Issue - meetings

Councillor John White, the Lead Member of the Safer and Stronger Community Select Committee, introduced the report and outlined some of the key recommendations arsing from the review. He offered his thanks to Members and Officers who contributed to the review and concluded that the Borough should not be punishing or demonising young people but should integrate them into society. 

Councillor Lee Waker commended the report and stated that consultations and surveys are an effective way of engaging with young people and this should be done across all wards throughout the Borough.

Councillor Justice remarked that the Borough had a number of buildings that could be used to provide facilities for children and young people and expressed the view that more should be done to realise these opportunities.

Councillor Bailey also commended the report and expressed the view that young people were not receiving enough support and that some faith groups are better resourced to cater for young people in their own communities compared to those young people outside the faith communities.

Responding to both Councillor Justice and Bailey’s comments, Councillor McDermott stated that a number of schools in the Borough were now open in the evenings enabling young people to socialise after school hours. He stressed that these facilities should be publicised to young people.

Councillors R Gill, the Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Wellbeing, and Councillor Vincent added that there were facilities and activities in place for young people to socialise throughout the Borough, citing the youth club in Longbridge Ward as a good example. This facility and others had proved to be successful and attracted young people from all nationalities. Similarly, the StreetBase Cards initiative had also been extremely successful in the Longbridge Ward and would be rolled out across the Borough.

The Assembly therefore agreed the following recommendations:

1. That the Group Manager for Engagementshould lead on consulting the Youth Council and the Older People’s Forum on ways in which the barriers that exist between generations can be broken down. This consultation could take the form of a joint event for these groups to discuss intergenerational issues.

2. That consideration be given to carrying out a marketing campaign to achieve the following:

·  Promotion of how the Council is working to address ASB in the borough

·  Raising awareness of what support is available to victims of ASB

·  Challenging negative perceptions and stereotyping of young people in relation to ASB

And that this work be led by the Divisional Director of Community Safety and Neighbourhood Services, and requests that a report on progress against this target be brought back to the Committee within six months.

3. That the Integrated Youth Support Services gives consideration to incorporating the use of local radio stations into its marketing strategy.

4. That further effort and resources be identified and dedicated to supporting victims of anti-social behaviour.

5. That the Council investigate the pros and cons of part-funding additional police officers and bring a report back to Committee Members by no later than July 2010.

6. That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83

The Select Committee’s main report has been circulated under separate cover.

Received and noted the draft final report of the Safer and Stronger Community Select Committee (SSCSC) which presents the findings from the in-depth review of the issue of anti-social behaviour perpetrated by and against young people in the borough, conducted by the SSCSC over the past nine months.  The Lead Member, Councillor White, introduced the report and outlined some of the key aspects and recommendations arising from the review.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve the Community Priority of ‘Safe’, to commend the report to the Assembly.