The meeting started with the police reporting the recorded crime figures for the past month. Because these statistics can be confusing and open to misrepresentation it was clarified that the figures relate to recorded or reported incidents, and not to actual crime figures. An example was given where someone had inadvertently rang the emergency number and this was recorded as a statistic although there had been no actual crime committed. This could have the undesired effect of distorting crime figures to make them look much worse than they actually are, so please be wary when someone quotes crime figures at you and they seem higher than they should be.
On a separate note, quite a few residents have approached us recently expressing their concerns that PACT meetings were becoming somewhat weighed down by housing issues when these ought to be addressed elsewhere. We were told that this was acting as a deterrent to people wanting to come to PACT meetings. It was becoming apparent that people were coming to our ward surgeries to report crime and police-related matters when they should have been directed to PACT meetings. Likewise, it has become clear over the past few months that one or two residents have been raising housing or council-related issues at PACT meetings when they would have been more effectively dealt with either at our ward surgeries or by direct contact with the council at: durham.gov.uk
So to try and restore the correct balance between PACT meetings and ward surgeries we recommended to residents that a local working group should be established to assess the impact locally of anti-social behaviour when it is linked directly to tenants and properties in the private rented sector. The group would then consider long-term and short-term options to deal with those problems and then monitor progress with any recommended measures. This proposal received overwhelming support from those residents present. We will now work with partners to establish the group as soon as practicable.
Please note that PACT meetings will continue to be held every month as usual to enable residents to come along and talk directly to the police and wardens about any crime, disorder or other police-related issues they might have. Equally, our regular monthly ward surgeries will continue as usual to enable people to meet us face to face to talk about any council related matters (please see post dated Friday 27 April for our ward surgery times and venues).
In the event of an incident police advice remains the same:
In an emergency call 999 or in a non-emergency call 101. Go to https://www.gov.uk/contact-police for additional information.
The main focus of the meeting on Wednesday was predictably the events of last weekend caused by an incident in Eighth Street, Blackhall Colliery. Three people had been arrested as a result, with two remanded in custody and the third released on bail to an address outside of the area. There had been a prolonged period of relative calm since the events in Tenth Street at the turn of the year so the incident in Eighth Street was greeted with considerable disappointment by all present and understandable anger from those residents directly involved.
There followed a discussion about the perceived failure of the criminal justice system, with residents suggesting that while the police were doing their level best against a backdrop of ongoing austerity with cuts to police numbers and local council budgets, there were additional problems created for communities further down the line when people who had been arrested were subsequently released by magistrates against the wishes of the police. This was leading to further criminal activity on our streets with an increase in fear of retaliatory attacks. Ultimately this was leading to a loss of confidence in the entire criminal justice system.
As we indicated on Wednesday evening we have now written to the Durham Police Crime and Victims Commissioner (PCVC) Ron Hogg to ask if he would be able to make representations at a co-ordinated level on behalf of our communities. We will report back on any developments as soon as we receive a response from the PCVC's office.
The next PACT meeting is scheduled for June and the police will release details closer to the time.
