AGENDA ITEM

14

COMMITTEE: SOUTH AREA COMMITTEE

DALLOW FARLEY & SOUTH WARDS

DATE: THURSDAY 16TH JULY 2009

SUBJECT: AREA REPORT

REPORT BY: HEAD OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY

CONTACT OFFICER: GARY J. ROBERTS - 01582 546985

IMPLICATIONS:

LEGAL COMMUNITY SAFETY

EQUALITIES ENVIRONMENT

FINANCIAL CONSULTATIONS

STAFFING OTHER

WARDS AFFECTED: DALLOW FARLEY & SOUTH WARDS

PURPOSE

1. To bring before the committee an update on the issues that were raised following the last Area Committee held on the 10th March 2009

RECOMMENDATION (S)

2. The South Luton Area Committee are recommended to note the report and make recommendations on further action where required.

14/1 BACKGROUND

3. This report encapsulates the progress of the area committee since the implementation of the initiative in October 2001. In addition it includes information on projects and activities supported by the committee and following liaison and mediation with both internal and external service areas, pursues the concerns raised by both the local community and Members of the council.

REPORT

4. Members of the public who appear on the current database were informed of this meeting by post on the 18th June 2009 and publicity for this cycle of meetings appeared in the Luton & Express on the 1st 8th & 15th July and Luton News and Herald & Post on the 1st & 2nd July respectively. Additionally, posters in keeping with the new style advert and corporate approach to area committees were also dispatched to every General Practitioner, Dental Practice, Chiropodists, Chiropractors, Educational establishment, Library, Sports Centre, Community & Youth Centre, Day Centre, Places of Worship and Sheltered Housing provision, across the borough. The information gave dates for every Area Committee and was then followed up with specific information about the Area Committee, relevant to that area.

5. The Area Committee web site is regularly updated and can be accessed on www.luton.gov.uk/areacommittees

COMMUNICATION

6. I would like to remind the area committee that the area committee web pages on www.luton.gov.uk/areacommittees are regularly updated and members of the public can access all of the following on these pages:-

• Information – What are area committees? What are ward forums? • Dates of all meetings • Dates and information of all area tours • Ward Forum issues/updates • Agendas • Minutes • Reports • Area project proposal form

NEIGHBOURHOOD CRIME AND JUSTICE PIONEER AREA (N C & J)

7. The ongoing work under the NC&J agenda continues and Luton have been doing very well as a pilot area. When the Home Office were considering bids

14/2 from Local Authorities they had to be convinced of our determination to work with local communities to address local concerns about crime, anti-social behaviour and justice. We are working hard -

• to ensure that community payback is visible and tough • to let the public know their entitlement in the policing pledge so that they know their rights, know who their neighbourhood policing team are, how they can hold them to account and the minimum level of service they should expect

• to open up the criminal justice system so that there are clear and public consequences for criminals that the public get to know about, including more visible community payback

• to ensure that services and support for victims and witnesses like separate seating arrangements at court are up to scratch

• To identify Community Crime Fighters i.e. ordinary members of the community who will be trained and therefore equipped with the skills and know-how to play a stronger role in tackling crime. It will give tenants’ organisations and community groups a stronger voice, serving to strengthen links between the general public and the police.

• To make available funding ‘kitties’ to neighbourhood and community groups: The review found that small interventions, if properly directed, can have a dramatic effect. So the Government will encourage local authorities to provide funding to help tackle community safety problems, such as better lighting and more activities for young people. Much of this is already being achieved through the area committee and Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership

• To ensure that local crime information including online crime maps are made available. See www..police.uk click on the top of the page where is says ‘Safer’ and go to Crime Maps. 8. Despite what may be read in both the local and national newspapers crime in Luton is reducing significantly.

COMMUNITY CRIME FIGHTERS

9. Members will be aware that at the last meeting I reported on the above initiative and the training and support to a new legion of community crime fighters. Ordinary members of the public will be given the opportunity to work with police and local authorities to help make communities safer. The scheme will be offered to 800 Home Office ‘Taking a Stand’ award winners as well as others involved in tenants’ and residents’ groups

14/3 including Neighbourhood Watch and individuals already involved in their Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

10. Twenty people in Luton have already attended a training programme and there will be a send tranche of training in the autumn.

SAFER STREETS

11. Luton is one of a handful of areas that has been selected by the Home Office to pilot the new ‘Safer Streets’ website. It is designed to facilitate the sharing of information at a local level between the public and local organisations in the Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) such as the Council and the Police.

12. The web site is supported at the very highest level by the Prime Minister who at a recent conference said.. “The public themselves should be able to identify streets where they don’t feel safe and get their local force or council to take action, whether that means more police on the beat, more community support officers on local buses, or more street lighting and CCTV”.

The ‘Safer Streets’ website will • Help local agencies to identify issues of concern directly relevant to the local community and individuals, and co-ordinate their actions in a more targeted manner. • Enable local agencies to promote any safety related measures and initiatives that they have, or are introducing. • Be used to increase awareness of CDRP programmes and measures being taken to reduce crime in local area. • Increase public confidence in area. • Assist local agencies achieve performance targets, such as National Indicators.

How can the public get involved. • By going to the ‘Safer Street’ web site at www.direct.gov.uk/saferstreets you can report on issues that are taking place in your road/street and which are giving you cause for concern or it may be information that reflects something good about your street, road or ward. • You also have the opportunity to share generic information about your area. • Each report will generate a ‘Virtual Pin’, which we as the Local Authority will be able to see. The contribution of the public/local community will give us a clearer picture of what is really happening in the neighbourhoods.

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The future of the website…

The website is a tool to facilitate engagement between local agencies and local communities. As such, it is designed to be flexible and can be developed to reflect local priorities

AREA COMMITTEE ATTENDANCES

14. The following are up to date attendances at the South Luton Area Committee for the period May/June 2007 to March 2009

Area May September January March May September January March Committee & & October 2008 2008 & & October 2009 2009 cycle June 2007 June 2008 2007 2008 South Luton 47 25 30 30 35 35 47 30

AREA PROJECT

15. There are six applications for Members to consider at the meeting this evening.

Project Project Cost of Amount Number project requested DA 343 Next Generation Scheme £2,500 £2,500 Summer youth provision for young people in the 4 t0 16 year age group operating from Downside Junior School. ALL 344 AKEBA £6,500 £1,000 Akeba wishes to support the Change4Life Per area campaign and other health campaigns within its committee work to promote cultural awareness in the local community. Akeba currently delivers various cultural workshops, activities and educational events and would like to deliver a new focus to one of those events.

Fun days are in local parks are easily accessed by the community and a park is a perfect forum to launch this healthy living project as being active in green spaces is part of the overall ethos. It will be an all day event on the weekend to maximise its potential to reach the public.

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The application is being made to all area committees as we have found residents from all areas attend our events and it is more cost effective to hold one large event rather than five separate ones for this particular project. We also believe the project’s aims are better achieved when a larger group of the community are involved to spread the message and therefore the project is suitable as a town wide event.

The event can be delivered through a planning and delivery cycle of three months to enable the appropriate level of promotion to the public. SO 347 Dallow Youth Partnership £8,000 £2,000 The summer scheme will contain a range of activities that serve recreation, education and sports oriented purposes. By providing these activities, the youth can engage in worthwhile and productive activities.

The summer scheme will promote community cohesion, personal and social development; enhance leadership skills, all in a safe and enjoyable environment.

We hope to use a range of premise and youth centres including Denbigh High School, Dallow Primary, and Education Institute, to name a few. We’ll also take our member to centre Go Ballistic, Dunstable Down, Woburn Safari, London Aquarium and Compton Bay.

Part of the summer scheme will also include simians on drugs from Adibop and B;DAT and will arranged a Police Office from the community to deliver a lecture on crime issues, anti-social behaviour and other police issues. The summer scheme will be run over 4 weeks period and will be run by the Executive Committee and One Nation volunteer.

The Executive Committee will monitor it and we will evaluate our effects through questionnaire and evaluation form for our members. This will help to assess our achievement along with feedback and

14/6 response from parents and members of the community ALL 348 LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM £4,000 £500 per The aim of the project is to plan a one-day festival area on the 16th August 2009 with music and dance with committee. stalls also from a multi-cultural background. The extended summer festival stage has been granted from the Luton Cultural Trust and this will be used for singers, bands and dances from all cultures and religions.

The project will target events in 5 wards in partnership with other community groups, which will culminate into a major event. DA 351 Downside Senior Citizens Club £1,000 £1,000 To cover the rent of the premises. Wednesday afternoon 2pm to 4pm @ £20.00 per 2 hour session over 50 weeks. FA 356 Farley User Association £4,830 £2,000 This year is the 25th anniversary of the opening of Farley Community Centre and it is our intention to celebrate this with a bigger than usual annual festival to promote the Centre.

This year's festival will take place on Saturday 11th July 2009 between the hours of 11.00am and 4.00pm and then an evening event from 7.30pm to 10.00pm. The intention is to provide entertainment by way of stalls and attractions including inflatable, children's entertainer, barbecue and refreshments during the day.

There will also be demonstrations by some of the user groups and in particular Farley Amateur Boxing Club who will put on a demonstration of boxing training. We also promote various other services and charities.

In the evening it is proposed to have an entertainer and disco followed by a short firework display by a professionally hired firework display team as the grand finale to the event.

The event will target all sections of the community to ensure that everybody in Farley hill is included. Through the centre we have contact with the

14/7 following groups:

Saathi Ladies Group 50+ Bingo & lunch Clubs Youth Boxing Club Muslim Prayer Group Junior Fun and Youth Clubs Dance Clubs Outreach work will also take place to include other voluntary and statutory organisations within the Farley Hill Estate.

BUDGET UPDATE

16. The following table shows the budget for the South Luton Area Committee as at the 2nd July 2009.

South Luton Dallow, Farley & South Wards Balance brought forward from 2008/2009 £ 5,350.00 Budget allocation for 2009/2010 £12,000.00 Balance brought forward: £17,350.00

AREA TOURS

17. The Action Plans and issues that were raised during the course of past area tours can be viewed in the folder at the back of the hall. The new dates for the 2009/2010 Municipal Year have been set and have been circulated to Members and respective officers. These dates are also accessible on the area committee web pages.

PROPOSAL/OPTION

18. It is proposed that Members of the South Luton Area Committee note the report.

In terms of the application under the Area Committee Projects Scheme

Reference DA 343 Reference ALL 344 Reference SO 347 Reference ALL 348 Reference DA 351 Reference FA 356

14/8 Members may consider the following: - (i) Granting the full application. (ii) Making a different contribution towards the scheme. (iii) Deferring the application for future consideration. (iv) Refusing the application

EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

19. Much of the work conducted by the Area Committee will have an impact on Council services and will address issues such as accessibility, local participation and the general quality of life within the Borough.

COMMUNITY SAFETY IMPLICATIONS

20. A large amount of the work being pursued and undertaken by service areas and other outside agencies will make a major contribution to community safety and need to be considered alongside other schemes that may be under consideration or being implemented.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

21. Any contribution made by the Area Committee will be met from existing budgets.

ENVIRONMENT IMPLICATIONS

22. The implications of the work being undertaken will address and improve the environment, create safer communities and address the quality of life for local people.

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972, SECTION 100D

None

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