Agenda item

To receive an update regarding the move of the Police into Kidsgrove Town Hall and the Civic Offices in Newcastle, and to consider how policing in Kidsgrove and rural areas will look in the future.

Chief Inspector Neil Hulme, Local Policing Team Commander for Newcastle Borough, will attend to verbally present the updates, with an opportunity for questions and suggestions from Members.

The Committee received a presentation from the Local Policing Team Commander for Newcastle Borough regarding the move of the Police into Kidsgrove Town Hall and the Civic Offices in Newcastle, with consideration of how policing in Kidsgrove and rural areas would look in the future.

The transfer of service was complete in Kidsgrove, the Kidsgrove Neighbourhood Team had moved into Kidsgrove Town Hall on a permanent basis and the move had been well received.

Police officers and staff were now working from the Civic Offices, where there was still work to be done, but it was progressing. Partnership working was one area that was being developed, with a multi-partner briefing taking place on a Monday morning and Police work with the Community Safety section being helped by the fact that both parties were now in the same building. Partners working together and adopting a problem solving approach to get to the root cause of problems and identifying long term sustainable solutions was considered the key to the effective delivery of a local policing service.

Members noted the Police move into the Civic Offices had benefits for both the Police and Newcastle Borough Council. However, there was still a way to go and the clear desk policy for the Police offices was not yet up and running. It was agreed that it was a work in process and would take some time. The Police were used to being in a station and there were concerns regarding data protection. However, it was felt it best not to rush things.

There was consideration of integrated offender management, which looked after people leaving prison that had served sentences for serious crimes, and helped them with such things as finding a job or drugs treatment so there would not be a cycle of reoffending. Problematic individuals would be offered support and guidance to hopefully change their offending behaviour and if an individual’s behaviour was still not satisfactory then there were other options available. It was felt that the public should be informed through the LAPs about this and it should be publicised as best it could be, as it was going on quietly in the background but had been recognised nationally as working well. There was also a Neighbourhood Action Team consisting of a plain clothes Sergeant and four officers who undertook patrols and investigated individuals causing crime in an area.

The last slide of the presentation detailed partnership working and it was felt by Members that this was a positive way forward. It was considered that LAPs needed to take more control as Members felt that no real information was being passed down. Currently a PCSO attended LAP meetings, it was felt they did not provide significant information and the situation needed revitalising. This issue had been discussed at the LAP summit where it had been considered there was a wealth of information on the internet. It was felt that PCSOs were the right level of representation, in order that Police officers were then free to do their jobs. PCSOs should know local issues, but it was necessary for them to add value. The Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities was of the opinion that work was required to create a better flow of information, but that this did not necessarily mean that everybody needed to be in the same room, Police officers running through statistics was not the best use of their time. It was necessary to think creatively about how to make sure all parties communicated. Members considered that there were problems with LAPs as they were all working differently.

The Chair had visited Kidsgrove Customer Service Centre and considered the arrangements were very good. Partnership working was the driving force and it was requested that C.I. Hulme be invited back in the future to address the committee.

RESOLVED:                        That the information be received.