Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Holding Room, The Guildhall, St. Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE. View directions

Contact: Alice Morgan  01604 837795 e-mail:  alicemorgan@northampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcomes, Introductions and Apologies pdf icon PDF 176 KB

Minutes:

Apologies received from Cllr Malpas (Co-Chair) and John Rawlings (Co-Chair), Alice Morgan (Northampton Borough Council), Matthew Toresen (FAN/NVC), and Neelam Aggarwal (NIFF/IHWO)

 

2.

Minutes and Matters Arising pdf icon PDF 256 KB

Minutes:

JC suggested that the issue PW raised at the last meeting with regards to a lack of response from Northampton Borough Council was not captured in the minutes. Pauline had made a number of attempts to contact Northampton Borough Council, with regards to a local democracy visit. However, after further reading of the minutes of the last meeting, held on Thursday 23rd January, details of PW’s difficulties around organising a visit to NBC had been captured and can be found on p. 4 – p. 5 of the minutes.

 

PW did want to make the forum aware that the visits had since been arranged and she was taking some groups at the end of March. Pauline wanted to thank Northampton Borough Council.

 

CF, attending on behalf of AR – gave the response that AR issued to the Housing Consultation. Cllr King asked for thanks to be passed onto AR for providing a response on behalf of the forum.

 

Reference was made to the documents that had been printed, as a result of matters arising from the last meeting in respect of the Park Rangers and Neighbourhood Wardens. All the details can be accessed via Northampton Borough Council website. Cllr King confirmed we have 3 park rangers covering each of the 3 premier parks and 2 additional roaming rangers, with a possibility of a further 2. 

 

VR explained that each of the parks (starting with the premier parks and the bigger parks) will have a Park Management Committee, who will oversee the developments within each of the Parks. The Committee’s will be rolled out over the coming months.

 

3.

Stop Search - Northampton Police

Minutes:

Andy Cox, (Superintendent, Northants Police) Lead for Stop and Search for Northampton – presentation given to the group. A summary of the presentation includes;

 

-     The design of Stop and Search remains on the national agenda – police want to be transparent and identify how they can best communicate with the public

-     Stop and Search is a good prevention tactic – genuine need for prevention, detention and resolution of crime

-     The Police recognise that it is important how they communicate and conduct themselves when operating Stop and Search – don’t operate with hindsight and the majority of Stop and Searches are innocent

-     In the last 18 mths, the police have received a lot of support from the community – consultation and engagement has taken place, to identify and rectify how the police are perceived and to improve community confidence

-     The Police have been on a Journey and want to identify the differences between 11/12 and 13/14;

In 11/12;

-     There was no formal mtg structure

-     No avenue for public feedback

-     It could take 3 months to get the Stop and Search on system analysed and processed

-     Form didn’t provide grounds for supervisors to assess suitability of stop/search

 

In 13/14

-          Quarterly working group, performance measures, members of the community, intelligence, operational police

-          Public feedback form and through PCC office commissioned NREC to survey those that have been and haven’t been stopped and searched

-          Target for Stop and Search – 72 hrs on system analysed and processed

-          Form amended to improve

-          Officers communication improved

-          Part of a national board

-          No targets for stop and search

 

 

-          From 1st April – the police will be introducing a proportionality target – against ethnicity – anything disproportionally fewer than 5% will be green, 5-10% amber and anything over 10% red – this will trigger a response by senior officers.

-          The Police will also be  looking at behaviour detection training, look at types of behaviour which would lead to stop and search and the focus will be more intelligence led

-          Figures will be published, from April 2014.

JC suggested that the existing form doesn’t capture experience; this has to be followed up via the Police’s website afterwards. Discussion took place to suggest this should be captured at the time of the Stop and Search.

ACTION: Andy C will share the form with the group – comments/feedback can be directed to Andy.

 

JC suggested there is no age restriction on Stop and Search which was concerning and that young people are not aware; that they can film the Stop and Search and that they can take the name badge of the officer/s carrying out the Stop and Search. AC suggested that the police are making the community aware of these rights and are tapping into community groups that exist

 

CF –suggested that NREC had made requests to the police for data capturing intimate searches, but were told they could not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Planning the work of the forum - Action Plans pdf icon PDF 395 KB

Minutes:

Group discussion took place with regards to developing some action plans for the Forum. It was felt that Action Plans would be a positive way forward.

 

VD and SS, attended the forum to discuss some possible project ideas that could be developed in collaboration with the forum.

 

VD– would like to develop a visual platform for black artists and SS would like to develop a film/musical celebrating diversity, linking into existing community groups.

 

PW – felt that going to the community groups was the best way to engage. The Forum agreed and felt an action plan should be developed to encompass this.

 

RW – promoted their International Day for Cultural Diversity which will take place on 26th April and their Africa day which will take place on 25th May.

The forum felt that the Cultural Diversity Day could be something that the forum can collaborate on – commitment to develop this day in the future, to get wider partners involved to support Zimwomen.

 

The forum felt there was a gap in terms of being able to share information. Forum members felt that there wasn’t a place to share all community events – VR suggested that events that are being planned through the forums will be captured through our events calendar which is on the website and will be updated regularly. PW and JC suggested that this information is not always easily accessible. Action: Cllr King to speak to the Events and Communications Team – to see if these events can be more accessible and more joined up.  

 

-           In summary the following potential action plans have been identified:

1. Develop a central platform for community events to be advertised and promoted

2. Multi-cultural day – utilising the Arts (encompassing VW’s project)

3. Play and film to celebrate diversity – active culture of celebrations – focus groups/documentary to be produced actively promote the forum by engaging and visiting existing community groups – provide research for the film/play

Action: VR to draft up the action plans – opportunity for some funding to be attached to the action plans – once they have been endorsed.

 

JC – suggested that the forum shouldn’t lose the focus of discussing key issues; the forum agreed that there should be a balance – the outcomes for the forums to include; 

           Empowered local communities with a greater capacity to become involved in community life

           Promote integration and cohesion

           Appropriate support provided to those in most need

           Services are fair, accessible and responsive to individual needs residents and customers feel informed and engaged in service quality and design

           Future developments informed by the views of local people

           Delivery of events to celebrate and enjoy the Town’s heritage and culture

 

JC - Opportunity to tap into Inspirational FM through communications as they are regular attendees of the forums. Cllr King and VR explained that all communications must go through our central team.

 

5.

Community Information Exchange

Minutes:

RW – promoted Zimwomen’s International Day for Cultural Diversity which will take place on 26th April and their Africa day which will take place on 25th May.

 

6.

Items for Discussion at the Next Meeting

7.

Date Of Next Meeting

Thursday, 15th May

Thursday, 30th July

Thursday, 18th September

Thursday, 27th November

 

All meetings – 18:30-20:30, in the Holding Room, The Guildhall.

Minutes:

The date of the next meeting is Thursday, 15th May.