Darnall Area Panel Minutes 15th July 2003

DARNALL AREA PANEL


Meeting held 15th July, 2003 at Greenlands Nursery and Infant School


PRESENT:		Councillors Terry Barrow (Chair), Harry Harpham and Mary Lea

		Officers in attendance:-
		John Mothersole	-	Executive Director, Development, Environment and Leisure (Lead Manager)

		Mark Swancott	-	Area Support Officer

		Paul Robinson	-	Committee Secretariat

		Also in attendance:-
		Inspector Tony Dobson	-	South Yorkshire Police

		Judith Walker	-	South Yorkshire Crown Prosecution Service

		and 18 members of the public.

…………………..

1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PANEL
	Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mohammad Altaf and Andy Shallice (Area Co-ordinator).

2.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
	Members of the public asked the following questions and the Chair of the Panel and the Lead Manager responded as follows:-

	Q. What was the date for the Bring Out Your Rubbish Day proposed for the Triangle Estate?

	R. The Chair undertook to ascertain the date of that Bring Out Your Rubbish Day and ensure that it was publicised in the area.

	Q. What is the function of the Kettlebridge Action Group?

	R. The Chair commented that the Action Group was presently considering ways to utilise some funding provided from Greenspace in relation to the provision of play equipment, seating etc. in the Kettlebridge area, and she outlined the current membership of the Group.

	Q. What is the current position regarding the use of the proceeds from the sale of the former Kettlebridge School for the benefit of the local community and how was the Bangladeshi community to contribute to the process for determining the use of the resources?

	R. The Chair commented that although the Area Panel was not responsible for the utilisation of the sale proceeds, it did have a role to play in the consultation process for determining how the resources were to be utilised for the benefit of the local community. She added that obtaining a representative view of the Bangladeshi community had proven difficult, but a management committee had been established by the Bangladeshi community across the City and it had therefore been decided to use that organisation as the focus for the consultation on the use of the resources. However, it was her understanding that there had recently been some problems with the functioning of the Management Committee and therefore the Council was currently waiting for the Bangladeshi community to reach broad agreement on the use of the resources before proceeding on this matter.

	Q. A member of the public commented that problems were still being experienced with the provision of a bus service to transport pupils from Darnall and Tinsley to and from Hinde House School, and queried the reasons for this situation.

	R. The Chair commented that this matter had been reported to a recent meeting of this Panel and it was her understanding that the school bus service had been re-routed to the satisfaction of those concerned. In view of the comments now made, she would request the Area Co-ordinator to investigate the current position with regard to the school bus service and report back thereon to the next meeting of the Area Panel.

	Q. A member of the public commented that the Black Community Forum, which was used by the City Council as a route for consulting with the City's black and minority ethnic communities, was not representative of all those communities.

	R. The Lead Manager commented that whilst the City Council did work closely with the Black Community Forum, it was aware that it did not necessarily represent the views of all the City's black and minority ethnic communities and the Council did not therefore use the Forum as the sole route for undertaking such consultation.

	Q. What was the nature of the construction works being undertaken on Halesworth Road?

	R. The Chair commented that she had undertaken investigations into that matter and had been told that the works comprised test drilling which were being undertaken by Barratts to ascertain the suitability of the land for residential development prior to the submission of a planning application.

	Q. Was there any truth to the rumours circulating within the local communities that youth service provision in the area was to be reduced and that the Darnall Education Centre was to be lost as a community facility, and shouldn't full consultation be held with the local communities upon any proposals to reduce its community facilities and services?

	R. A member of the public who was also an employee of Sheffield Futures confirmed that the delivery of youth service provision across the City was to be reviewed and this would include examining its use of temporary contracts, but stated that the provision of youth services within the Darnall area was a priority for Sheffield Futures. The Chair commented however that given the importance of youth service work in the local area, it would be appropriate for the Lead Manager or Area Co-ordinator to investigate Sheffield Futures' proposals in this regard and report back thereon to the next meeting of the Area Panel. As regards the future of the Darnall Education Centre, the Chair commented that the Council's Asset Management Group was considering the possible disposal of the building and had therefore undertaken to establish a consultation group with all users of the facility to consider options for relocating to alternative sites in the local vicinity. Following comments made by a member of the public that not all users of the Darnall Education Centre had been contacted by the Council in that regard, the Chair commented that it would be appropriate for a further meeting to be arranged for all users of the Centre and other interested local groups to be appraised of the aims of the Council's work in relation to the Centre. In terms of enhancing local community facilities and services, the Chair confirmed that the South East Sheffield Primary Care Trust's proposed Darnall LIFT Project involving local General Practitioners was proceeding and that feasibility work was being undertaken on options for the future use of the site soon to be vacated by Morrisons.

	RESOLVED: That (a) the Area Co-ordinator be requested to investigate the current position with regard to the Hinde House School bus service and Sheffield Futures' proposals for the provision of youth services in the Area, and report back thereon to the next meeting of the Panel; and
	(b) the Lead Manager be requested to make arrangements for all users of the Darnall Education Centre and other interested local groups to be appraised of the Council's work in relation to the future of the Centre's current premises.

3.	CRIME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUES
	Darnall Community Action Plan
	Sylvia Hamilton (Darnall Forum) circulated and commented on the Darnall Community Action Plan which aimed to make Darnall an area where people want to live, have children and grow old. She commented that the Plan was community-led based on needs and priorities identified by the community and concerned building strong neighbourhoods and neighbourhood organisations in Darnall in order to ensure effective links between the people of Darnall and the economic opportunities being created by Objective 1 and other funding regimes for the regeneration of deprived areas.
	In terms of the consultation undertaken on the Plan, she stated that seven events over a four week period had been held within the Darnall community to consult with local people upon the Plan's key themes and project proposals/ideas within those themes. She added that the information had been provided in community languages and a total of 442 people had attended the consultation events, with the ethnic breakdown of those people being broadly representative of the local community as a whole.
	She commented that in terms of the themes within the Plan, the local community had overwhelmingly identified the theme of Crime and Safety as the main priority for action, with the other themes being prioritised in the order of Education and Learning, Young People, Employment, Environment and Health and Social Care. She added that each consultation event had identified crime and safety as the main priority for action with work being required not only in relation to tackling crime but also on environmental issues, with the improvement of the Area's parks and open spaces and tackling derelict buildings being identified as key issues. She concluded her comments by indicating that the key projects/schemes identified by the community in relation to crime and safety related to home security, neighbourhood wardens, neighbourhood watch and cycling proficiency.
	The Panel noted the information reported.

	Crown Prosecution Service
	Judith Walker (Chief Crown Prosecutor, South Yorkshire Crown Prosecution Service) outlined the background to the establishment of the Crown Prosecution Service and commented on its current role and activities.
	As regards evidence required for prosecutions, she stated that the Police were responsible for investigating crimes and for determining whether to make charges. Once charges had been made, cases would be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service who would then determine whether there was sufficient evidence to proceed with a prosecution and also whether it was in the public interest to require a prosecution, and she referred to various literature published by the Service in relation to its prosecution policies.
	On the issue of prosecution witnesses giving evidence in Court, Ms. Walker commented that witness intimidation was more a perceived fear than a real issue. However, where deemed necessary, measures can be introduced to assist witnesses in giving evidence in Court. Witnesses were not, however, able to remain anonymous, as defendants do have the right to see who is giving evidence against them, although the addresses of witnesses were not disclosed. In terms of the assistance which can be provided to vulnerable or intimidated witnesses or those concerned about appearing in Court, whilst evidence has to be given by a witness, screens can be placed between witness and defendant, witnesses can give evidence through a monitor in another court room and in certain circumstances, evidence can be videotaped.

	Members of the public asked questions in relation to the work of the Crown Prosecution Service and in relation to crime and community safety issues in the Darnall area, to which responses were given by Judith Walker and Inspector Tony Dobson (South Yorkshire Police), and the following information was noted:-

	· As regards action being taken to address drug dealing along the Staniforth Road corridor, street dealing was recognised by the Police not only as a problem in the local area but more generally across the City. The Police had recently undertaken several drug raids in the local area, but tackling street dealing was more difficult to address due to the difficulties in obtaining the necessary evidence. Surveillance operations were usually required and the public were encouraged to alert the Police to incidents.

	· On the issue of the nature of evidence required by the Police, any information would prove useful to the Police as all information was recorded and analysed for possible action.

	· In terms of public frustration regarding the lack of action taken by the Police in response to incidents reported, lack of action was more a perception than reality and lack of resources prevented the Police from making follow-up contact with those who had reported incidents in order to update them on the subsequent action taken. Many actions were therefore often not noticed by the public or subsequently highlighted by the Police.

	· In response to comments made that as regards anti-social behaviour cases, some witnesses were reluctant to give evidence in Court against their neighbours for fear of possible future repercussions or that the case may be unsuccessful, or due to the length of time taken to subsequently rehouse an offender, it was reported that in cases of extreme and longstanding anti-social behaviour, neighbours were generally prepared to collect evidence and testify against perpetrators in order to improve their quality of life, and in some cases, the Council's tenancy enforcement team used professional witnesses, CCTV, etc. to obtain evidence where neighbours may be unwilling to give evidence in Court.

	· In response to a query regarding the frequency by which the Crown Prosecution Service downgrades or upgrades the charges made by the Police, Judith Walker commented that charges were altered most frequently in grievous bodily harm cases where the evidence obtained may not be sufficient to prove intent to cause such injuries. Occasionally charges were altered in attempted murder cases again due to the need to prove intent to kill and in some cases burglary charges were reduced to charges of handling stolen goods again where it would be difficult to prove the burglary charges. In those cases where it would be difficult to prove the original charges, lesser charges may be substituted so as to secure a conviction and avoid acquittals. She added, however, that in readiness for forthcoming legislation requiring the Police to consult with the Crown Prosecution Service prior to making any charges, shadow charging arrangements were being introduced in Sheffield involving representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service being located within local Police Charging Suites, and it was envisaged that this would result in fewer charges being downgraded prior to prosecution.

	· In response to issues raised by the Chair on behalf of BCTRA, Inspector Dobson commented that the Police acted on all reports of burglary and that it was difficult to identify potential victims of burglary to provide them with specific crime prevention advice and therefore such advice was either provided more generally to the community or to victims as statistics showed that there was an increased probability of a repeat crime. As regards the high turnover of community constables, the South Yorkshire Police was looking to introduce rewards to encourage community constables to remain in post longer.

	· As regards the availability of Crown Prosecution Service literature in community languages, it was reported that information was available on the Service's website and can be supplied in community languages.

	· In reply to a query regarding the steps being taken by the Crown Prosecution Service to recruit black and minority ethnic staff, it was reported that the Director of the Crown Prosecution Service had implemented a range of measures to improve the Service's position in that regard, including the provision of training for existing staff on diversity and equality and effecting changes to the Service's recruitment processes to target and encourage applications from the black and minority ethnic communities.

	· As regards the action being taken to address problems of continued crime against local business premises, it was reported that tackling crime committed on industrial estates was problematic due to the lack of witnesses to such behaviour, but that the South Yorkshire Police was working with the local Chamber of Commerce on ways that businesses can reduce the risk of crime to their business premises.

	· In terms of prosecution activity, it , was reported that approximately 35,000 cases were processed through the local Magistrates Court per year and approximately 5,000 cases were taken to Crown Court and that the success rate for securing prosecutions amounted to approximately 98%. However, of those cases taken to trial, approximately 45% result in acquittals and a significant factor for cases being unsuccessful related to the victim of crime or prosecution witnesses not appearing in Court. It was therefore essential to focus efforts on building witness confidence through initiatives such as the Crown Court Witness Service.

	· In terms of the speed by which prosecutions were processed through the Courts, it was reported that the recent initiative to fast track street crime cases through the local courts had led to much speedier prosecutions and assisted in efforts to accelerate other types of prosecutions.

	· Following comments made in relation to the availability of local crime and prosecution statistics, Judith Walker commented that the new arrangements whereby Crown Prosecution Service representatives were based in local charging suites would result in the generation of local crime and prosecution information.

	The Chair (Councillor Terry Barrow) thanked Judith Walker and Inspector Tony Dobson for their contributions and indicated that the issues now raised at this meeting in relation to crime and disorder issues in the area would be taken into account in the development and implementation of the Panel's Area Plan.

How useful is this page?

[ Comment On This Page? ]

Browsealoud |