Name of group Date and start time Location of meeting In Attendance

Nechells Neighbourhood Tasking Group 18 June 2013 at 1400 hours The Pod, Nechells West Midlands Police Sgt Amanda Thompson Nechells (AT) Chair Sgt Pete Snape Digbeth (PS) ASgt Kirsty Pattinson Digbeth (KP) West Midlands Fire Service Paul Johnson Aston (PJ) John McCool Aston (JM) Mark Clifton -Highgate Fire Service (MC) John Gordon Digbeth Residents Assoc Mark Crooke Friends of Sara Park Eddie Howard - Highgate Resident Mark Mekenzie Life line Birmingham John Street Nechells Andy Ramage Observer? Pat Whyte BCC Ladywood District Ayesha Choudhury Inspector Dutton Emma Gardner - St Basils Shabnam Mughal - Bournville Village Trust/Phoenix Hall Margaret Morcom - Stepping Stones Action WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Introductions were made and the Chair welcomed all to the meeting. Birmingham City Council Alex Warsama LHM (AW) Russell Davey Env Health (RD) Mohammed Basharat H & S (MB)

Apologies

Agenda Item 1.

2.

NOTES OF LAST MEETING No amendments required. Any issues arising from the notes would be picked up during the meeting.

PARTNER UPDATES/ PERFORMANCE

3.

West Midlands Fire Service PJ reports: No hotspots have been identified. Accidental fires in dwellings has shown a slight increase Safety check referrals are taking place to target vulnerable premises. There have been no injuries from any fires. Arson fires in dwelling - None to report for two months. Accidental fires in non domestic is down. Only had 3 in the last month. Preventative work will continue. Arson fires in non domestic - None to report. Arson vehicle fires are down - None to report. Arson rubbish fires are good (half of what numbers they expected) due to preventative work carried out by WMFS. False alarm calls are down in Commercial but seen a slight rise in domestic. Thematic analysis shows majority of these false calls are from sheltered caused by cooking, also three quarters are repeat calls. Preventative work is being carried out Arson Fires in derelict buildings None to report. MC requests a viewable summary from WMFS. PJ agreed to bring a printout next NTG. PJ will attend Carol Gethin to discuss fire safety awareness at location (End of June).

4.

West Midlands Police The Chair provided a hand-out relating to police performance from 1st to 18th June. Total crime month to date was up 21.2% in Nechells and down 6.1% in Digbeth and also down 3.4% in Small Heath. Robbery was up 17.9% in Digbeth due to five more robberies this year. Digbeth have had an issue with canal robberies. After a lot of hard work the police have identified two individuals which were arrested the same day as NTG and controlling patrols in the effected areas. Small Heath have had no robberies during these dates when a year to date shows 11. Nechells have had an increase by 1 this month. Burglary dwelling offences were also down in Digbeth (-78.6%), Small Heath (-52%) and Nechells -36.4%. Vehicle crime was up in Digbeth by 2 offences, down in Small Heath by 1 offence and up in Nechells by 9 offences. AT explains that the figures may appear large in % but may involve very small numbers. Violence with injury was the same amount of offences as this time last year and Small Heath and Nechells are up by one offence each. MC made a recommendation that the courts make punishment harder.MC wants police to do more with getting the persons responsible into prison and to give these as a positive message to the public. JG suggests that good news stories are shared from the police at every NTG. Action: At the request of JG - KP to summarise the good news story of Operation Pillar to NTG.

KP

AT explained for the example of vehicle crime - that there is a lot of police

work around dealing with offenders to ensure they are dealt with positively at court. AT states that some of the preventative action and measures the police take are: Crime patterns are analysed daily, an officer is allocated to that investigation (from each vehicle investigation team), Neighbourhood team supervisor will analyse the MO pattern and review the crime, Intelligence documents are circulated, intelligence debriefs take place with every person arrested, if released by the courts or bailed, the police request conditions to be attached to that person which may include curfews which get checked on a regular basis. MC feels the public should help to imprison those who are responsible for crimes. AT explains that the decision to imprison is with the courts and the police can only make recommendations. MC wants the message given to the public that police are doing all they can so that the public understand. JG suggests that the community write a letter to the magistrates and suggests that it be entered into the policing plan. AT confirms that Vehicle crime is one of west midlands police priorities. JG suggests that the police print out shows a full month. NTG agrees this will be done from now on to show the previous months figures in full. Next month will show Junes figures.

All Chairs

5.

Alexs Issue gathering

AW
AW provided NTG with a ward map. This map shows an overview of Nechells with housing clusters that have been numbered. The purpose of the numbers is to build priorities into those areas. Over the past few months intelligence has been gathered from partners (police, fire etc) and residences from knocking their doors. Before and after albums have been created as references. AW wants to confirm that the issues he is gathering are not solely down to residence issues (such as Digbeth Vehicle crime issues). AW wants to focus on what the main issues are in all the areas on the ward. After speaking with residents for the first month he now has 272 residents on board with issues. These range from noise to rubbish to drugs etc. A survey has been done on 16 youngsters who live in Highgate and this revealed that they actually did like living there but felt a little intimidated by knives and ASB issues. AW wants to make clear cases for every issue by getting the understanding of the issue and seeing what the consequences of that issue presents. This will also ensure that the issues are not just moved about but that they are resolved. AW will identify the best use of resources to manage the issue and manage the problems by working more smarter where needed. This will provide a greater sense of priority and less duplication.

Nechells a) Updates
6. New Issue Cromwell Street? John street rise in things people shouldnt be doing. Kids damaging buildings and having to create their own entertainment. MC states that there have been youth community service cuts and that numerous community centres are under threat and if they do get closed the crime/ASB will increase. MM states that Lifeline, From Young Peoples

AT

drug service - referrals are taking place in Nechells. MM would like to attend NTG regularly. Action: EH request that the youth services attend NTG with a list of the centres and inform NTG what will remain and what will be closed. Action: JG requests that all councillors be invited to attend NTG. 7. Vehicle Crime There has been proactive work within the free parking areas around Duddeston Manor Road in order to reduce the offending. Neighbourhood support team (CAPT) cover these areas when the Neighbourhood team are not on duty. PCSOs on the team leaves flyers on the vulnerable vehicles to offer crime prevention advice. For further update at next meeting. SMALL HEATH

AT

AT

AT

8.

Business robberies Coventry Road DP update: The police are currently awaiting a report from Amelia to see what options are available for funding. For update at next meeting Wyndcliff Road DP update: There has been one disorder log. To be kept on the minutes in order to door knock residence. For update at the next meeting. Murder Investigation DP update: There has been no further developments. MC states that the community need to have an update regularly as they are not aware of what is currently happening. Suggestion of newsletter or posters for main areas with the update.

DP

9.

DP

10.

DP

DIGBETH/ HIGHGATE 11. Environmental Issues MC spoke about collection issue around the Highgate area especially the tower blocks which the public put their residences domestic waste into the public bins. MC states that the community would rather not have the bins if they cannot be emptied regularly. EH states that the grass cutters around the same area do not litter pick first and this causes the rubbish to be shred into little pieces and look messy. RD states that he will speak to Leisure Services and update at the next meeting. Action: MC requests that environment Services attend NTG. 12. Wellesbourne Tower Meeting taken place with Alex and there are currently ten residents still residing there. There will still be walk arounds by the concierge but not a frequent. Police will be high visual patrols around Southacre as much as possible. Alex is looking into getting a domehawk put in place. Update

RD

RD AW

for next meeting 13. Vehicle Crime MC suggests the use to include parking permits for certain streets. JG confirms that this issue is more a council issue than a police issue. KP confirms that she is doing some crime analysis into the vehicle crime and showed NTG five streets photographs that are very vulnerable and in need of attention. KP and AW will be working together to get the needed information and analysis is for all of Digbeth to ensure long term issues are not created. JG asked how we could go about changing parking conditions. AW states that he will get Highways to attend a NTG. AW also confirms that any changes to the road include in the cost the maintenance of that road for a period of 25 years not just the initial costs. Update at next meeting New Issue Horton Square EH confirms that there is drug dealing happening around the betting shop and its been an issue for a long time. There is a CCTV camera which SHLPS control which is very good. The betting shop is open till around 2230 or 2330hrs. AW has spoken to the bookmaker as its a licensing issue. He is aware a large number congregate outside. AW states that he will bring this issue back to safer estates. PS confirms the police will patrol this area more when they are on lates. KP will update any significant patrol events and for AW to update at next meeting. COMMUNITY PRIORITIES The following priorities were agreed; Vehicle Crime (Nechells)

KP/AW

AW

14.

AW/KP

15.

Reassurance around the Murder investigation of Mohammed Saleem (17/05/13) (Small Heath) 16. Vehicle Crime (Digbeth)

Other At midday on Saturday 3 August there will be a Fun day at Bloomsbury Park, Nechells all welcome. MC has raised budgets for funding residents to get to their NTG. For update at the next meeting. Update at next meeting. MC suggests that the Nechells ward hold an open day to encourage more attendance at NTG. EH confirms he has not smelt drugs at Wilmcote Tower recently. AW states that this is due to the multi agency approach to the issue.

DP

17.

Next Meeting The next meeting on 16 July 2013 at 2pm. Venue Highgate Fire Station