Minutes

Minutes of the Community Engagement Committee held on 1 September 2005 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Aneeta Prem (Deputy Chair, in the Chair)
• Kirsten Hearn
• Nicky Gavron
• John Roberts

MPA officers

• David Riddle (Deputy Clerk)
• Tim Rees (Head of Community Engagement Unit)
• Annabel Adams (Deputy Treasurer)
• Andrew Hull (Community Engagement Unit)
• John May (Community Engagement Unit)
• Nick Baker (Head of Committee Services)

MPS officers

• DAC Rose Fitzpatrick
• Jane Wilkin (MPS Strategic Consultation Unit)

Also present: Jennette Arnold, Karim Murji and Rachel Whittaker (Agenda item 5)

1. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Abdal Ullah (Chair), Peter Herbert, Damian Hockney and Jenny Jones. Kirsten Hearn forwarded apologies for lateness. In the absence of the Chair, Aneeta Prem, Deputy Chair, chaired the meeting. In doing so, the Chair welcomed visitors from the Trinidadian Police Service to the meeting.

2. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were received.

3. Minutes: 16 June 2005

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 June 2005 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

4. Chair’s, Members’ and Clerk’s update (Oral report)

(Agenda item 4)

As the meeting was to focus on agenda item 5, Members were requested to forward any written updates to the Committee Officer, for circulation with the minutes.

Resolved - That members forward written updates to the Committee Officer.

5. CPCG Working with communities following recent terrorist incidents (Oral report)

(Agenda item 5)

In order to take comments and hear the views from representatives of Community Police Consultative Groups (CPCG), the Chair requested, and it was agreed, to suspend Standing Orders during these this item (agenda item 5a and b).

The Chair welcomed the community and those representatives from (CPCG) to the meeting and they were asked to outline the work they had been engaged with communities during and since the recent terrorist attacks on London. They were then invited to outline CPCG partnership initiatives.

A fuller minute of these items is given at Appendix 1

Resolved – That

1. Standing Orders be suspended for the duration of this item;
2. the Committee fully recognise the tremendous amount of volunteer work that CPCGs have been involved in and congratulate the CPCGs for assuming a vital role in responding to an emergency situation;
3. the Committee recognise and endorse the increased importance and level of community partnership working with the borough police as demonstrated by these CPCG initiatives;
4. the Committee further reinforce the added value and importance of community police cooperation in MPS initiatives in promoting community reassurance; and
5. the Committee, in recognising the significant rearrangements that are already being undertaken at the borough level by CPCGs in strengthening their relationships with Safer Neighbourhoods and with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, endorse and support the organisation of a working conference to be held later this year to further support, enlarge and share this work.

6. Progress report on the review of police community engagement at borough level

(Agenda item 6)

At the Committee meeting in June 2005, members received a report on the review of borough based community engagement. The Committee now received a progress report on this issue.

Members were informed that since the June meeting, officers have undertaken a number of consultation meetings with key partners, which focused on the Committee’s preferred option for future arrangements for CPCGs., These have allowed both consultative groups and statutory partners the opportunity to further consider the variety of approaches to borough community engagement.

Clarification was given on the membership of the Community Reference Group, which includes nine chairs of CPCGs in relation to consultation with key partners. While participation in this Group is not intended to be exclusive, initial criteria have been determined on a geographical basis. Members were also provided with details of plans for a working conference in November for the dissemination of good practice, particularly in areas that as yet were not covered by Safer Neighbourhoods teams.

Resolved – That the Committee note the report and receive a further report at its next meeting.

7. Measuring the impact of community police engagement

(Agenda item 7)

The Committee received a report on work undertaken by officers in the MPA Community Engagement Unit to develop a more robust methodology for measuring the impact of community-police engagement in London.

In relation to members desire that the public would see the proposed measures as improving performance, officers agreed that the MPA would need to ensure that all measures were understandable and that the measures were achievable.

It was further noted that a process of public consultation would be undertaken on the proposed measures.

Resolved –That

1. the progress already made towards developing a set of measures with which to evaluate the impact of community-police engagement be noted;
2. approval to the proposed ‘next steps’ for this project (paragraphs 19 – 22 inclusive of the report) be given; and
3. members undertake to champion this methodology, once developed, to secure its profile and widespread adoption

8. MPS citizen focus update

(Agenda item 8)

Members received a report that updated them on the programme, structural and organisational developments since the last meeting of the Committee on citizen focused policing.

Members were also given details of how citizen focus work was linking in with other initiatives such as the Service Review and community reassurance.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

9. Public attitude survey

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee considered a report that provided members with an update of the 2004/05 public attitude survey (PAS).

In noting that the PAS was a key tool in assisting the MPS in developing its safer neighbourhood policy and citizen focus approach to police, and that the PAS provided a method of regular feedback to the MPS of the experiences and attitudes of Londoners, the report updated members on a number of issues. These included: Neighbourhood matters, in which it was noted that Londoners ()(42%)now felt that relations between the police and public were ‘very’ or fairly good. The PAS also indicated that visible police and personal contact remained important issues, as did regular feedback on results of policing locally. In relation to victim matters, the report noted the PAS indicated that police officer behaviour when dealing with victims remained an important issue and that it drove victim satisfaction.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

10. Reform of Independent Custody Visitors Scheme

(Agenda item 10)

Aneeta Prem reported provided members with an update on the progress of the current reform of the London Independent Custody (ICV) Scheme since the previous meeting of the Committee.

As part of the update, members were informed that the database of all London ICV custody visitors was now operational, with over 50% of current visitors having their details on the database by 1 September. It was noted that progress on ICVs vetting process was being made and that appointments to the three scheme management posts had been made. Members were informed that progress had also been made in developing protocols for custody visiting in special situations (i.e. deaths in custody, mobile custody suites and detainees held under anti-terrorist legislation), that there had been significant developments in the recruitment and retention of visitors, and that training in chairing skills for ICVP chairs had been well received.

Aneeta Prem also confirmed that she had meet with the Home Officer Minister and raised a number of these points with him.

Resolved – That the report be noted and members note the progress made to date on the implementation of the review of the ICV scheme.

11. Priorities and 2005/06 work plan of the Community Engagement Committee

(Agenda item 11)

Members received the proposed Committee priorities and 2005-06 work plan. In addition to the items and priorities outlined in the report, members suggested that the monitoring of the effectiveness of the Independent Advisory Groups, community partnerships and the impact of citizen focus should be included.

Resolved – That members agree the key objectives and proposed priority areas and the work plan of the Community Engagement Committee.

12. Lead member roles

(Agenda item 12)

Members were invited to appoint, subject to approval by the full Authority, lead members for roles required to address particular areas of the Committees work. They were also invited to comment on how the lead member role operated and on how it might be improved, making any recommendations to the full Authority.

Members agreed that the role of a lead member for specific issues related to the Committee was useful. Members agreed to continue with existing lead members for the Committee.

Further positions were discussed and these included the following areas: public attitude, CPCGs and ICVs. It was agreed that these could be further considered when the issue is discussed at the full Authority.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted;
2. exiting appoints of lead members roles for the Committee be maintained; and
3. any further identified lead member roles for the Committee be considered when this issue is discussed at the full Authority.

The meeting closed at 4.30 p.m.

Appendix 1

Present for this item:

• Roger Taylor (Bromley CPCG)
• Chris Barclay (CI Enfield)
• Ruth Ward (Enfield CPCG)
• Barbara Hughes (Vice Chair Camden)
• Wendy Kyrle-Pope (Richmond CPCG)
• Karen Clark (Kensington and Chelsea CPCG)
• Sandra Flower (Kingston CPCG)
• Charles Gallichan (Ealing CPCG)
• Sheik Aliur Ahman (Tower Hamlets Policing Forum)
• David Michael (Lewisham CPCG)
• Sonoo Malkani (Harrow CPCG)
• Ron Webb (Newham CPF)

5. CPCG Working with communities following recent terrorist incidents and CPCGs – partnership initiatives (Oral report)

(Agenda item 5)

(a) CPCG working with communities following recent terrorist incidents. (Agenda item 5a)

The Chair of the Committee invited representatives of Community Police Consultative Groups (CPCGs) to give a brief presentation on work undertaken with communities following recent terrorist incidents in London.

Lewisham

David Michael, Chair of the Lewisham CPCG outlined a numbers of initiatives undertaken by the consultative group.

He informed the Committee that a special outreach meeting of the Lewisham CPCG had been arranged.

He thanked the borough police and Lewisham Council for their support of the special meeting of the CPCG and confirmed that invites to the meeting had included details of the anti terrorist hot line. The meeting included key speakers from the faith community, borough police and local authority. The purpose of the meeting was to show solidarity with Londoners, receive information on the investigation of the incidents and to provide reassurance to vulnerable communities. The outcomes and contribution of the meeting were still being considered and developed, one of which had been taken forward that of the local police holding a meeting with representatives of the Somalian community.

In addition, the Chair of the CPCG had attended the Mayor of Lewisham’s community cohesion meeting, which included representative from the local faith communities and crime reduction service who supported the special meeting, as well as attending an open evening at a local synagogue.

Ealing

Charles Gallichan, Chair of Ealing CPCG, reported that following the attacks on 7 July a meeting with faith leaders was set up and held in Southall. He reported that the meeting showed solidarity against the attacks and that the Southall area remained calm. He also reported that additional support was provided around mosques and synagogues to prevent race/faith hate crimes.

It was reported that an ‘e’-mail to residents, partners and community contacts was circulated as a reassurance exercise and that this included details of the anti terrorist hot line.

At a further meeting, it was reported that Ealing Council had arranged for race/faith hate graffiti to be removed from residential or commercial buildings within two hours of being notified.

At the scheduled meeting of the CPCG on 14 July 2005, the Group received a detailed report from the Borough Commander as well as presentation by Territorial Support Group, which included details of what they did at major incidents. The meeting also discussed ways to improve tensions around religious festivals in the area.

In conclusion, the Chair of the Group expressed concern about disenfranchisement of communities from eastern Europe, particularly young people. He felt that there was some work needed to improve engagement with these groups vis a vis inter-ethnic relations in the borough.

Kensington and Chelsea

Karen Clark, Chair of the Kensington and Chelsea CPCG, reported that the CPCG had been involved with the Gold Group in outreach work, mainly with the Muslim community in the north of the borough.

The Group had held a number of meetings and that faith groups, business representatives, local authority representatives, safer neighbourhoods representatives and borough police had attended and contributed. Following each meeting, reassurance minutes were circulated. It was reported that the local authority had agreed that parking attendants wear high visibility jackets as part of the reassurance process. Group and safer neighbourhood representatives visited shops in the borough, particularly those owned by Muslims, to reassure them and inform them of what was not acceptable behaviour.

Following the failed attacks on 21 July, it was reported that some of the bombers might have attended some of the Mosques in the borough. This had lead to a large amount of press interest and joint support from the local police, local authority and the Group was provided.

The Group, as a reassurance initiative, circulated over 7,000 leaflets at underground stations, which included telephone numbers for reporting racial incidents and the anti terrorist hotline. A number of community meetings were held on some of the housing estates in the borough following the attacks and subsequent arrests. Attendance by Muslim women at these open meetings was limited, but a subsequent meeting solely for Muslim women, held at the Heritage Centre was very well attended. A further meeting on the Peabody Estate for Muslim women was very successful.

Reports of some racial incidents had been made, the development of third party reporting was being developed and reports of graffiti were being dealt with.

The Group is concerned about the isolation of Muslim youths and the need for continued work on this area. There was also concern that PCSOs had been removed from certain areas following the attacks and that work to re-establish links with communities would need to be a high priority.

Camden

Barbara Hughes, Vice Chair of Camden CPCG, informed the Committee that as some of the attacks on 7 and 21 July had occurred in the borough, initial input by the Group had been very difficult. However, the CPCG office opened a day after the attack and remained open over the weekend. E-mail was used to keep the community informed of the situation.

On 11 July a reassurance meeting was convened at the Town Hall. Representatives attended from faith groups, local police, representatives of the local authority and Members of Parliament for the area. Details of the attacks and the investigation into them were given and an agreed reassurance statement was issued.

Other meetings have taken place, particularly with members from the Muslim community where issues of racial abuse have been raised. A meeting of Muslim women had also highlighted incidents of racial and faith hate crime.

Third party reporting of such incidents has been established and the CPCG are working with partners to stop these incidents.

It was agreed to continue with religious festivals in the borough. These were well attended and included representatives from other faith groups.

The CPCG had circulated leaflets on reassurance and crime prevention advice. The Group at its annual meeting received an update on overall responses to the attacks.

Tower Hamlets

Sheikh Aliur Ahman Vice Chair from Tower Hamlets Policing Forum updated members on the Forum work during and following the terrorist attacks in July 2005. Following the attacks a joint statement was issued by the inter faith forum and was circulated to the community and placed on the Councils website.

The Council of Mosques met to discuss the impact on the community. Concern was expressed about the intrusive approach of some elements of the press and media around mosques, particularly amongst the older worshipers.

He reported that the community remained together and did not become divisive.

There was some concern about the effects of the attacks on day-to-day policing.

Hate crime was an issue. The Forum encouraged community/youth workers and faith leaders to stop such attacks. With Stop and search practice becoming an issue, the Forum promoted people rights, specifically working with community/youth workers to establish reassurance and understanding during a difficult period.

Joint events took place to show solidarity. However, there is concern about the lack of engagement with young people. The Forum is looking a developing ways of engaging with these groups.

Harrow

Sonoo Malkani, Chair of Harrow CPCG, gave details of the Groups support to communities following the terrorist attacks, which included police support to Mosques following the incidents.

She agreed that there was a need to engage with young people, particularly disaffected young Muslims. In doing so, she added that work was needed to develop contacts with other groups such as Muslim women and that it was important that ways of contacting these often hard to reach people needed to be developed.

Nicky Gavron supported the need for the development of engaging with these Groups, particularly in estates and school groups etc. She also highlighted the need for promoting areas of good practice that are currently being undertaken in this and other fields.

Lambeth

John Roberts reported that work in the borough was being undertaken with the growing Latino community, particularly in light of the shooting at Stockwell underground.

He reported that the Group had been working very hard on community reassurance.

Islington/Hackney/Waltham Forest

Jennette Arnold report that in each of the Boroughs there had been some very good partnership working with communities during this difficult time.

In Waltham Forest, she confirmed that work was being undertaken with eastern European groups.

In the three borough’s, she felt that there was an issue around communication outreach.

The Chair on behalf of the Committee requested that its thanks be noted to all CPCGs for its work during this difficult time, particularly on the reassurance given to communities in a timely and organised way.

Members asked what support or information they had received from the MPA following the attacks. The general opinion was there was no direct support from the MPA. However, most groups felt that there was regular liaison with MPA borough link members.

Kirsten Hearn requested that resilience and emergency planning needed to take account people with disabilities.

(b) CPCG partnership initiatives

(Agenda item 5b)

The Chair invited representatives from CPCGs to inform the Committee of a summary of its work and of any specific projects or initiatives it may have established.

Kingston upon Thames

Sandra Flower, Chair of the Kingston upon Thames outlined some of the specific projects carried out since the Groups establishment in 1982. These include; the setting up of a borough-wide neighbourhood watch and working with partners on home security projects for vulnerable groups.

The Group had worked with the CDRP on three crime audits. This involves the Group visiting groups that might otherwise not have a voice and this included groups such as minority ethnic groups, disabled people, people with learning difficulties and victims of domestic violence.

The CPCG, despite limited resources, publishes a newsletter, with a circulation of 2,250 and has in the past provided information on home safety assessments, domestic violence one stop shop and trading standards warnings.

Partners have been invited to meetings and have included the Fire Brigade and Licensing Officers. The group has led on issues such as the revision of the resource Allocation Formula.

Enfield

Ruth Ward from the Enfield CPCG updated members on the current restructuring of the Group, how the restructuring would allow greater community engagement and how the Group would feed into the CDRP. Details were also given of the involvement of the Community Action Partnership in Enfield and how this committee would oversee the work of ward policing.

Bromley

Roger Taylor, the newly appointed Chair of the Safer Bromley Forum outlined current working arrangements of the Forum.

In association with partners, policing priorities are established. However, a concern was raised in relation to the recent terrorist attacks and the need for officers and PCSOs being abstracted for other duties for long periods This could lead to consequences for crime figures and also to building effective community police relations.

Members reiterated this concern. DAC Rose Fitzpatrick confirmed that safer neighbourhood teams would only be engaged in such operations if and when there was a major incident.

Mr Taylor requested that his thanks be noted to the Community Engagement Unit in supporting the establishment of the Forum.

Richmond upon Thames

Wendy Kyrle-Pope, Chair of Richmond CPCG, circulated to members details on the CPCG and its relationship with the community.

It was reported that CPCG membership is made up of different groups. These include Police Liaison Groups, which are considered grass roots organisations designed to act as a link between the community and the police. They are seen as a method of exchanging information, providing reassurance and providing an effective and stronger consensus on how a local area should be policed.

The Police Liaison Groups, with their specialist knowledge of an area, can be easily adapted to a Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Each Liaison Group has differing activities, including newsletters, and are able to respond to serious incidents or emergencies quickly. These are further enhanced by representatives from schools, colleges or shopping centres/entertainment venues in the area, which enhances good communication.

Newham

Ron Webb, Executive Member of Newham CPCG circulated a report to the Committee providing details of the Newham Community and Police Forum. Membership details were outlined, as well as the arrangements between the Forum, the CDRP and local authority representatives. Also outlined were the consultation mechanisms between these partners. The report confirmed that the Forum has well-established links with its community.

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