Representatives from
Middlesbrough Town Centre Strategic Partnership will be in attendance to
provide an update on the group’s work.
Recommendation: that the Scrutiny Panel considers whether any further information is required for the scrutiny investigation.
Minutes:
Representatives from the Middlesbrough Town Centre Strategic Partnership (MTCSP) were in attendance to provide the panel with information on the work that was being carried out in the town.
The MTCSP was made up of partners including Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade, South Tees Public Health, Northeast Ambulance Service, Cipher Medical, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and various departments of Middlesbrough Council which included Licensing/Trading Standards, Housing, Children’s Services, Alcohol Care Teams and Regeneration. Voluntary sector organisations such as Boro Angels, Women Street Watch and Safer Communities were also represented on the partnership.
The MTCSP also engaged with licensed premises, retail premises and other businesses through forums such as Pubwatch.
Members heard that the purpose of the MTCSP was to:
· Work together to share information/intelligence around Crime and Anti-social Behaviour (ASB) including alcohol related matters that impacted the daytime and night-time economy in a designated area of the town.
· To set short-term actions in line with the priorities identified.
· To tackle and reduce the impact of crime and ASB and the levels of harm caused to individuals, families, communities and businesses.
· Ensuring that all visitors can enjoy all aspects of Middlesbrough town centre safely and responsibly.
Members were advised that the MTCSP aimed to overcome some of the barriers in terms of the public’s perception of Middlesbrough town centre, daytime or night-time, to identify the issues, making it a safer place and to support current businesses and further development.
The MTCSP partners worked together to deliver local and national strategies to improve safety in the daytime and night-time economy and strived to improve public perception of crime and disorder and ASB.
The aims and objectives of the MTCSP were:
· To improve public safety across the town centre and provide public reassurance and confidence.
· To promote resilience and growth for local hospitality, leisure and businesses including licensed premises ensuring that social and leisure activities could be enjoyed safely and responsibly whilst developing a balanced and diversified daytime and night-time economy.
· Maximising efficiencies in service delivery across all partners, exploring funding opportunities and providing oversight of any allocated funding.
The MTCSP will achieve this by:
· Sharing information between relevant partners to identify priority issues within the town centre.
· Developing and monitoring the delivery of partner actions.
· Monitor and refer community tension issues.
· Identify and develop engagement opportunities.
· Agree collaborative actions to achieve partnership objectives.
· Deploy relevant resources to address identified issues.
The MTCSP had developed a Problem Solving Plan for the daytime economy and a plan was being developed for the night-time economy. Members were advised that the timing for the daytime economy ran from 06.00-19.59 and the night-time economy from 20.00-05.59.
Multiple data sources were used to develop the daytime Problem Solving Plan to capture the daytime economy issues across the town centre including police recorded incidents of crime, police recorded incidents of ASB, council service requests for issues on begging/homelessness and rough sleeping and service user/client level information to map out service demand for substance treatment. Referrals into the Youth Justice System were also considered.
Members were advised that three subgroups had recently been established to look at the reasons for begging/homelessness, retail theft/crime/intimidation and youth related crime and ASB. The subgroups will meet every two months to discuss the issues and put actions in place. The full MTCSP met on a monthly basis were it reviewed data and incidents from the previous month, identified the need for joint working and resources and escalated any multi-agency issues to the Community Safety Partnership.
The Panel received information on the Night-Time Economy (NTE) Pilot Project which had received Cleveland Unit for the Reduction of Violence (CURV) funding from the OPCC. The funding had enabled Street Marshalls to be employed in the Town Centre on a Friday and Saturday night. The Street Marshalls operated until 4.00am and provided a visibility and presence in the town centre providing reassurance and support to visitors. The Street Marshalls also provided de-escalation to situations and support to vulnerable people working alongside other NTE partners.
The Middlesbrough night-time economy also benefited from other initiatives that had received funding from CURV and the OPCC including:
· Bleed kits
· Apex Radios for doorstaff
· NTE Safety Campaign
· Anti-spiking materials
· Promotion of Ask Angela
· E-learning platform for staff in licensed premises
Members were advised of other NTE resources operating in Middlesbrough which included:
· Safe Haven
· Boro Angels
· Women’s StreetWatch
· Premises doorstaff
· Police
· CCTV
Members heard that Middlesbrough Safe Haven Service offered a place of safety for people who were intoxicated and/or vulnerable, providing clinical care as and when needed. The Safe Haven operated from Middlesbrough Bus Station but also offered a mobile service which was used to respond to incidents upon request from the Police, CCTV operators and licensed premises when time allowed.
The mobile service could respond and provide roadside clinical assessments to determine what action was required. This provided greater opportunities to complete roadside triage and would allow for the collection and transportation of services users to the Safe Haven Service.
The mobile service also provided greater opportunities for identifying potential vulnerability/safeguarding issues. During quieter periods within the building, the vehicle and designated staff carried out patrols in designated areas of the town centre, to monitor the night-time economy looking out for vulnerable individuals, taking appropriate action to assist in supporting those members of the public.
The Safe Haven Service had run a campaign “End Your Night Right” the campaign focused on four areas Medical, Consumption, Relationships and Contact. A large focus was on violence against woman and children and online dating with a big push on the Ask Angela initiative whereby if a woman was on a date and felt vulnerable they can approach staff mainly in pubs and hospitality establishments and Ask for Angela this alerts staff that the person feels in a vulnerable position and they would assist them.
Members were advised that the next steps for the MTCSP were:
A Member queried if there were enough people around the table at MTCSP meetings. It was advised that the current membership was sufficient for the time being but if an issue was identified the MTCSP would engage with other organisations if needed.
Clarification was sought regarding the working hours of Night-Time Marshalls. It was
Confirmed two nights a week (Monday & Friday) 8pm – 4am. The Street Marshalls were all SIA licensed and contracted by a company called Vis Tech. It was advised that the aim was to have the same 4 Marshalls on duty each time so they become known/aware of common issues. The Marshalls are supplied with bodycams and radios. They also provided cover across festive periods and Bank Holidays.
A Member commented that the route from Buxton Street carpark (popular car park) into town centre was not well lit, alley way, bins etc. It was felt that it was important for people to have a good first impression/feel safe when visiting the town. The Members queried whether there could be a part of the town cornered off, patrolled, secured, well lit. The Neighbourhood Manager advised they were looking into access to the town and making a plan to direct people to the best route to get to where they were going to.
Member queried whether anything was being done about selling too much alcohol to people already drunk.
It was confirmed lots of education was carried out around this with bar/venue staff but it was very hard to establish/prove on the night whether someone was too drunk when only serving for a moment. There was legislation to prevent this including fines
Another Member raised the issue of street drinking and queried whether any initiatives were in place to tackle this.
The team were vVery aware of this issue but it was very complex. People are often vulnerable with alcohol dependencies/addiction issues/begging, a drink can be taken away but they would go and buy another. The Council target premises that sell single/high % drinks and have taken away licenses for this reason. A condition can also be put on licenses to prevent the sale of single cans.
AGREED as follows: