Agenda item

Agenda item

Community Safety work during Covid-19 pandemic

Community Safety Partnership Officer to report.

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation from the Community Protection Officer regarding the Community Safety Work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The following summary of the work carried out by the Community Safety Partnership was given:

·         The Safer Summer Scheme, was funded by the Police Crime Commissioners Office and Devon County Council

·         It had been in operation in Croyde and Woolacombe ensuring visitors were as safe as possible over the summer months

·         The Beach Marshalls employed from a Security Firm based in South Molton were providing safety guidance on Covid-19 matters as well as being a visible presence on the beaches reassuring the public

·         The two Marshalls were employed for 49 hours a week, were first aid trained and able to dissipate anti-social behaviour

·         The scheme ran from the end of July 2020 to the end of September 2020

·         The beaches were privately owned so access to the beaches had to be sought from the owners.  Park Dean owners of Croyde beach were very receptive to the scheme

·         Daily meetings with the Police, North Devon Council Officer, beach rangers and Parish Clerk attended to discuss issues arising and share information

·         Issues with street traders, in particular a henna tattooist raised concerns over Covid-19 safety and was addressed quickly

·         A lessons learnt and findings report was being drafted for the Crime Commissioners Office.  The biggest frustration found was the limitations of power that the Marshalls had. 

·         This was highlighted by the gridlocking of Woolacombe due to high numbers of visitors.  Locals were distressed by parking issues and the Marshalls were powerless to help. 

·         Being in a high vis vest meant the public expectation was that the Marshalls were there to act on the requests for action from locals

·         Devon County Council had not provided the assistance necessary to alleviate the parking issue

·         Overall the scheme worked very well and the collaboration with the private sector had been successful

·         If the funding were available it would be good to run a similar scheme next summer, albeit not necessarily related to Covid-19 secure safety measures

·         Praise from the public had  been received in relation to the helpful Marshalls working on the beaches

·         A new anti-social behaviour working group had been formed and met for the first time.  This was a multi-agency group that had been created due to the rising numbers of homeless or street attached people drinking on the streets in Barnstaple

·         Representatives from the charities Encompass and the Freedom Centre were helping

·         If any members wished to be involved were invited to contact the Community Protection Officer

·         The Community Safety Partnership had received funding from the Police Crime Commissioners Office through the Safer Town Scheme to help tackle issues with homelessness and in particular street begging

·         The £5000 received was to be used to install pay points where members of the public could donate cash using a debit card as an alternative to giving cash to people on the street

·         It was hoped three machines would be installed at three locations in Barnstaple; in the Pannier Market, Green Lanes shopping centre and in the High Street

·         Local charities Encompass and the Freedom Centre would benefit from the donations.  These charities were working with the homeless population

·         The installation of pay points for members of the public to use to donate to homeless charities was already in operation in Bristol

·         A fact finding mission had been undertaken and it was discovered that £40,000 had been donated to local homeless charities

·         Video shorts were being created by representatives from the local homeless charities highlighting the harm caused from substance abuse as a result of cash being given to people on the street

 

The Community Protection Officer gave the following responses to questions asked:

·         Representations had been made to Devon County Council and would continue to be made regarding the lack of support and assistance with on street parking during the summer months at the coastal towns

·         The anti-social working group was made up of members from local Police teams – community safety officers,  Community Safety Partnership Officer, the Drug and Alcohol services as well as the charities Freedom Centre and Encompass

·         Members of the public wishing to make donations to the homeless charities could do so directly to the charity online if it was not possible to visit Barnstaple town

·         The parking issues experienced were beyond our control and this would need to be addressed for any similar scheme to be successfully run

·         Braunton was a busy village in the summer months and when the beach Marshalls were less busy on the beaches they were deployed to the village to help at known hotspots

·         Barnstaple Town Council were represented on the Anti-social behaviour working group and were very engaged it was unfortunate that they could not attend the first meeting

·         As the scheme for pay points was rolled out, further options such as donating using the Ringo app to widen the opportunity for the public to make donations would be looked at