Agenda

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Community Select Committee held on 5^th February 2025.

The Community Select Committee, sitting as the Council’s Crime and Disorder Committee is to receive a presentation form the Police on community safety matters that they have been engaged in over the past year.As well as the Police, the Executive Portfolio Holder responsible for Community Safety, Cllr Conor McGrath and the Council’s Head of Advice & Support, Sarah Pateman will be in attendance.

The Chair has set some specific areas that she has asked the Police to address in their presentation or to be addressed during a question and answer session including:

-            What is the predominant crime in Stevenage?

-            How confident are the police that people are comfortable in reporting crime?

-            What actions have been taken/progress been made by the police and the partnership, in terms of drug use in the town?

-            Is anti-social behaviour still a problem for Stevenage? If so, are there hot spots, times of day, specific anti-social behaviours that are prevalent?

-            Is cuckooing still a problem? What should vulnerable people do to protect themselves? What should they do if they fall victim to this? What do neighbours do if they notice strangers visiting a home in their street?

How are the police connecting with our residents? Are the police attending resident meetings, councillor surgeries, community centres, schools, residential homes?

-            Are police being informed of safeguarding issues reported in schools - some statistics on this would be reassuring to know our young people are protected. 

-            Are the police satisfied with their ability to do preventative work on crime or do they feel the bulk of their work is reactive?

-            How proactive are the police on uninsured drivers and untaxed cars? Some stats please.

-            Are we going to see more PSCOs on the street?

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent

To consider the following motions:

1. That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2. That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent