Hampshire Police Authority

Crime Prevention Panel

25 July, 2002

Progress Reports

Report of the Consultant to the Panel

Since the last full meeting of the Crime Prevention Panel on 23 May, 2002 the following monitoring and evaluation reports have been received, a summary of which is produced below.

1. THE BASINGSTOKE AND DEANE PARENTING FORUM - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN JULY, 2001

This grant was made by the Panel in order that the Basingstoke and Deane Parenting Forum could move forward on three key initiatives which included the training of facilitators, the development of community based support groups and the general promotion of the parent support group concept. During the past year considerable progress has been made on all three fronts including the training of 15 further facilitators and the opening of two community based support groups in areas of high need in Basingstoke. Other venues are being pursued and it is hoped eventually to run six separate programmes. The general work of the organisation has been considerably enhanced by the appointment of a volunteer secretary and the Basingstoke scheme has recently joined the National Parenting Education Forum which acts as an umbrella organisation and a vehicle for the dissemination of best practice.

2. NEW FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL - THE CLAYFIELD FOOTBALL PROJECT, HYTHE - GRANT OF £2,500 MADE ON 25 OCTOBER, 2001

This grant was made by the Panel to bring a youth football project to the Hythe area of the New Forest following the great success of a similar project in the Ringwood area, which had been instrumental in a substantial reduction of juvenile crime and nuisance on the nights on which it was being run.

The scheme began in October, 2001 with initially very small numbers attending on a Friday night but it soon rose to an average of 60-80 young people attending the sports centre and the sporting activities increasing at young people's request to include skating, boxing, table tennis, aerobics and netball.

In partnership with the New Forest District Council, Police Authority money was spent mainly on the provision of the venue and hiring the trained staff with young people paying £1 to take part. There is a mechanism to enable those who can't afford it to participate in order that they are not excluded. A core of the young people who use the facility have formed an informal committee and are now raising their own funds through running a tuck shop, the proceeds of which they intend to use for the purchase of sports equipment and organised trips.

As far as crime and juvenile nuisance are concerned it has been shown that there has been over a 40% reduction in criminal damage and a further 50% reduction in juvenile nuisance in the area on the night the project operates.

In order to take it further and develop a very good start it has been decided to seek further funding from the Government and Local Authority to extend the number of nights on which the project operates and also to extend it to the school holidays.

The scheme has been a resounding success and is now being used as a template for similar schemes elsewhere in the New Forest.

3. THE HELP EAST COWES KIDS HOLIDAY ACTIVITY PROGRAMME - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN JULY, 2001

This grant was made by the Panel to provide a comprehensive range of holiday activities for young people aged 4-11 years in the East Cowes area of the Isle of Wight.

Due to the funding provided by the Panel the scope of the project has increased to include children upto 13 years of age. One of the key aspects of the project was that the scheme would operate during all school holidays not just the Summer school holidays and provide holiday club activities for 11 weeks of the year.

Amongst other objectives it would provide 50 places per session and be open from 7.45 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. each day. All these goals were achieved with the exception of one week in the October half term holiday when the hours were curtailed due to the lack of availability of suitably qualified staff.

Approximately 50% of the grant was used to purchase equipment which represents an investment for the future with the remaining monies being spent on the activity programme for the young people participating.

4. THE DIOCESE OF WINCHESTER - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN FEBRUARY, 2002 FOR AN AWARENESS AND TRAINING PROGRAMME REGARDING CHILD PROTECTION FOR CHURCH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

The following represents a brief interim report in respect of this programme. The content and management of the training programme has now been developed together with the associated training notes. The programme began on the 18 May this year with a full training day for interested parties at the Mountbatten School, Romsey.

5. THE PHOENIX COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION - GRANT OF £2,000 MADE IN JULY, 2001 FOR YOUTH CLUB PROVISION

This grant was made by the Panel in order to enhance the provision for young people in the youth facilities of the Phoenix Community Association.

As the increased activities and range of equipment came on stream the numbers attending the youth club have steadily increased and over the last two months in particular there has been an increase in interest by young people from the area who as yet have not taken up membership. The association have run a number of special activities including discos, football and sporting competitions with occasional outings to other venues chosen by the young people themselves.

Particular attention is being paid to the involvement of disabled people and the association is actively negotiating in several areas to expand the activities in accordance with the needs of disabled young people. At the same time considerable effort has been concentrated on forming a "Kids Council" as it is evident that local young people want to contribute their views into the local community. Currently a full range of activities is being developed for the summer as is the possibility of the installation of IT equipment in the centre for use by young people.

6. THE HAMPSHIRE HORSE WATCH - GRANT OF £3,700 MADE IN OCTOBER, 2000 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PUBLICITY MATERIAL

Whilst I have previously reported to the Panel the progress of this initiative on the 25 April this year the Hampshire Constabulary in conjunction with Hampshire Horse Watch took delivery of a Toyota 4x4 vehicle which is sponsored by Marshall Rolfe Toyota of Southampton. The vehicle will be used as a general purpose police vehicle on divisions plus attendances at special appropriate shows and events and be marked with Hampshire Police and Hampshire Horse Watch Livery.

7. SOUTHAMPTON CHILDREN'S PLAY ASSOCIATION - GRANT OF £3,500 MADE IN JULY, 2001 FOR THE FREEMANTLE (SHIRLEY) JUNIOR CLUB INITIATIVE

The Freemantle Junior Club reopened formally in October, 2001 and over the past six months has been involved in providing a wide range of opportunities for children aged between 5 and 13 to take part in a number of activities and learn new skills. Through a door to door leaflet drop and linking with local schools the numbers have increased substantially and links with the Residents Association have improved communication in the area in order to meet the needs of local young people. Many of the children from the centre which is an area of identified high need, have taken part in the Salisbury Festivals Trees Project and produced material which will be displayed at the festival.

Already following the reopening further areas of need have been identified locally and these include the provision of a youth club and detached youth workers.

A fuller evaluation of the scheme will be made after 12 months of operation.

8. THE ANDOVER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FORUM - GRANT OF £900 MADE IN OCTOBER, 2001 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTACT CARDS

After the final costs were established a further 8,400 domestic violence cards were produced with the grant from the Authority. A comprehensive network was established to ensure that the cards are widely distributed throughout the Test Valley and surrounding areas. The cards were particularly welcomed by local health professionals, as the domestic violence forum have long been aware that victims of domestic violence often present to GPs and health visitors but they were not always given information on the local services available.

Of particular interest is the way in which this scheme is being evaluated by measuring the level of self referral since the scheme was introduced and further examination on how that self referral took place. Prior to the inception of the scheme approximately 4% of all domestic violence was self referred and since the scheme has been in operation and the cards available this has increased to 18% self referral overall with monthly figures as high as 33% self referral being recorded.

9. THE WEST WIGHT SPORTS CENTRE, FRESHWATER, ISLE OF WIGHT - GRANT OF £2,500 TO IMPROVE CCTV COVERAGE OF THE SITE

This grant was made by the Panel to improve CCTV coverage in and around the West Wight's Sports Centre and the grant was specifically used to purchase three additional cameras located externally around the building as well as an additional multiplex monitor.

The new system has helped with the supervision of large numbers of young people who congregate in the car park outside and the local police have viewed video footage to follow up several incidents.

The introduction of the scheme was paralleled by a zero tolerance policy regarding bad behaviour within the centre and all crimes no matter how minor are reported to the local police.

The presence and availability of the cameras have undoubtedly helped to enforce this policy whereas either in isolation may not have been successful.

Consultant's Note

This scheme which is already in place should complement the provision of skate park facilities which are currently about to be constructed near the centre.

10. THE HIGH SHERIFF'S CRIME BEAT AWARD, ISLE OF WIGHT - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN JULY, 2001

This grant was made by the Panel to kick-start at least 20 crime prevention nuisance reduction initiatives designed for and by young people under the High Sheriff's Crime Beat Award (Isle of Wight).

To ensure that the project was dynamic and moving constantly forwards it was recognised prior to the grant by the Panel that there would be a need for a salaried part-time co-ordinator and this funding has now been approved through the South East Economic Development Agency (SEEDA) and the co-ordinator when appointed will work alongside the Isle of Wight Community Safety Team.

Whilst waiting for the funding to become available the project has not stood still and much of the infrastructure work has been completed with the printing of essential publications, the purchase of equipment to assist entrance including the printing of a project book and the presentation event on the Isle of Wight is planned for the future.

A further report will be made to the Panel in due course after the project is established.

11. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY YOUTH SERVICE - YOUTH WORK INCLUDING YOUTH SHELTER IN THE NORTH CAMP AREA OF ALDERSHOT - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN MAY, 2001

The Youth Shelter for North Camp at Aldershot which was part of this programme has now been installed and has been highly successful in drawing young people away from areas where they came into conflict with the police and local residents. Feedback from the local police and military police suggested that the level of teenage nuisance reported has dramatically reduced compared to a year ago. This shelter in the Aldershot area was seen as a pilot project and its success has led to other agencies, councillors and residents identifying the need for more shelters across the borough and in response to this a number of funding applications have been made to install six other shelters within the Rushmoor area.

I will report to the Panel on the detached youth work aspect of this project when details are available.

12. OAKLEIGH YOUTH COUNCIL - GRANT OF £4,000 MADE IN JULY, 2001 FOR THE PROVISION OF A SKATE PARK

This grant made by the Panel represented the first portion of funding for this project which had an overall estimated cost in excess of £20,000. The Oakleigh Youth Council in conjunction with the Parish Council made various funding applications to secure the remainder of the necessary finance at a time in the financial year when very limited funding was available. Their applications were deferred until this financial year and it is likely the money will be secured shortly from the District Council.

In the meanwhile the project has not stood still and the planning has gone ahead which will ensure that when the funding is available the project will actually proceed soon afterwards.

It is hoped that the level of funding available will ensure that not only a skate park is constructed but other facilities for young people on an adjacent sight. I will report to the Panel in due course when the project is actually completed.

13. HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT YOUTH OPTIONS - GRANT OF £2,500 MADE IN OCTOBER, 2001 FOR RESIDENTIAL TRAINING SCHEME FOR IDENTIFIED YOUNG PEOPLE AND THOSE ON THE EDGE OF EXCLUSION

This project will be the subject of a short video presentation at the beginning of the Panel's meeting on the 25 July, 2002.

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