MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY AND POLICE LIAISON GROUP
TIER 2 BOROUGHBRIDGE LOCAL AREA POLICING GROUP MEETING HELD AT BOROUGHBRIDGE COUNCIL OFFICES ON MONDAY 4TH JUNE 2007
1. Welcome: The Chair (Martin Leather) welcomed all those present.
Martin Leather - Chairman
David Cornmell – Vice Chairman/Rainton with Newby Parish Council
Inspector Craig Linton – Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team
Sgt. Jane Guymer – NYP Knaresborough
Don Paton – Harrogate & District Neighbourhood Watch
Chris Turner – Green Hammerton Parish Council
Peter Philips – Harrogate Borough Council
R Wilkinson – Kirby Hill & District Parish Council
Jane Naylor – Dishforth Parish Council
Mike Fisher – Langthorpe Parish Council
Janet Sutton – Lower Dunsforth Parish Council
Peter Gibbs – Moor Monkton Parish Council
J M Wilkinson – Boroughbridge Town Council
Jenny Humphreys – Secretary
2. Apologies were received from PC Neil Waite, Rajinder Richards, N Y Police Authority. Mick Lofthouse, Marton cum Grafton Parish Council, and Gill Firth, Tockwith Parish Council.
3. Presentation: The Chairman was unable to make the presentation of a pen set and bottle of wine to the retired Secretary Helen Astbury as she was unable to attend the meeting. He will take them to her at home.
4. Minutes of the meeting held 5th March 2007: The minutes were passed as a true record of the meeting.
5. Matters Arising:
a) Neighbourhood Policing Team update. Insp. Linton reported that it was realised last year that staffing levels and performance had not panned out as they would have liked, and that changes were needed. However, with both the Chief Constable and the Deputy leaving, it was decided not to make any decisions until their successors had taken over. No decision has yet been made about the number of PC’s allocated to Boroughbridge. It could be four or five, with maybe one or two of these allocated to the rural areas. Sgt. Guymer said that these Neighbourhood Police Officers will get to know their own particular areas, and would be able to plan their time accordingly. For instance, they could visit local schools, and should be able to get to about three schools in one day if necessary. The question was asked as to whether these officers are going to be responding to crime in the area as well giving support in the community. Will there be additional response teams on call if they are needed?
b) Pub Watch: There was no update available on this.
c) Key Points:
Charity Run; Insp. Linton said that the Police no longer have the resources available to police charity or social events. They will only attend to direct traffic if the organisers have made a road closure application. They will not police any event that lasts more than 24 hours or is a profit making exercise. They will however try to send an officer where possible as a community relations gesture.
The police are now monitoring the Ringmaster system to see how much it is used and how well it is working.
6. Speaker: No one from NYP was available to attend the meeting owing to staff
shortages.
7. Report from Tier 1 meeting, held 2nd April 2007: (Report by David Cornmell) The meeting started with the election of the Chair and Vice Chair. Jim Fender and Martin Leather were duly re-elected to the posts.
Changes to the NYPT were announced by Insp. John Greveson, but they were only those affecting Harrogate. When asked about changes affecting Boroughbridge, he said he did not have the information.
Crime figures for the Harrogate District are down.
The case building teams were discussed. The arresting officer has a team to process the paper work etc. before the case is presented to the CPS. This involves 16 staff members in total.
· Don Paton asked if the Tier 1/Tier 2 system is to be replaced with another layer, Martin said that this has been talked about but nothing has been decided. North Yorkshire were talking about having a forum instead, which could include the Fire Service.
· We need to know why our Key Points are not being answered.
· David said his request for an answer in writing was not minuted or complied with. Martin Leather commented that although he has in the past requested written replies to our questions, none are ever received.
8. Any Other Business:
· Insp. Linton reported the following crime figures for the shown wards for the year to date as at 30/5/07.
Boroughbridge Wathvale Newby M/Moor Ouseburn Ribston Claro
Violence 14 2 1 1 0 2 2 Burglary Dwelling 1 1 0 1 4 0 0
Burglary Other 30 2 8 2 2 3 11
Theft 18 0 4 3 0 2 1
Autocrime 3 0 0 1 1 1 0
Criminal Damage 20 4 3 1 1 4 2
Other Crimes 11 2 1 0 0 1 1
Totals 97 11 17 9 8 13 17
· The crime figures are down 9% on this time last year. These are very good figures for rural areas. It was pointed out by Jane Sutton hat there are still incidents of serious or violent crime in rural areas and that the police should not become complacent. Insp. Linton said this was not the case, and they hoped that maintaining a police presence in the villages whenever possible would help to deter crime. Martin Leather criticised an article about the NPT’s in a local paper as making them seem more successful than they actually are.
· Don Paton reported that PC Alistair Wilson attended a meeting at Dishforth with the Parish Clerk to set up a new Neighbourhood Watch Group. His advice was very helpful and much appreciated.
9. Any Key Points: There was no response to the Key Points from our meeting. No
information was available. The points are to be passed on.
10. The next meeting will be held at Boroughbridge Town Council Offices on
Monday 3rd September 2007, starting at 7pm.