Minutes for Area 6 Committee (Clementswood, Loxford and Mayfield) meeting, Dec 17 2008, 7.15PM official page

We received apologies for absence from Councillor Whitehall.  Councillors Aaron and Mahal were absent from the meeting.

Members are reminded of the requirement to consider whether they have an interest in any matter on the agenda that needs to be disclosed and, if so, to declare the interest when the Committee reaches that item on the agenda.

Members were reminded of the requirement to consider whether they had an interest in any matter on the agenda that needed to be disclosed and, if so, to declare the interest when the Committee reached that item on the agenda.

Resolved:  That we approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5^th November 2008.

Sergeant Mark Lowrie from the Mayfield Safer Neighbourhood Team updated our Committee on the current situation on crime and crime prevention in Mayfield and Loxford Wards.  There was no update on Clementswood Ward.

Mayfield

• Priorities currently were; burglary, motor vehicle crime and youth engagement.
• Speed problem had been highlighted in Goodmayes.
• ANPR used in Longfield Gardens with 1,609 vehicles checked, resulting in 67 activation, 2 arrests, 2 defective vehicles and 7 vehicles seized.
• Two tickets were issued for speeding in South Park Drive.
• One vehicle was seized in Morrab Gardens.
• The police were currently liaising with Loxford School and extra resources were allocated in the form of mounted police, who had been patrolling in areas around the school in an attempt to combat burglaries and motor vehicle crimes.  However Sergeant Lowrie stressed that there had been no problems with gangs as some people had indicated.
• A Youth Panel had been established at Loxford School for youths to express any fears or concerns.  Police were working with the Youth Panel liaising with the three wards.
• The police were currently running a campaign informing members of the public to leave their lights on which would act as a deterrent and were issuing free energy saving light bulbs.  Leaflets had also been distributed on what members of the public could do to keep safe over the holiday period i.e. properties and cars.
• Green Lane Business Watch had received high visibility patrol.
• Problems with gangs and drugs in Longbridge Road.  A family had been identified as the root of the problem and had been moved off the estate.
• South Park Users Group had been established.

Loxford

• Priorities currently were; burglary, theft from motor vehicle, crime and anti-social behaviour.
• A ‘smartwater’ system had been established.
• The police were using the existing CCTV cameras covering Roden Street in relation to the work they are doing regarding prostitution in the area.

Sergeant Lowrie requested funding from the Committee to pay for metal detector wands (two per Safer Neighbourhood Team) and breathalyser devices (one for each Team).  The wands cost £20 each and the electronic screen devices cost £300 each.

The Committee agreed ‘in principle’ the funding up to the sum of £1,200 for the police to purchase the wands and Breathalyser devices.  An application would be submitted to our Committee on 4^th February. The Committee requested a report back from the police with results on how the equipment was used and relevant statistics after the equipment had been purchased and used.

A Member of our Committee stated that there had been no police representative present at the Clementswood Ward Panel meeting and was disappointed by this.

Action:  The police would investigate issue of some parents not wearing seatbelts when collecting their children from schools in Mayfield Ward.