Agenda item
Police Issues
15 minutes is allocated for questions to the Gwent Police representative.
Minutes:
Superintendent Ian Roberts gave the Council an update on current police matters and answered the following questions from Members:
- Councillor Ray Truman highlighted a number of serious road collisions that had occurred around the Beechwood Road Junction, and on Chepstow Road and asked for assurances that enforcement action would be taken against illegal parking in this area. The Council was informed that the parking issues were known to the police in this area, and officers were taking enforcement action in the area within the limited resources and balancing all priorities.
- Councillor Jane Mudd highlighted the large increase in the volume of complaints about parking around Malpas School, and the risk posed to school children. Whilst acknowledging the pressures facing the police with resourcing, it was asked that the police increase enforcement action particularly around school entry and exit points to address the problem, and act as a deterrent for future instances. Superintendent Roberts said he would refer this matter to the local officer to look into.
- Councillor Jane Mudd also raised the issue of improving communication within business owners in the city centre, particularly in relation providing greater assurance to the businesses in the city about the rate of activity of enforcement of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Superintendent Roberts agreed to refer this to the Inspector to ensure the lines of communication were effective.
- Councillor Jeavons raised the increasing issue of illegal parking in the city centre, and across all wards in Newport and the safety implications particularly around schools. The Superintendent was asked to take enforcement action as much as possible to help alleviate the problem.
- Councillor Matthew Evans reiterated concerns about illegal parking and in particular the impact of this on those with disabilities, young children and elderly people who were greatly affected by the obstruction and safety issues resulting from this problem.
- Councillor Laura Lacey raised an issue of a recent drug raid in her ward in Ringland where the wrong house was raided and damage occurred to the door. The Councillor asked for assurances that this would be addressed with an apology to the resident and the damage rectified. The Superintendent asked for more information from the Councillor after the meeting so that the matter could be referred and addressed.
- Councillor Majid Rahman outlined concerns regarding the redeployment of the PCSOs in Victoria Ward, stating that the previous officers had built up good relationships and trust with residents. Residents were raising issues directly with the ward councillors rather than police, and whilst this was being passed on to police, the action that had been taken was not always fed back. The Superintendent agreed to forward the issue of keeping elected Member informed. Recruitment of PCSOs was being undertaken this year, and the superintendent outlined the need to ensure an equal spread of PSCOs across the wards.
- Issues of Antisocial Behaviour around George Street bridge were also raised, and reports of online racial comments about this incident. The Superintendent was unaware of the online comments around this incident, and would discuss this with Inspector Crawley.