website www.lovestrestreatham.org.uk
7.Dangerous Trees
There is an issue with some dangerous trees around the Tooting Bec Gardens / Prentis Road area. Cllr Bennett is on the case and the solution is likely to involve the need for some funding for a tree surgeon from the Council.
The issue is complicated by the fact that the trees appear to be on private property and there may be an insurance company involved. Lambeth Council have historically been unwilling to get involved in disputes about trees on private land
8.Any other Business
The next meeting will be an AGM.
9.Priorities discussion
In the light of the above notes, the priorities were discussed and it was agreed that they should be:
i.Vice
ii.Burglary
10.Date of next meeting
The next meeting is to be held on Wednesday 10 June (which will also be and AGM) at 19:00, St Leonards Church.
After that, the panel will meet on Wednesday 5 August, again, at 19:00, St Leonards Church.
