Inspector Garry Neil will be in attendance to give an overview and answer questions about policing and any community safety matters in the Tynedale area.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Inspector Garry Neil to the meeting to give an overview and answer questions about policing in the East and West Tynedale command areas.
Inspector Neil explained that he had been appointed as the Neighbourhood Inspector for Tynedale in September 2020 following Inspector Bridges retirement. He highlighted the following:
· A new resourcing model had been implemented by Northumbria Police at the beginning of 2020 which had seen a 40% increase in resources in the rural area. This included the creation of a Rural Crime Team, for which he was the Inspector. The team included a sergeant, 2 detective constables, 3 constables and a civilian analyst. They concentrated on poaching, plant and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) theft. Significant results had recently been achieved with an organised crime group located in Stocksfield, Prudhoe and South Shields; a number of warrants had been executed and plant recovered.
· 50 rural crime volunteers had been recruited, mainly in the west, and more were being actively sought. Training was provided on reporting incidents, evidence required, grading of risk and radio training.
· Statistics were provided for the previous 12-month period and how these had changed due to Covid:
· The number of incidents had reduced by 4,444 (11%) crimes in the Northern Area Command.
· East Tynedale – 5% increase in offences violence against the person primarily without injury (harassment, stalking, public order offences). Reduction in burglary dwelling 40 offences less (36%). Anti-social behaviour had increased by 100% with residents reporting neighbours for having visitors when covid restrictions were in place and for travelling to rural locations.
· 34% and 40% increase in domestic abuse in East and West Tynedale respectively due to relationships breaking down and indivdiuals spending more time at home together and relationships breaking down due to this and child access issues.
· West Tynedale – 14% reduction in overall crime, 20% increase violence against the person (60 offences), vehicle crime down 60%, burglaries down 50%.
· Priorities included:
- Staff coverage and availability of staff due to the individual or family member needing to shield, or having to self-isolate due to testing positive for Covid.
- Investigating reports of visitors.
- Speeding.
- Vulnerability and sex offender visits.
- Domestic abuse victims who all received a safeguarding follow up call.
Members of the Committee discussed a number of issues and responses were given as follows:
· The Inspector agreed that staff or cameras would be deployed to investigate concerns or public perception of speeding in the following areas: Allendale Road and Corbridge Road in Hexham, A695 around the schools in Stocksfield, Bardon Mill.
· It was comforting to residents to see ‘bobbies on the beat’. More staff had been recruited with 40% located in rural areas, including Hexham.
· The boundary between East and West Tynedale was located to the west of Corbridge, Matfen, Ryal, Ingoe, Belsay, Kirkharle.
· A meeting was scheduled to be held the following day with colleagues from Cumbria and Durham police forces and representatives from the Forestry Commission and National Park regarding motorbikes on rural roads. This had increased during the milder weather in the last couple of weeks. These journeys could not be classed as essential whilst lockdown restrictions were in place.
· Fewer vehicles on the road meant that it was easier to spot individuals that should not be there. Use of members local improvement scheme funding to purchase ANPR cameras to protect communities from travelling criminals, traffic calming measures and speed surveys were also welcomed as it was difficult to cover a large rural area.
· He supported a reduction in speed on the A69 in the vicinity of Bardon Mill.
· The Community Speed Watch programme had not stopped during the pandemic as that type of activity was permitted under the Covid legislation but depended on whether participants were from the same household. Details of volunteers willing to register for training would be circulated by email after the meeting.
· Concerns regarding whether individuals regularly seen in Hexham were professional beggars or modern-day slaves. The police had powers under the Vagrancy Act of 1824 and Public Spaces Protection Order. They were aware of the issue and were investigating.
The Chair and members thanked Inspector Neil for attending the meeting and also for the professionalism and efficiency of his police colleagues.
RESOLVED that the update be received.