Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Wallis Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Contact: Email: committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk  Direct line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

10.

Notes of previous meeting

To receive the notes of the meeting held on 13th November 2019

Minutes:

The notes of the meeting on 13th November 2019 were received.

11.

17.35pm Crime in Horsham Town

The Group will receive a presentation from Greg Charman, Health & Wellbeing / Community Safety Manager which will cover current crime, the District’s Safe and Well Partnership – Crime and Disorder Survey, 2020/21 Service Plan and the operation of the Warden Service

 

Ben Starns, Prevention Inspector, West Sussex Division, Sussex Police, has been invited to attend and contribute to the group discussion on crime and policing.

Minutes:

Cllr Kitchen was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Horsham Town Policy Development Advisory Group.

 

The Health & Wellbeing / Community Safety Manager and the Prevention Inspector for Horsham gave a presentation regarding Community Safety.  They outlined the legislation which had set out the community safety responsibilities of local government.  This included the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Police and Justice Act 2006.  Various organisations had a statutory duty to work together to reduce crime and fear of crime in their area.  This statutory partnership was known as the Safe and Well Partnership.  As well as statutory partners, most partnerships worked with non-statutory partners too.  Each partnership area had to produce an annual crime and disorder plan.  These partnerships had a duty of engagement.  They received a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner and had to decide how it was spent.  Performance was monitored.  The partnership used to look at focussed topics but it now had a geographical focus, mapping where problems existed.

 

The Prevention Inspector explained that the town centre had been identified as an area with youth disorder as had Roffey.  Operation Galley was a diversion scheme to try to help address the issue.  The police were going into schools and discussing with young people and their headteachers what the issues were which were causing the young people to get involved in anti-social behaviour.  The Prevention Officer had also met with Sainsburys Supermarket to discuss disorder in the Forum.  There would also be joint visits planned for the police and the fire and rescue.  He felt the different police teams needed to work together more closely and that this was an area he would focus on.

 

The Prevention Officer encouraged the reporting of crime / anti-social behaviour in order to build up a better picture of what was happening. Online reporting was particularly encouraged.

 

There was a discussion around county lines which whilst a problem involving vulnerable youths, were not thought to be as big a problem as in many other areas.

 

The Health & Wellbeing / Community Safety Manager noted that the Community Safety team at Horsham Council was a reasonable size compared to other authorities.  The Council had an Antisocial Behaviour Team co-located at the police station.  They liaised with people suffering anti-social behaviour.  The Council also had a warden service.  There were two wardens for the Town Centre Area.  There were 14 wardens district-wide.  The Public Space Protection Order which the Council had obtained had given it more powers to reduce anti-social behaviour such as free running.  CCTV cameras in the town centre were maintained by the District Council.  The Council also facilitated Pubwatch / Shopwatch. 

 

The Council were looking to invest money for fencing in Swan Walk Carpark to prevent suicides. 

 

12.

18.15pm Public Realm Strategy

The Group will receive a further presentation from the Building Design Partnership on the evolving Horsham Town Public Realm Strategy followed by a group discussion on emerging themes and proposals.

Minutes:

There was a presentation from Building Design Partnership (BDP) Consultants regarding the evolving Horsham Town Strategy.  The following issues were discussed:

·         Potential enhancements to the Carfax.

·         How to protect the town’s heritage.  BDP felt design needed to compliment the architecture.

·         Materials used and how to have a cohesive palette.  BDP felt too many would appear disjointed.

·         Planting.  BDP and the Group felt there needed to be more.

·         Legibility and quality of wayfaring signs.  BDP and the group felt there should not be too much or the area would appear cluttered.

·         Cycling / sustainable transport.  BDP felt pedestrians and cyclists would benefit from the provision of more pedestrianised ‘shared space’.  Cycling needed to be encouraged.

·         Use of space.  BDP felt that the town centre space could be future proofed by creating some flexible spaces to allow activities and events.

·         Lighting.  It was agreed better lighting was needed.

·         BDP suggested having a “green link” through the town centre north / south. 

·         It was suggested that buses should be prioritised in the town centre.

·         BDP felt the Causeway could be used as a better gateway to the town. 

·         BDP felt the Albion Way subway crossing could be removed and an “at grade” crossing provided to improve connectivity between the park and the town.

·         BDP felt Bishophric needed to be made more visually appealing with improved connectivity to John Lewis and Waitrose.

·         BDP felt that the Causeway should be a significantly improved public realm, which better reflected the historic character of this part of the town centre.

 

It was agreed that the following matters would be discussed at the next meeting of the group:

·         Queen Street

·         Activities for young people