Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Lindsey Ambrose, Val Dumbleton and Neelam Aggarwal.

The Chair, Councillor Collins welcomed all present and introduced Overview and Scrutiny Officer, Mark Farmer, who was standing in for Lindsey Ambrose.

Subject to verification with Morcea Walker about the term ‘white Irish’, the minutes were agreed as a true record.

Item 3(a) – Equalities Standard

M Farmer reported that the new Chief Executive of the Borough Council was keen to progress through the Equalities Standard levels and had revived the Corporate Equalities Steering Group with himself as the lead and membership including Corporate Directors, Corporate Managers and Operational Managers.  A single document describing the Council’s equalities scheme was being produced and was due to go out for consultation from 3^rd December 2007.  It was agreed that the document should be widely circulated to all Forum members.

Action: L Ambrose to send the Council’s Equalities Scheme document to all Forum members along with an accompanying explanatory letter.

Update

M Farmer informed the meeting that a survivor of atrocities in Uganda would be speaking at the Holocaust Memorial event at the Guildhall on 27^th January.  The Northants Black History Association was also to be represented and other individuals or organisations wishing to take part were invited to contact L Ambrose (01604 837566 lambrose@northampton.gov.uk)

Action: L Ambrose to produce a basic flyer to be circulated to all Forum members to advertise the event.

Councillor Collins stressed the importance of the Council creating a better understanding of issues relating to religion, faith and race and of establishing a means of access for people into the Council.  To this end, the Administration was in the process of electing a Faith Champion from amongst its members.  Following on from a recent Faith Forum meeting attended by V Mistry and L Ambrose, the Race Equality Forum members were asked to consider whether they felt that the title of the Forum needed to be reviewed as it may imply the exclusion of some faith groups who believed that there was only one race: the human race.  V Mistry felt it was important to retain the separate identities of the Faith and Race Forums as they supported different needs. 

After discussion it was agreed that it would be better to continue with the existing structure, as the Council did not have the resources to establish an additional forum. However, investigations would continue as to how best to integrate Faith Communities and give them a more direct route into the council structures and a voice in council policy across the town.

Update

M Farmer explained about a new form that was available for the reporting of hate crimes.  Samples could be downloaded from the Borough Council’s website at: http://www.northampton.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=1311&documentID=23#navbox.  He requested that members carefully study the form and pass back their comments to L Ambrose.  He then went on to describe the new Northamptonshire West Hate Incident Forum on which the Borough Council representatives were Simone Wade (Governance and Policy Manager), Nickie McKenzie (from Housing and with an active role in dealing with hate incidents relating to council tenants) and L Ambrose (in her role of working with communities and supporting community cohesion, as well as forums).

P Colhoun then circulated a sheet of statistics comparing the figures for reported hate crime incidents for April to October 2006 with April to October 2007 in the Northamptonshire West district.  He commented that the majority of incidents had occurred in the Northampton area.  The total number of reported incidents had increased by 58, with most of the increase being non-crime, for example, harassment by verbal abuse, name calling, racist text messages and low level intimidating behaviour.  Criminal incidents would include public order offences such as threatening behaviour, criminal damage and assault.  He felt that the increased figures showed a positive trend and demonstrated victims’ increased confidence in the Police’s ability to support them and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He explained that the Northampton West unit worked with five dedicated Police Officers who also worked with other agencies to improve the victims’ situations and, if necessary, take Police action.  He gave an example of the Council’s Housing Office, who might deal with tenancy issues or possible eviction in extreme cases.

There followed discussion as to the accuracy of the figures and the difficulty in classifying whether the number of incidents had in fact risen or if the figures just reflected an increase in reporting.  There was also concern that the figures did not quantify crimes against minority groups that were not of a racist nature.  P Colhoun was asked to request more in-depth figures from the Police analysts.

Action: More detailed analysis of hate crime incident reporting statistics to be produced at a future meeting.

(1)   Faith Festivals

V Mistry reported on the success of the recent Ramadan festival, celebrated at the St George Campus of the University of Northampton and supported by members of the Faith Forum as well as a large number of students.  There had also been good participation by a variety of communities at the Divali celebrations held in the town centre.

Councillor Collins asked that those responsible for these events be told of the Council’s appreciation of the efforts that had gone into their organisation.

(2)   Money for Youth

The scheme was due to continue until 2011 through the Youth Forum and ideas for projects were being submitted up until the end of November. The Youth Forum had undertaken a number of initiatives involving a variety of different community groups, including the introduction of kabbadi at Kingsthorpe Community College.  The work of the Forum had been recognised nationally as an example of excellence especially in relation to the funding of projects for BME, faith and disabled groups.

(3) Shopping Event

A Shopmobility event was planned for 2^nd December and disabled people would be assisted with their Christmas shopping. 

(4) Polish Events

A Polish Market was due to visit the town from 14 – 16 December.  On 16^th December, there was to be an informal drop-in at Learning Today, Lorne Road.  There was to be information about a number of NBC services.

(5) Children and Young People’s Partnership Consultation

M Farmer explained that the CYPP Board comprised a group of service managers who made top level decisions about keeping children and young people safe, healthy, youth activities and achievement in school. Having decided it might be good to have their work routinely informed by the children and young people, a consultation had been instigated to ask children and young people if they agreed. Open till 7 January, the consultation could be completed or downloaded on-line on Northamptonshire County Council’s web-site: http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/child/CYPP/stakeholders.htm. Youth Forum members, L Ambrose and Morcea Walker had taken forms to a number of supplementary schools (schools enabling young people from ethnic minorities to learn their heritage and their family's mother tongue) Forms were also being sent to all local schools. Where children and young people wanted to become involved, elections for places from schools and community groups would take place from autumn 2007. Results of the consultation were expected to be published in spring 2008.

There was none.

It had been suggested previously that a representative from the Race Equality Council be invited to address the meeting – possibly Anjona Roy if the current REC structure was still operational.

Action: M Farmer to research the current and proposed structure that might replace the Race Equalities Council in Northamptonshire in the light of national changes in structure.

It was requested that additional items for discussion at the next meeting be sent directly to L Ambrose or M Farmer.

Future meetings will be held at 18:30 on:

• Tuesday 8^th January 2008
• Thursday 6^th March 2008
• Thursday 29^th May 2008

The next meeting would be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday 8^th January 2008 in the Holding Room.