Agenda and minutes

Present: Cllr Malpas (Chair CM), RutendoNyatsine ( Zimwomen - Co Chair) RN, Nick Stephens (NS – Police), Pauline Woodhouse (PW – BMESRP), Steve Bedford (Police), Alaa Abouzanad (AA – Supplementary Schools), Jonathan Lewis (JL – NCC), Bethel Tadesse (BT – Hidden Scars), Alice Morgan (AM – NBC) Nisha Mejer (NM – NBC)*

*Took minutes

Apologies: Cllr Ashraf, Cllr Hill, Anjona Roy, Jenny Campbell

CM welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Minutes agreed as true record

JL gave a presentation explaining the role of the Local Authority and teaching, in particular in communities where English is an Additional Language (EAL). Northamptonshire has experienced a 20.3% increase in the number of pupils starting school in the county since 2005 (Northampton town - 38.8%).

JL outlined the key education priorities and gave details of achievements of EAL pupils in Primary and Secondary schools.

JL is in the process of developing an EAL strategy for Northamptonshire. This will include the following:

–        To improve progress and attainment of all EAL pupils and enable every school to meet their needs

–        To share good practice and develop system wide EAL capacity across the country

–        To develop a city-wide workforce with EAL knowledge, skills and understanding in relation to both classroom practice and leadership through a major professional development programme.

–        To engage with families, communities and supplementary schools, in order to improve progress and attainment of EAL pupils

There is enthusiasm to work with the Diverse Communities Forum. JL will put together a strategy and will ask the Forum for feedback in May meeting. JL stated he would also like to engage parents, teachers, families and supplementary schools.

ACTION: Presentation to be sent out to Forum members

ACTION: To put strategy on Forum Action Plan

PW: Last year black children were progressing much better than children in Eastern European communities. Is that still the case?

JL: In secondary school this is the case but not in primary schools.

ACTION: JL to provide further information. Every child needs support and would be able to provide an overview.

AA: There is no funding for supplementary schools and parents find it difficult to access certain schools due to location. Is there any support on this?

JL: There is very little or no money at County Council. Can look at ways of getting funding and will look into this. There may be an option to train members of the community.

AA: Supplementary Schools are looking into ways to help children under achieving in white communities. Would like to look into ways of helping children in this sector too.

JL: Supportive of this.

CM: Went to Supplementary Schools awards ceremony. concerns were also raised regarding the issues that are surrounding the ANSS and following discussions it was agreed that a letter will be drafted from the forum members prospect in support of the issues that was raised, the issues of concerns affecting the ANSS in line with the need for appropriate support /access to reasonable space centrally.  

JL: Happy to help, support and speak to head teachers on this matter. Can also review access to county council buildings.

ACTION: AA: Will send information to JL regarding this issue.

ACTION: JL pulling together a strategy and returning to present this to the Forum.

SB gave his work history and explained that he is supporting Gary Ashton to take the lead in developing a Hate Crime strategy.

They have used a National Police Model to tackle Hate Crime –

• information intelligence
• threat assessment
• consider power and policies
• consider options
• act and review

Using this model, the victim is always in the centre.  In order to tackle Hate Crime the Police would like to work in partnership with organisations eg NBC, Fire Services. There is a need to work with the Voluntary and CommunitySector as well as regional and national services.

SB explained the difference between Hate Crime and a Hate Incident:

Hate Crime – where a crime has occurred which has been motivated by hate eg assault.

Hate Incident- there is a situation where no actual crime has taken place. Eg dispute between neighbours. The Police will still get involved if needed but will debate whether other organisations should get involved to provide a better outcome.

The Police have Community Engagement Officers working with minority groups. The focus is around race and religion. However there is not enough resource to work with other groups eg LGBT, Disability groups. County council have engagement officers too and there is a lot of work in statutory  organisations.  Voluntary and Community Sector groups have information too. But there is no flow of information. Need to fill in the gaps. There is no strategy to deal with this.

The Police are now devising a strategy and carrying out a consultation. The strategy will cover 6 strands – race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, transgender and individual characteristic. The latter strand was added following the Sophie Lancaster case.

The impact on victims needs to be assessed. A risk assessment will be carried out for Hate Crime and this will tailor response.

The aims of the strategy are to raise awareness, reduce under reporting, encourage partnership activity, ensure a victim led response, ensure appropriate justice outcomes, prevent through education and build and maintain trust.

There should be a way to report anonymously to obtain a better picture. Victims may want to inform community groups instead and the Police want to open up channels of reporting. Only 1 in 7 victims report. Schools are under no obligation to report Hate Crime. But Police may want to know about the perpetrator.

Northamptonshire is a restorative county, which helps to increase understanding as well as building and maintaining trust.

SB referred to E- CINS and would like organisations to sign up to this.  It is a vehicle to manage Hate Crime incidents.

CM: Community members may ask “Why should we trust you this time?”

SB: The difference this time is that organisation and statutory partners want to work together on this. Police don’t always have to be involved. The organisation can get involved and the problem can be resolved at this stage.

PW: 18 months ago the Hate Crime Unit was disbanded. Now there is a strategy. What level of engagement have Rachel Packman  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Project Diversity – still on hold. Victoria Rockall has returned to work and this can be revisited.

Black History Month – BMESRP and Zimwomen Association carried out events which were successful.

Diwali – intergenerational workshop and Diwali light switch on went very well.

HIV – This project was lead by Solar, however Solar are no longer operational as a charity. Matthew Toreson is working to develop a new support system. This is being developed with previous Chair and volunteers.

Hate Crime surveys – AM to send completed surveys to SB. Need to build on how to liaise with schools. SB worked with Sheila Stevens and would like to work with AM on this.

Race relations and Hate Crime – NREC carried out events for this which went very well.

Two actions to add on action plan

Supplementary schools to support EAL

Hate Crime – to penetrate schools. Develop a strategy for next academic year.

NS: Training on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery on 2^nd Feb.

AM: Partnership Grant Showcase event. Training given focussing on partnerships – 25^th Jan. 3.30 – 6.30pm

Holocaust Memorial Day – Civic ceremony in courtyard 12pm. Event in evening at 6.30pm at Great Hall in Guildhall.

NM to send out Health & Wellbeing and NCCG consultations.

PW: NGH/BME Usergroup Meeting, this Thursday 28th January 2016, 6.00pm-8.00pm, Area R-The Boardroom, NGH.

17^th Feb – BMESRP meeting. Harold St 6-8pm

AA: Supplementary School concert 21^st May. High School. 2.30-5.30pm.

SB: Hate Crime strategy event – 25^th January

BT: Hidden Scars community event 1^st April.

RN: Zimwomen Events:

30^th April -  Health & Wellbeing  11-3pm

Providing information on BME health and wellbeing in Northamptonshire.

Venue – Christ Church

  2^nd July  -  Multicultural festival 11 - 4pm

     Celebrating the cultural diversity of Northampton.

Venue – Market Square

8^th October  -  Strictly come dancing for Africa7 – 11pm

                               A spectacular and exciting African themed dances.

                                    Venue – Deco

29^th October  -  Young Black Achievers Awards                                        

                                    To mark the end of Black History month

Venue – Cripps Centre NN1 5BD

Action Plan to be discussed

School if Life – Liz Carroll Wheat will be attending next meeting to talk about her intergenerational project.

March 24^th The Holding Room, The Guildhall. 6.30pm -8.30pm

March 24^th 6.30-8.30pm. The Guildhall