The Community Safety Partnership for the Northfield Constituency has been operational since Nov 2004 with representation from the following agencies:

• West Midlands Police
• West Midlands Fire Service
• Birmingham City Council (Northfield)
• Youth Services
• Regulatory Services
• Housing Department
• Youth Offending Services

• Drug Treatment and Offender Management – Key focus: education and support for young people
• Violence and Vulnerability – key issues: domestic violence and hate crime
• Hotspots – areas of public concern.

a) Bushwood estate – Weoley

b) Nimmings Farm estate - Northfield

c) Nazareth estate - Longbridge

Northfield is piloting delivery of the Local Area Agreement targets. The NCSP is undertaking a strategic assessment of the Safer, Stronger, Cleaner block (SSC) and this will be posted on the district website as is available. The Strategic Assessment will inform the operational delivery plan for the four LAA blocks including SSC.

Background

During the early part of 2005, and prior to the establishment of the CPG’s, the NCSP’s main focus for delivery was through the four existing Safer Neighbourhood Projects, with one lying in the Weoley Ward covering the primary neighbourhoods of Trescott and St. Heliers, one in the Northfield Ward covering the Turves Green primary neighbourhood and two in the Longbridge Ward covering the Frankly primary neighbourhood. The projects have been successfully tackling the issues identified by the community as being the most important to them. The common themes they have all been addressing are ASB, the environment, burglary, youth provision, drugs, domestic violence and community development.

The sudden and unfortunate collapse of Rover in the spring required an immediate response from the district, and consequently the NCSP was temporarily sidelined whilst district resources were focussed on dealing with the crisis. Additionally, the chair of the NCSP, Supt. Simon Cross, left his post and it was some months before the newly appointed Supt, Andy Hunter, arrived.

The NCSP now has Tom Ambler acting up in position of Community Safety Coordinator since October 2005. In April 2006, this position will be formally advertised and appointed.

The NCSP reconvened in early autumn 2005 and the formal structure has been devised.

The four Core Priority Groups (CPG) established, mirror three of the central Birmingham CPG’s. A Hotspot CPG has also been added, which will look at emerging areas of concern highlighted by the police, housing dept. and the public.

Northfield Community Safety Partnership – Action Plans 2006

The following action plans are in the early stages of development and will aim to be implemented over the course of 2006. These will feature in the LAA Safer, Stronger, and Cleaner Operational Delivery Plan.

1. Safer Neighbourhoods Core Priority Group (CPG)

Key issues: Wounding, ASB, Vehicle Arson, Theft From Car, Criminal Damage, Graffiti

• Funds secured from the small grants pot for the development of a graffiti website designed to allow a coordinated approach to identifying tags and perpetrators – currently underway.
• Criminal damage:

Environmental blitzing days in Frankly hotspot. Partnership exercise to remove graffiti, door knock, fit alarms and clear rubbish

• False reporting pilot scheme (4 weeks) – joint venture between housing and Police to establish levels of false reporting. Home visits and fixed penalties – just completed. Await report.
• Arson and home safety scheme – to target small hotspot areas of the Constituency through compulsory home safety checks. Police, Fire and Housing partnership. Bushwood Road to be undertaken in May
• ASB Road-show – to be delivered around the Constituency at various locations to provide high visibility and promote reporting, including Police, housing, fire service and RSL’s
• Citizenship – joint partnership delivery in local schools 2006

2. Violence & Vulnerability CPG

Key issues: Hate Crime (Racism), Domestic Violence

Hate Crime Action Plan update:

• A focus group event involving 20 young people was delivered in Feb at Shenley Green Community Centre to establish the extent of the problem. A video of the event has been made.
• A district wide public event to discuss hate crime with adults to establish extent of the problem – both events will inform future action planning. Expected dates in April.
• To respond to the new race reporting policy.
• To deliver a comprehensive anti-racism programme aimed at young people. The proposals involve several arts based projects, wristband competition, school exchanges, race reporting centres tailored for young people and other inclusive activity

Domestic Violence Action Plan update:

• Agency directory and survivor packs to be launched Thurs March 30^th and distributed
• Duplicate aspects of Yardley DV campaign in Northfield? To be discussed after launch
• DV training for district staff working with vulnerable people
• Bespoke DV training for district staff working with young people
• Proposal for Women’s Aid to deliver domestic violence workshops in every school (29) in the district
• Awareness raising - Work with the Rep Theatre to stage a play involving previous victims of domestic abuse. A DVD will be produced to show in the community
• To develop a long term DV strategy, building capacity and resources within the district

3. Drug Treatment and Offender Management CPG

Key focus: Education and support for young people

Action Plan update:

• Develop mentoring scheme for young people at risk of serious drug misuse – partnership of YOT, HIAH and Police
• Proposal for a chemist treatment list scheme for identification of known class A drug users not accessing treatment, allowing police to monitor those most likely to be offending
• To work in local schools and through the extended schools programme - i.e. drugs awareness workshops
• Provide drugs, alcohol and sexual health training for front line staff working with young people, to build capacity within the Constituency.

4. Hotspot CPG

Bushwood Estate

• Enforcement group identifying core of offenders of ASB with a view to taking action
• Police agreed patrols with wardens
• Clear procedure for reporting, removing and profiling graffiti including scheduled patrols by caretakers and night security to help identify offenders
• Target hardening joint initiative to be delivered in the summer between the police and fire service (as mentioned under the Safer Neighbourhoods CPG)
• Joint newsletter to go out all residents - underway
• Monthly Police surgery in the concierge office - underway
• Address CCTV issue – ensure efficiency
• Pro-active work with young people once MUGA is in place i.e. sports development, outreach work
• Target hardening of the duck pond area i.e. fencing, lighting - underway

Contacts

Further information may be obtained about the work of the Northfield Community Safety Partnership by contacting Tom Ambler, the Constituency Community Safety Coordinator on 0121 464 2934

The Northfield Strategic Assessment - 2006/07

The document is a total of 12.7mb and 108 pages long. The document is saved in PDF format and has been split up into smaller file sizes for dial-up users.

To view, simply click the heading which suits you best.  To save the file onto your computer, right-click the heading and choose the 'save as' option from the drop-down menu.  Need a PDF Reader?>>

• For broadband users:

Northfield Strategic Assessment 06/07 - The full 12.7mb document

• For dial-up users:

Intro - Front Cover, Contents, Foreword, Acknowledgements, Introduction and Executive Summary (1.5mb)

Part 1 - Priority Locations (6.3mb)

Part 2 - Reducing Crime & Disorder: Performance Against Targets (3.2mb)

Part 3 - PESTELOM Issues (23.6kb)

Methodology - Incl. Appendices and Back Cover (1.7mb)