Agenda and minutes

Notes of the meeting of the DOVER TOWN Neighbourhood Forum held on 23 July 2009 at the Dover Town Council offices, Dover at 6.30pm

Present:

Town Councillor                     Jan Tranter     Chairman

District Councillor                  Marian Munt

County Councillors                Nigel Collor and Roger Frayne

Other Councillors, officers, representatives and 6 members of public.

Apologies for absence were received from Town Cllr Chris Precious and Emma Carey KCC.

1.         Chairman’s welcome

District Cllr Jan Tranter, the new Chairman of the Forum, welcomed those attending.

2.         Notes of previous meeting

            Were approved as a correct record and there were no matters arising.

3.         How Safe Are Our Streets?

            Introductions:

The Chairman introduced the panel who would answer questions at the Forum:

            Alison Beaumont       -           Kent Community Warden

            Don Covus                 -           Community Warden

            Sgt. Susan Marsden -           Kent Police

            Steve Mellors             -           Crimestoppers

            Lindsey Reed            -           PCSO Supervisor

            Sally Cohen               -           Parish & Neighbourhood Watch Supervisor

Don Covus:  There are 9 KCC Community Wardens in the area, relying on partnership working to build a thorough knowledge of local issues and support prosecutions for crimes in the area.  As well as working with the Police, much of a Warden’s role involves welfare, especially for young people on the verge of criminal activity. The PACE project (Pathways Accreditation &Continuous Education) run by Dominic Castle provided outreach into schools;  Nations United – working with migrant workers from different cultures and not in full-time education; Smart Move – dealing with youth-on-youth crime by workshops and activities such as bike maintenance/security/problems in conjunction with Community Safety Officers.

Lindsey Reed:  every Parish/Ward has a named Police Community Support Officer (PCSO); they don’t have the same powers as police but keep a high visibility presence in the community, getting involved with groups and forums. They carry out low-level, local enquiries in criminal investigations using their knowledge of the area and its people. Building up trust and confidence with people who are scared or lacking in knowledge is a key component of a good rapport.  Links with the multi-agency Community Safety Unit on social cohesion and Anti Social Behaviour involves assessing problems, putting in context and forming an action plan for long term engagement by listening to what communities have to say.

Steve Mellors:  Crimestoppers provides a call centre for the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year where reports of crimes or criminal activities can be passed to the police through the charity and retains anonymity for the caller.  This builds confidence in the public to report what they see/know with no fear of a come-back.  Asked if people would phone Crimestoppers rather than dial 999, Tony explained that the charity was not a reactive force but relied on building up community knowledge and intelligence for the police.

Sally Cohen:  Neighbourhood Watch members monitor their area and call Community Wardens if necessary, as they have time to spend with elderly and vulnerable people. They help organise the Handyman Scheme, run by Help the Aged, for people over  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.