Agenda item

Sergeant James Ross from Kent Police led the first half of the presentation on this item and made the following key comments:

• Reports had been made regarding anti-social behaviour by young people within the Ramsgate Town Centre particularly near the KFC and Subway shops;
• Police had been conducting dispersals in those areas mostly on weekends;
• Youth Engagement Officers have also been conducting home visits. These were very effective ways of engaging the youths involved in unacceptable behaviour;
• There was gradual decline in reports in the areas under review;
• Ramsgate now has seven PCSOs, up from three a few months ago;
• As a result of the increased number of PCSOs Ramsgate had clearly benefited from a rise in visibility

CI Adley then led the second half of the presentation for this item and added the following key comments:

• In Margate a huge amount of work was done during the half term break as Police issued dispersal orders to young people;
• Police were responding to reports of ASB including public order offences;
• Some arrests were made and reports were made by Police to parents and schools.

In response to the two presentations, Members made comments and asked questions as follows:

·  At the Corporate Performance Review Working Party meeting held on 15 February 2018, Members received a performance report that indicated that there 120 crime incidents per thousand reported as at December 2017. This had gone from 94 per thousand in the previous year for the same period under review;

·  This is the kind of information that is highlighted by the local press and gets the attention of the local communities;

·  Some areas experience what could be considered as intimidation by youths who congregate at certain locations in the district;

·  There were concerns that a community hall in Garlinge was also subject of anti-social behaviour with some broken windows and residents in that neighbourhood feeling intimidated by groups of youth that congregate at that hall;

·  Was the PREVENT project that was aimed at protecting young people from extremist tendencies still in place?

In responses to Member comments and questions, CI Adley, Sgt Ross, Penny Button and Trevor Kennett explained as follows:

• Yes, there had been an increase in reported crime incidents, with a rise of 27% between October 2016 and September 2017. However this should be taken in contest of changes to crime reporting and recording;
• The data for all victim based crime has seen an increase across the force; officers follow strict Home Office guidelines when investigating and recording crime and many single crimes recorded previously are now recorded as multiple crimes. For example, previously if four people were found fighting outside a nightclub and it was not clear who was in the right or wrong one report of affray would have been recorded whereas now four counter allegation of assault and one of affray could be recorded;
• Furthermore, improvements in crime recording and improved victim confidence in coming forward have played a significant part in these figures both locally and nationally. These figures should start to level out from May 2018 onwards as true comparisons become easier;
• There has been a 15.8% decline in antisocial behaviour in Thanet. This was higher performance figures than the county average and it was a good news story;
• Currently there were two PCSO Youth Engagement Officers who have been engaging youth in the district, particularly those vulnerable to antisocial behaviour highlighting likely problems;
• There were now four PCSOs assigned to Broadstairs, with a fifth one stationed at Westwood Cross who can be called as back-up;
• A PCSO was now dedicated to Garlinge and Salmerstone patrols as from end of February;
• PREVENT was still an operational national project.
• Officers will check with KCC and advise Members on the focus of PREVENT project in Thanet.

Members agreed to review the crime statistics at a future meeting after May 2018.

The working party noted the report.