Notts Police and Crime Panel November 2020

Agenda and papers.
Video of proceedings.
Police Commissioner’s newsletter (November 2020).

Crime is broadly down and satisfaction with the Police is higher.
There are plenty of challenges for the Police during the public health emergency, not least their own staff having to follow isolation rules.
Operation Reacher is being welcomed by members of the panel from across the county, but I raised concerns that perhaps some of the issues they are trying to tackle are proving to be difficult to crack.
The increasing use of drones is interesting, but we need to keep on top of the effectiveness of the CCTV network.
Whilst student parties have attracted a certain degree of notoriety, I remain concerned that anti-vaxxers etc. have been organising demonstrations on the steps of The Council House when there are other less busy parts of the square such as Speaker’s Corner that could host such demoes at a lower risk to public health.
Given the public health concerns during the e general election in the USA, and the efforts to boost postal voting, I asked whether moving to all postal votes for next May’s elections couldn’t be pursued by government. Paddy had already asked.
Concerns over the poor capacity of the courts to process cases required its own report and a debate.

Agenda and papers.
Video of proceedings.
Police Commissioner’s newsletter (November 2020).

Notts Police and Crime Panel September 2020

The meeting was held over telecoms and is available to view on Youtube.

A report on Domestic Violence against women and girls produced is being prepared to refresh Notts’ outlook. Domestic Violence is both being reported more and has gone up during the lockdown. Violence against portents is increasing. Violence against men might be around 10% of the problem.

On the Police’s performance (formally to June 2020, but debate covered the weeks since too), dramatic ups ad downs during the lockdown means trends are difficult to draw conclusions from. But levels of crime are back after the recent lockdown.
Key overall announcement – crime has fallen again, and for the second year; not a trend seen elsewhere.
Reported knife crime is 4% down, against trends.
ASB has grown – both noise between neighbours and parties – (one on Saturday night in The Meadows had required the Chief Constable to be woken up in the early hours – see subsequent Nottingham Post story).

I raised return of begging and drug taking in public. (One incident had been very public and very defiant and concerned expressed by one of out school’s headteachers – Paddy Tipping had taken trouble to visit site since I raised it, and to speak to local inspector. I celebrated value of city initiatives during the lockdown and the Chief Constable expressed his support for what was done and his sympathy for what had happened to the city with the finances.

The first panel meeting since George Floyd was murdered. Paddy Tipping could point to initiatives before current crisis, praised the way Notts Police had behaved in response to latest wave of Black Lives Matter, and Paddy said young leaders of BLM could become the leaders of the future. “An opportunity for change.” Recruitment of black officers is making progress – 7% of officers are BAME c.f. 11% of population (tho’ census is renewed next year).
147 extra officers have been recruited in the last year – 150 more are expected in next year.

I raised the Far-Right rally that took place in Nottingham and said Police were mis-led on matters, including by bikers – who on the face of it not “political” – yet ended up joining the march. I raised concern of new cult in social media drawing on conspiracy theories (child abuse and mainstream politics) and thought it may need national political action.

The Police are exploring using drones (“the hover type”) more often instead of helicopters and airplanes.

Notts Police Panel – June 2019

with new Executive Mayor for Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, Notts City Cllr Leslie Ayoola, and new Police Panel Vice-Chair, Gedling Cllr. David Ellis

The Police Panel scrutinises the Police Commissioner, Paddy Tipping, and this was its AGM, electing Gedling Labour Councillor David Ellis as its vice-chair. My points –
* Safer Meadows – surprised by the N Post calm and Paddy reported that the stats had come for a slightly strange interpretation of a Police UK web-site; nevertheless, there has been progress after the 3 month spate of stabbings last year;
* part of the reason for progress in The Meadows has been the removal of a BT phone box from Bridgeway Shopping Centre; but this has brought pressure on other sties in The Meadows including on Risley Drive; BT resist disabling parts of the service provided that triggers the drug trade; and the sites has become the focus of rough living; so I asked for help with BT from Paddy Tipping and the Chief Constable;
* other businesses need to take more responsibility too; NCP car parks are vulnerable to false alarms being triggered, but despite charging £4 an hour, and suffering 2 significant fires at Stoney Street (albeit from car electrical failures), they don’t staff car parks and take too long to reset alarm systems;
* problems with the licensing of taxis by neighbouring boroughs, to passenger safety and organisation were rehearsed;
* Paddy Tipping announced that the enforcement of the peace around the fracking test site in the North of Nottinghamshire has cost Notts Police £900,000; whilst a lot, the style of policing meant the costs had been lower there than elsewhere and there had been no arrests; one wonders when the fracking companies will acknowledge how more difficult fracking is with Britain’s geology?;
* given the new emphasis on tackling climate change, I asked what the Police commitment was; answer is vehicle choice is still too difficult; but ground source (water from abandoned mines) heating was being planned for the extension to Sherwood Lodge;.

Other points –
* Police slightly overspent last year; a cross-authority initiative to save money had failed; and the need to improve 101 services and staffing had prompted over-spends that many savings elsewhere; spending overall remains under-control;
The Police are using the extra precept levied to pay for 40 extra officers – 33 for serving neighbourhoods and. 7 for tackling robberies; the Police are still having to make £3 million of cuts;
* 101 service has improved (disconnections down by 60%)cos of higher recruitment; note, the free is to be made free again next year;
* latest inspection. of Notts Police has improved to “good” from “requiring improvement”, partly cos of extra dedicated spend;
* knife crime is a concern- 8-9% increase in Notts., c.f. 11% increase nationally; Notts is receiving £1.5m and is hoping for 2 more awards.

East Midlands Labour conference 2019

WRITE-UP TO FOLLOW

Nottingham Green Festival 2018

A simple stall with leaflets focussing on green achievements in Nottingham – bio-fuel buses, energy investment homes, better and accredited public parks, Robin Hood Energy – all by Labour.  With visits from Paddy Tipping (Police Commissioner) and Leonie (former Parliamentary Candidate in Sherwood), as well as colleagues Glyn and John.Some city centre casework, and a big thumbs up from a Clifton North resident who’s saving £12 a month and more having switched to Robin Hood Energy.

Justice for the Windrush Generation

Eighty people marching from Nottingham Midland railway station to the city centre, demanding justice for those members of the Windrush generation who suffered from the “hostile environment”.
An amazing slogan on one t-shirt – “More blacks, more dogs, more Irish”.
Paddy Tipping, PCC, Cllr Merlita Bryan and I joined the march.
(one typo to fix.) Photos available.

Review of public meeting with Lilian and Paddy

60 attended a meeting which I expected to be a rigorous grilling and relentless lashing of those with power and responsibility because of the crime associated with the drug dealing.
Bit of a surprise then when a victim of a stabbing, a young man, called for more to be done to help victims and offer hope for those who see no alternative.
People were queueing up to shake the guy’s hand afterwards.

Paddy Tipping PCC addresses the public meeting convened by Lilian Greenwood MP, to discuss community safety and developing parks.
I circulated a 3 page progress report.  The meeting began with something like 45 minutes of contributions from the floor before the panel started making contributions. Many of the contributions emphasised the importance of community and youth services to mitigate criminal activity.
I spoke at the end, and the points for me are –
– there was a tendency from one or two to represent individual special interests; and some of the old stories about people running The Meadows down when for example, Paddy Tipping had said the exact opposite; (Paddy dealt with that challenge);
– the emphasis on youth services was as if the criminal activity is from teenagers when the perpetrators are probably a bit older; I did take the opportunity to stress the important of more jobs, and secure and regular jobs that supported stronger family life;
– I don’t think the assertion that the dealers are not from The Meadows is entirely correct;
– The Police Inspector reported arrests of dealers carrying wraps of drugs, but may not have been heard very clearly; catching the dealers red-headed has to be a key element of any fight back for community safety;
– a repeated call for the BT phones boxes (that seem only to serve the drug trade) to be removed (Lilian had already been chasing, and been refused once);
– temporary and movable 3G cameras have had an impact, but they’re moved on.
–
The meeting was intense at times, but quite thoughtful and reflective.
Parks and open spaces didn’t really come up, save some complaints about grass-cutting and litter generally.
Some points afterwards about not having more yellow lines on the junctions in the Old Meadows.
Some requests for another meeting to be held.

TO BE REVIEWED

Public Meeting with Lilian Greenwood MP

Please join Lilian Greenwood MP at a public meeting at 6pm on Friday 1st June in the Concert Hall at Queens Walk Community Centre.

Lilian says – “This meeting has been arranged at short notice in response to recent events to provide an opportunity for me to hear from local residents and to provide updates on community safety, improvements to parks and open spaces and other local issues.” 

Agenda

– circulation of progress report;

– welcome incl. to

    Notts Police Commissioner Paddy \Tipping
Meadows Police Inspector James Walker;

– opening remarks from Lilian;

Part A
a. community safety
(tackling use of knives and drug dealing; improved cameras);
b. parks, play and open spaces
(repairs, security and promoting usage; VE and QWRec; In Bloom);
c. parking
(Meadows residents permits phase 2; RINGGO for shopping centre);

Part B – if there’s time
d. housing developments
(off Crocus Street, Sheriff’s Way and Traffic Street; new housing in the south-west);
e. street scene (tree pruning, grass cutting);
f. events (city wide and local);
g. other (health, schools, Brexit);- conclusion   (7:15pm)

Love a Muslim day

Kinda bizarre that anyone should try to launch a “hate a Muslim” day.
So “love a Muslim” was the message promoted at a rally beneath the Brian Clough statue.
With one speaker reminding us of Martin Luther King’s “Mountain Top” speech, 50 years ago to the day.
I spoke on Nottingham standing together, against Islamophobia and against anti-Semitism.

Notts Police Panel – February 2018

 

First a word of warning: crime figures in the above graphic may not pay attention to changes triggered by changes in classifications of crimes; but crime has gone up under the Conservative governments, whilst resources nationally have been cut by 25%.
Notts’ current view is that crime has “plateaued” although in my ward I have concerns.
With new counting methodologies, you need a new baseline, and this was announced today as the 1st April, cos it’s when the new Policing Plan kicks in, itself delayed so as to allow the new Chief Constable to work outa new way for Notts Constabulary.

Back to the finances, that were being debated in Parliament today.
No doubt business rates are going up for next year, but none of that is finding its way to Notts Police.
– Police Core settlement stays at £76,843,070.
– DCLG formula funding stays at £47,448,274.
– Legacy Council Tax Grants stays at £9,726,154.
– Current precept of £56,450,177,
means a total base of £190,467,715.
This follows a late change of mind by the Conservative Gov’t; they were set to cut the national funding by £1.7m!  Some Police forces – West Midlands, Merseyside – are getting cash cuts.

Meanwhile, pay increases by 2% and general inflation is perceived to be 2% too.
An assumption is made that the tax base will increase by £733,892, representing an 1.3% – care I think has to be taken with this being a free hit, cos you might expect more people to serve means more to do.

The Gov’t have offered an opportunity to raise the precept by £12 for band D properties, and an £11.97 increase on the £183.43 base is recommended; a 6.5% increase.
The extra money represents £665,724 above inflation, out of a total of £192,942,793 (0.034%), serving perhaps 10,000 people (1.3%) more. So still reductions in service to Notts by central government.
So business pays more tax but none of it goes to the Police; and residents will pay more for at best a standstill budget.
However, I take the view that we need all the staff we can get.  So I supported the recommended precept.

More staff however , in part cos of a shift to younger staff, and more responsibilities falling to ranks such as Sergeants.  42 extra Police officers, 3 less Police staff. 39 extra, although changes in other funding reduces this by 6.

Changes in staffing is shown as –
Police officers
– Operational up 85
– Intelligence & Investigation down 20
– Operational collaborations down 18
– Corporate Services down 5
Police staff –
– staff down 11
– PCSO up 8

The Nottingham Post reports Paddy Tipping as emphasising Gov’t not funding the Police properly, raising Council tax to pay for more officers, a new knife crime manage and a new custody detention suite to replace the existing Bridewell detention building, next to the courts.
I have criticisms of the Bridewell proposal, but in truth, until a fuller set of information is made available, I took the view no to criticise in public.

The Nottingham Post have published quite a write-up.