Name of group Date and start time Location of meeting In Attendance

Nechells Neighbourhood Tasking Group 21 May 2013 at 1400 hours Carol Gethin House, Arthur Street West Midlands Police Sgt Dave Bates in the Chair (DB) Sgt Pete Snape Digbeth (PS) ASgt Kirsty Pattinson Digbeth (KP) Sgt Amanda Thompson Nechells (AT) West Midlands Fire Service Paul Johnson (PJ) Aston Emma Gardner (EG) St Basils Shabnam Mughal Bournville Village Trust/Pheonix Hall (SM) Margaret Morcom - Stepping Stones (MM) Ayesha Choudhury, Inspector Dutton, Mark Clifton -Highgate Fire Service. Mark Crooke Friends of Sara Park, John Gordon Digbeth Residents Assoc Eddie Howard - Highgate Resident Action WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Introductions were made and the Chair welcomed all to the meeting. Birmingham City Council Alex Warsama LHM (AW) Russell Davey Env Health (RD) Pat Whyte BCC Ladywood District (PW)

Apologies

Agenda Item 1.

2.

NOTES OF LAST MEETING The notes of the previous meeting were amended regarding Accidental fires to non dwellings which wrongly stated such as communal areas in tower blocks as these are actually classed as dwellings. Any issues arising from the notes would be picked up during the meeting.

PARTNER UPDATES/ PERFORMANCE

3.

West Midlands Fire Service PJ has emailed AW regarding the plan for walkabout. No hotspots have been identified. Work is on-going in relation to communal areas of tower blocks within the ward. Accidental fires in dwellings has shown a slight increase of 5 in a month. No real hotspots identified. Preventative measures are continuing. There have been no injuries from any fires. Arson fires in dwelling - None to report. Accidental fires in non domestic is static with no change. Arson fires in non domestic - None to report. Arson vehicle fires, low number of 1 report. Historically they can be as high as 7, so this is good news. Arson rubbish fires are slightly down (5 for the month) no specific locations. Previously over a six month period there were two

identified areas but has been drilled down due to preventative work carried out by WMFS. False alarm calls are down to both Commercial and domestic. Arson Fires in derelict buildings None to report. PJ encourages all to recommend void building referrals through WMFS. PJ will attend Carol Gethin to discuss fire safety awareness at location. PJ offered individual home visits or group inputs to increase their awareness to improve their knowledge for their future. 4. West Midlands Police The Chair provided a hand-out relating to police performance from 1st to 20th May. Total crime was up 15.8% in Nechells and down 34.4% in Digbeth and also down 13.8% in Small Heath. Robbery was generally down with the exception of Digbeth where there had been 8 offences (no patterns). Burglary dwelling offences were also down in Digbeth and Small Heath and up by 50% in Nechells (small numbers 3). Vehicle crime was up, except in Small Heath where there was a 52.9% reduction. No trends had been identified at this stage. DB explains that the figures may appear large in % but may involve very small numbers. Violence with injury was down except in Nechells Neighbourhood but the figures include a range of issues including domestic violence cases and Night time economy within the Digbeth area. The police conducting preventative work with victims from domestic situations and putting more patrols around the night time economy.

5.

Walk Abouts AW provided an update regarding the walkabouts. AW intends by 25 June to have a full list of the priorities from all areas in order to call a meeting with all the partner members who will be identified as the right people who can help to get the issues resolved. AW has over 200 responses to date along with photos to support the issue and action suggestions. AW wants to bring issues to NTG to try to get some of the agencies to the table to help to resolve them locally. Phase 3 will involve going out to the nine neighbourhoods of which there are 20 tower blocks and engage with the locals using a How clean is your block? incentive. This will gather issues from the community and to invite them to get involved. Housing within each neighbourhood will have the issues and photos to help to focus them and they will also knock on their communities doors to talk to them about the issues identified to validate the issue. AW will update on progress at the next meeting. PJ suggests that if 200 people have responded is there any possibility to get more people to attend NTG. AW states that credibility from sorting the issues will help with NTG attendance. RD stated that in Small Heath some of the environmental issues reported stemmed from changes in the bin collection times. PJ suggests that the issue maybe down to how the message was communicated. RD also stated that it is not a simple task to carry out surveillance to identify those dumping rubbish. This is due to difficulties in obtaining the appropriate authorities under the regulation of investigative powers legislation.

AW

Nechells
6.

a) Updates
Robbery AT update: There have recently been 5 key arrests and an increase in patrols around Star city. The figures show 1 robbery this month which is a completely isolated incident. The robbery issue seems to have been resolved. Discharge pending any further issues. New issue Vehicle Crime There has been a rise in vehicle crime over the month with 7 offences. The offences are spread geographically but the key streets are Duddeston Manor Road, Barrack St, Winsor St South, Francis St and Great Brook St, which are the free parking areas. Pro-active work is being put in place to reduce this offending. AT to update at next meeting. SMALL HEATH 7. Environmental Issues RD update: There is one location left for a bag search and it is something they are looking to do. No further issues. PW suggests working closer with councillors to encourage more responsibility for local businesses to be more active with litter around their premises. ASB/Drug dealing Talfourd Street, including Hafton Grove DB update: A camera has been put in the area. The original issue has dropped off substantially and the club is currently closed. Discharge pending any other complaints.

Discharge

AT

Discharge

8.

Discharge

9.

Business robberies Coventry Road DB Update: DB met with Amelia Murray from the council regarding target DB hardening for the Coventry Rd and there may be some funds available for this. The police crime prevention team have been tasked to conduct a survey of the road and make recommendations on what improvements can be made that will guide further action and support any bid for funding. As previously noted a meeting to start up a business watch scheme was very poorly attended and the NHT have been looking at email mailing lists and/or twitter as an alternative. DB to update at next meeting. Burglaries Barwell Road DB Update: There has been a further arrest for a burglary on Barwell Rd and a male is still on bail. There have been no other reported burglaries since the beginning of April. A very pro-active neighbourhood watch group has been set up in Garrison Court who have their own website. They have installed CCTV cameras onto their properties and managed to have the management company install new lighting. This has had a significant impact. Discharge action pending any other issues New Issue: Wyndcliff Road RD updated that members of public have been stating that there is an issue with young people in vehicles playing loud music and there is also

10.

Discharge

11.

DB 3

drug deals going on from the vehicles in the area. DB is aware and will look into this and report back at the next NTG. New Issue: Murder Investigation DB updates that the investigation is on-going. There have been no arrests for the offence at this stage. The evidence is limited and CCTV is not good but there is a male shown on footage running away from the area. It is not clear what this males involvement is and there is no obvious motive to this crime. This remains a major investigation with a significant number of staff dedicated to it. The police are also doing a lot of work to manage the community impact. At this stage there is nothing to suggest this is a racist attack but rumours have been circulating and DB encourages any community feedback. BBC will be filming in and around the Green Lane area for the Crimewatch programme. This will be aired 30 May 2013. DB to provide update for the investigation at the next NTG

12.

DB

DIGBETH/ HIGHGATE 13. St Patricks Day Update KP update: There is no debrief package at this time. The 25 public houses proactively working with the police during the parade have given their feedback individually and it has been ranked into Red, Amber and green. Red being a bad review and Green being a good. 8% Red, 12% Amber and 80% green. Feedback includes support for the 2-4 pm pub entrance closures. If any formal document is produced then this will be shared at NTG. Brinklow Tower- ASB, Drug Dealing KP Update: Digbeth officers have been closely monitoring this. There has been no smell of drugs on any of the levels on the tower blocks floors or communal areas. Officers have been doing plain clothes as well as uniformed work within the tower block and walk throughs. A small group of youngsters have been seen in the bin area of 15th floor. All stop and searched with no drugs. No other reports and no on-going issue. Discharge pending further issues. New issue Wellesbourne Tower Wellesbourne tower will be taken down around June time. AW reports that there are drug issues in Southacre. There are currently 14/15 people residing in the tower block. PS and KP to link in with AW to discuss a plan. New Issue Vehicle Crime KP Update: The vehicle crime around the Millennium Point area has subsided but there are increased levels particularly around Curzon and Banbury. Offences were up approximately 6% over the month. Uniform and Plain clothes patrols continue in these target areas. KP to update at next meeting. COMMUNITY PRIORITIES The following priorities were agreed; Vehicle Crime (Nechells) Reassurance around the Murder investigation of Mohammed Saleem (17/05/13) (Small Heath)

Discharge

14.

Discharge

15.

PS/KP/AW

16.

KP

17.

 18.

Vehicle Crime (Digbeth/Highgate)

Other PW informed the group that Nechells Ward Committee are holding a meeting (discussions around St Lukes Estate) which will be held in Emily Street, Highgate at 6pm on 27 June. PW is also helping to arrange a Police and Community day. Rev Becky Jones, who is the reverend for Nechells and Aston, will be attending a meeting Thursday 23 May at Nechells to discuss the arrangements. When the details are confirmed the information will be circulated to the members of NTG. MM informed the group that the Stepping Stones charity will be running 2 day support sessions working with vulnerable families in the Nechells ward and asked for referrals. Stepping Stones offers support, information and education to parents with young children to enable families to grow in confidence and independence. Please bring any suggestions to the next NTG. Sgt Dave Bates is moving to a new role based at Lloyd house and will no longer chair the NTG. Sgt Dan Popple will be replacing DB as the Small Heath Sgt. It is to be decided whether he will also become the NTG chair or whether this will be shared between the NHT Sgts.

19.

Next Meeting The next meeting on 18 June 2013 at 2pm. Venue The Pod Nechells