Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Committee Members, Councillor Leanne Brady and Jade Woods. 

There were no declarations of interest.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Community Select Committee held on 5 February 2025 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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?

The Chair welcomed Inspector Will Rogers-Overy from the Stevenage Neighbourhood Police Team, who presented the Committee with Crime and Disorder Data for the past 12 months.  

It was noted that the Hertfordshire Constabulary underwent a Police Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection between 2023-2025, during which only 82.6% of reported crime was recorded. In response to the PEEL inspection there had been a renewed effort locally to improve their performance of recording crime, this will in turn result in higher crime figures across all metrics.

Key Crime Statistics for Stevenage (in the last 12 months): 

-       7,233 crimes were recorded, representing an 8.7% increase from the previous year.

-       Reductions were seen in specific crime categories including:

o   Shopping-related crime: 8% decrease

o   Residential burglary: 11.2% decrease

o   Vehicle crime: 36.9% decrease

-       Violence Against the Person (including stalking and harassment) increased by 20%. 

-       Public Order Offences rose by 38.3%.

-       Eight Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) were issued.

A question was raised regarding the age profile of offenders, and the Inspector confirmed that this information would be sought and provided to the Committee at a later date. 

Further questions were raised about the high levels of domestic abuse. The increase in reported incidents was considered a positive outcome of efforts to raise awareness and encourage victims to come forward. Police officers had received specialist training to recognise signs of domestic violence. The Head of Community Advice and Support noted that incidents of domestic abuse had not decreased since the COVID-19 lockdown and highlighted the expansion of Safe Spaces from two to 38 locations, all operating at full capacity.

In response to a question regarding accurate reporting, the Committee and public were encouraged to report incidents to facilitate data collection. It was agreed that further clarification would be sought regarding the percentage of unreported crimes.

The Committee was informed about Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) levels from January 2024 to March 2025. A total of 1,908 incidents were recorded, representing a 15% decrease compared to the previous year. It was noted that these figures only accounted for formally reported incidents, and public perceptions of ASB could differ.

Peak reporting times for ASB were identified as:

-       Monday to Friday: 2 – 6pm

-       Saturday: 4 – 11pm

-       Sunday: 6 – 9pm

The Herts Connected System was highlighted as an essential community engagement platform that provided crime prevention advice and gathered input from the community. It was noted that 2,648 users, including businesses and schools, were registered.

The Committee raised concerns about nuisance driving in Stevenage, such as loud exhausts, speeding and heavily tinted windows. Residents often expressed frustration over the lack of visible policing. It was explained that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were used to monitor vehicles, however enforcement required officers to be present at the time of the offenses. 

The Committee was presented with the Neighbourhood Policing Team’s community engagement initiatives which included:

-       Ward Surgeries                                            - Street Meets

-       Door to Door Engagements                       - Community Involvement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

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

There was no Urgent Part I Business.

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.

Not required.

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

There was no Urgent Part II Business.