Agenda and minutes

a)  Welcome to members

b)  Apologies for absence

c)  Confirm minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2012 and address any matters arising

d)  Correspondence received –

o  Domestic Abuse Newsletter, January 2012

o  Metropolitan Police News – Trident Guns and Gangs Task Force

e)  Topics for discussion at future meetings. Members who would like a topic(s) discussed at future meetings can now list them on the tear off slip at the bottom of the reverse of the front page of the agenda

f)  The Executive Committee welcomes your feedback on the meeting and would be grateful if you could complete the exit survey form attached to the agenda and return it to the Administrator at the end of the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting in particular newcomers who were attending. The Chair gave a brief update on the Forum and its aims to work in partnership and consult various organisations and individuals on police issues.

The Chair also welcomed Detective Superintendent Helen Millichap from the Metropolitan Police.

The Chair noted the apologies for absence

The minutes of the meeting held 12^th January 2012 were confirmed as a correct record.

The correspondence received was noted

Laurence Courtney, Highways Transport and Parking will attend the meeting to give an update on the Olympic Games Time Parking Zones

The Chair advised the meeting that The Olympic Games was a major event and the impact of which would be felt by everyone especially people living in Newham. The Chair added that it was important that arrangements were made to accommodate everyone attending the Games.

The Chair introduced Laurence Courtney, Highways, Transport and Parking who would be giving an update on parking during the Olympic and Paralympic Games period.

Laurence Courtney advised the meeting of the following:

• During the Olympic and Paralympic Games period parking restrictions would apply between 8am and 9 pm for the whole of the borough;

• At present approximately half the borough has controlled Parking Zones (CPZ);

• During the Olympic and Paralympic Games period those parts of the borough without a CPZ will have restrictions (will be Event Zones); 

• Currently within CPZs residents can purchase 40 visitor passes a month, this would still be the case during the Games time;

• Residents currently living within a CPZ will automatically be covered for the extended hours imposed during the Games and the permit will cover the whole of the borough;

• If you are not in a CPZ and your car is registered to a Newham address the DVLA will provide LOCOG with registration details so people can park in Event Zones;

• During the Games period residents within a CPZ will be able tobuy an all day visitor voucher for a £1;

• If you live in a part of the borough that presently does not have a CPZ (but will have during the Games – an Event Zone) and someone visits you can register their vehicle by phone;

• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) vans will drive around the borough to identify cars that should not be parked in Newham;

• Between May – July you can register your car to your address in Newham;

• If you have a company car you can register the car to your address (you would need a letter from the company you work for)

Laurence advised the meeting that the restrictions were being imposed by LOCOG, not by Newham Council. LOCOG has the legal power to impose the restrictions no matter what objections Newham Council may have.

Information on the Games Time parking zones will be sent out to all Newham residents in May which will give details on how to register your vehicle with LOCOG.

The meeting raised a number of questions to which responses were given as follows:

• Will carers (caring for Newham residents) be able to park in Newham when undertaking caring duties?

A supporting letter from a doctor would be required.  Any Local Service Centre can provide an application form for the permit.

• If I work in the borough and want to visit a client but do not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

This item was not considered as the guest speaker Steve Lewis was unable to attend the meeting.

A report from Newham police on policing issues in Newham, followed by questions.  Anyone attending may participate, but please ask questions or make comments at a strategic or borough-wide level. 

Chief Inspector Andy Drage presented a report which gave statistical details on the following:

·  Demographics and population estimates –

o  16-24 aged population high (30.2%)

o  Overseas Nationals high

·  Stop & Search –

o  5589 stops undertaken between 1^st January – 14^th February 2012

o  Change in legislation on Stop & Search – Police find it effective but has lead to community tension

·  Burglary –

o  Perpetrators often commit burglary to feed a drug habit.

o  A third of those arrested for burglary are tested for drugs

·  Robbery –

o  spike in robbery in the Upton Park area

·  Violent Crime –

o  Stratford and Newtown Ward has seen an increase in violent crime, many due to alcohol induced behaviour

·  Domestic Violence –

o  Reduction of 0.3%

·  Custody & Criminal justice scoreboard –

o  There are a number of phases to bring offenders to justice

Questions

In response to a question about the increase in violent crime in Stratford & Newtown CI Andy Drage stated that Westfield was helping to generate the increase.

In response to a comment from a member of the public CI Andy Drage stated that burglars would use all methods to gain entry to properties.

Are knife crimes mostly against young people? CI Andy Drage commented that young people were committing knife crimes on young people.

Responding to a further question CI Andy Drage stated that in the majority of robberies (muggings) knives are not used but are often intimated.

The Chair thanked CI Andy Drage for his report.

Detective Superintendent Helen Millichap advised the meeting that she was a new officer to the borough having started in January 2012.

DS Millichap commented that in respect of Westfield the level of crime committed relative to the number of people coming into the borough was quite low. DS Millichap stated that most of the crimes committed at Westfield were for theft.

DS Millichap informed the meeting of the outcome of the recent IPCC report into the death of Mark Duggan which was published 2^nd March 2012.

The report gave details of the response by the Police and the IPCC following the shooting and upheld the family’s complaint that the Police did not inform Mark Duggan’s family of his death.

DS Millichap stated that it was accepted that the Police had a lot to learn and acknowledged that the IPCC report and the recent shooting in Lewisham can trigger community tension.

DS Millichap also briefed the meeting on a recent public meeting held 7^th March 2012 for the victims of the August disturbances. 28 people were invited and only 6 attended; however the feeling amongst those that did attend was on the whole positive.

DS Millichap referred to a newsletter on gangs, which was part of the agenda for the meeting and advised that the Metropolitan Police had new polices committed to tackling gangs. Over the next year Newham would be allocated £300,000 to tackle gangs; 50% of which would be allocated to the Third Sector organisations who can  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 19^th April 2012.

This meeting will be the Annual General Meeting.

The Forum noted that the next meeting was scheduled for Thursday 19^th April 2012 at 7.00 pm in the Lister Room, Newham Town Hall, East Ham E6 and that this meeting would be the AGM.