Community Forum (Cluster Groups) Annual General Meeting (AGM)

 

Tuesday 21st September 2010

6.00 - 8.30pm - TAD Centre, Middlesbrough

 

The Middlesbrough Partnership Executive Board meeting on 27th September 2010 will now be a special meeting to discuss only two agenda items. These are: 

 

·         The Local Enterprise Partnership Proposal for Tees Valley

 

·         The Future Direction of Middlesbrough Partnership

 

Further details on these agenda items can be found on the Middlesbrough Partnership website. If you have any concerns/comments to be raised at the Executive Board meeting, please let me know asap and I will forward them  onto the Cluster representatives who sit on the Executive Board.

 

Feedback from Cluster Groups - 26th July 2010 Forum/Consultation on Anti-Social Behaviour Perceptions Action Plan

 

Questions:

 

1a)    What are your perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) within your Cluster area?

 

b)          According to national statistics, the perceptions of Anti-Social                     Behaviour are high within Middlesbrough. Why do you think this is?

 

2.       How can Community Councils and the Neighbourhood Safety Team (NST) assist each other to reduce the perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour in their area, for example, improved communication and regular feedback?

 

3.       How do you feel Community Councils could assist the relevant agencies and

their local community with promoting services and celebrating successes within Middlesbrough?

 

 

Answers/Feedback:

 

South Cluster

 

Question 1a:

 

·         Mindless damage to property, problems with groups of youngsters gathering together (which can be intimidating), drinking of alcohol by young people and adults on the streets (also bottles and glasses smashed, urinating and abusive language). People can exaggerate a problem, but sometimes things can get reported and residents feel that no feedback is given, hence they have the perception that nothing is being done.

 

  • Partnership between NST and police is unclear.

 

  • Pensioners don’t want to go out at night because of problems with ASB.

 

Question 1b:

 

  • Seems to be higher in other areas. If linked to deprivation, then logic follows we will have higher perceptions.

 

  • Some incidents are made out to be worse than the reality. Does the media give the wrong impression?

 

  • Perceptions do improve as things change. Certain types of crime have changed due to use of social networking for example and so have perceptions.

 

  • Certain areas seem to be mentioned in the media more than in other areas.

 

  • Some people will simply put up with it and part of it is due to possible intimidation. You can make anonymous complaints now and NST need to point this out more.

 

  • Residents not sure of the first port of call.

 

Question 2:

 

  • Being positive about what we do. Every Community Council will be getting updates from NST.

 

  • Neighbourhood Safety Team deal with ASB - impose ASBOs and link into community wardens. Have a central hub for anti-social behaviour.

 

  • Police data doesn’t always give a full picture. Give more information to Community Councils about ASBOs as people don’t think they work. People need to understand the whole process behind it. We could include this in our newsletters. Send email to all Community Councils linking to dates when all Community Council newsletters go out.

 

  • Need to identify more community champions.

 

  • As things get better, peoples expectations get higher, might be an idea to get comparative figures over time, crime falls, etc.

 

  • Newcastle Metro – when people avoid paying fares their names are included on a list. What about putting information on buses, in community centres, libraries? – Name and shame.

 

  • Justice seen, justice done – Put information into partnership  newsletters, website, etc.

 

  • Community Impact Statements are from the police point of view – Community Councils should have an input into these statements.

 

  • There is a priority towards Erimus tenants – they get a lot of information. If not an Erimus tenant, there is very little information provided. This is a barrier, especially in Hemlington.

 

Question 3:

 

  • CCTV camera in Bonnygrove Park has been a success.

 

  • More feedback should be provided to the community, as we don’t have enough of this.  We need to counteract the local press. We want to know different ways to feedback to the local community.

 

  • Articles are put in the Gazette, Middlesbrough News, some areas do a leaflet drop and village newsletters have articles in them. Hemlington Herald – not getting the information to go into the leaflet.

 

 

East Cluster

 

Question 1a:

 

  • The group felt there were many issues that raised perceptions of ASB which include gang nuisance, flytipping, dog fouling, parking on pavements, mobility scooters, “fag houses”, cycle riding on pavements, problems with landlords, environment, a lack of facilities and activities for young people. Will Myplace provide the solution?

 

·         Beckfield and surrounding area seems to be excluded as most activities and facilities seem to be centred between North Ormesby and Thorntree.

 

Question 1b:

 

  • The group thought the main problem here was all the bad publicity that Middlesbrough receives, including TV programmes showing us in a bad light - Locals "talking down" the area – confusion over geographical areas - all outer areas such as South Bank - Grangetown all come under Middlesbrough when in the press.

 

  • Ignorance, unemployment, criminal justice system.

 

  • Stereotypical perceptions other areas have of Middlesbrough and residents themselves having a bad image of Middlesbrough.

 

 

Question 2:

 

  • Each Community Council can have a designated officer from Environment to be the communication link between Middlesbrough Council and Community Councils.

 

  • Need to promote success and publicise successes widely.

 

  • NST will provide a report to Community Councils on a regular basis.

 

  • Send out flyers/leaflets to promote Community Councils and NST.

 

Question 3:

 

  • The group as a whole agreed that residents need to be more appreciative of all the positive / good things that have been done. We need to feed back more using community council newsletters / Middlesbrough News/ leaflets/etc.

 

  • Involve other community groups and celebrate successes by having good news stories in media.

 

  • Promote local initiatives more/successes, i.e. community champions, residents on patrol.

 

  • A culture change is needed, attitudes need changing.

 

North Cluster

 

Question 1a:

 

The North area was described by the group as experiencing a period of transition with a highly diverse multi cultural population.

 

Types of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in the following areas include:

 

  • North Cluster:

Car break-ins, burglary, teenagers drinking/drug-taking, drug dealing.

 

·         Middlehaven:

Street drinking, disturbances where houses have been knocked down, cars racing,

 

·         University:

Teenagers drinking in children’s play areas in the evenings.

 

  • Gresham – car crime.

 

  • Ayresome – motorcycle nuisance, pockets of ASB.

 

  • ASBOs are not a deterrent, need stronger penalties. ASBOs appear to be seen as a medal.

 

  • Keeping the area clean and tidy can help to prevent ASB.

 

·         North Middlesbrough seen as tough, inner city part of town.

 

  • Low house prices = more private landlords = more ASB.

 

Question 1b:

 

  • Group asked about who is measuring perceptions, how and who is being surveyed?

 

  • Media give negative impression by printing bad news all the time, need more positive media.

 

  • People don’t think punishments are strong enough.

 

  • In relation to percentages of perceptions the group proposed that there were problems with what is measured in relation to perceptions and problems with media reporting with a media bias towards presenting negative stories.

 

 

Question 2:

 

·         Community Council leaflets/newsletters reach more people.

 

·         Police officers present at meetings, this is good, reassures community. NST also attends.

 

·         Regular feedback is essential. More information about what is being done about problem families etc.

 

·         Individually, people only attend Community Council meetings when they have a problem or when there is an incentive like free food.

 

·         Visible police on the street is the best deterrent. Need regular police officer assigned to an area so people can get to know them.

 

·         RSLs and private landlords just want to get their rent so will put anyone into a property. How do they get references?

 

·         Once residents have a bad experience they then expect more of the same.

 

·         The group urged for increased use of newsletters to community with a form of monetary gain for interaction. In addition to this the group requested better and more consistent policing with named officers and direct information to affected residents.

 

Question 3:

 

·         Use of newsletter, media, Middlesbrough News.

 

·         Communication with residents.

 

·         Officers and councilors should tell residents about successes at Community Council  meetings.

 

·         Give monetary or other reward for residents to get involved in Community Councils and other schemes.

 

·         Clean up rubbish, graffiti etc – gives general bad impression.

 

West Cluster

 

Question 1a:

 

  • Perceptions of ASB is different in different wards/areas. Sometimes the media gives out negative messages about ASB and doesn’t always let people know the positives and this has an impresssion on people’s perceptions. They stated that messages from Neighbourhood Watch etc should be more positive and people should talk their area up and not put it down.

 

 

 

Question 1b:

 

  • Again it’s negative messages. People do not want to rely on statistics and quite often the facts can be very different. People see broken glass, rubbish etc and perceive this to be the main problem.

 

Question 2:

 

  • Improve communication and feedback through newsletters, community councils. After action is taken and areas improve make sure that the community receive that information.

 

Question 3:

 

  • Improve education in schools, newsletters to churches, businesses, community centres and work on peoples tolerance levels.

 

  • The group did state that they think that young people are often blamed for all the ASB and that is not the case, the majority of young people do not cause problems but people wrongly perceive it is mainly young people who cause the problems.