To receive an update from Tom Brettell, Senior Community Enablement Officer

Tom Brettell gave a brief verbal update on the Our Place Programme (a full presentation was given at the previous meeting):

• Shrewsbury is part of a national programme focussing on place and on new and innovative ways of working
• It focusses on developing a “Team Shrewsbury” philosophy of all agencies and organisations working more effectively together to manage the town
• 4 key areas of work:- Begging, Inappropriate/ anti-social driving and cycling, drug misuse in public places and drug and alcohol misuse as part of the night time economy.
• Currently developing a full delivery plan for the programme which will define the full scope of work and will involve consultation
• A further update will be given at the next meeting

Sgt Richard Coles updated the group on Local Policing:

• Lots of very positive changes are coming about as part of the Our Place Programme including a weekly operational meeting between key agencies and organisations to share intelligence on key issues.
• Progress is being made on the begging and rough sleeping issues where lots of effort is being put into supporting key individuals but a stronger enforcement angle being implemented.
• The Front Counter service at the Riverside Police station has now closed.
• The Severn Loop area has maintained the same levels of policing and there is currently no threat of this changing.

A number of questions were then raised:

Q: Has the recent policy of the street lights being switched off had any impact on crime?

A: Currently no evidence to suggest that it has had an impact but this will be monitored carefully

Q: at the last meeting queries were made about a community engagement bus- has progress been made on this?

A: Yes, we are looking at ways to develop the role of the mobile police station

Cllr Townsend raised concern over the Belle Vue ward. Although on the periphery of the town centre it is often affected by the same pressures. There also appears to have been a loss of visual presence of the Police. The area has the biggest primary school in Shropshire with all sorts of traffic issues that the PCSOs were key to managing.

A: It is a big challenge to efficiently police but to continue to reassure the public. PCSO’s should be as visible as they were as there has been no depletion of numbers. Sgt Coles will take this concern back.

Q: Is there scope to further improve communications between the police and the community with simple measures such as simple notices in corner shops or greater publicity of the Mobile Police Station?

A: Any opportunity is very welcome and it is a challenge to WMP to publicise more.

Cllr Bannerman reminded people that the Police like to be contacted and given intelligence using the 101 number. The example of recent issues in Old St Chad’s Churchyard was given where intelligence from the community is vital.

Cllr Williams emphasised that the feeling is that PCSO presence has declined and where very strong relationships had been built up there was a fear of them being lost.  Continually concerned over the drip, drip loss of front line services and this message does need to be fed back.