Present:

Councillor M Gausden

Mr L Vivian

Councillor P Holden-Brown

ADO C Stephens

SDO C Bacon

SubO S Evans

DO A Hiney

White Watch Personnel

1

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Councillor Cartwright, Councillor Chapman, Councillor Snaith and DCFO Bonney.

2

STATION COMMUNITY SAFETY ACTION PLAN

The meeting commenced with an audit of the Station Community Safety Action Plan. SubO Evans detailed the White Watch section of the C54 St Mary's Plan and spoke of a number of difficulties encountered locally particularly that of language and access. The need to foster partnership via community leaders was spoken about. Councillor Gausden recommended that contact should be made to the local Councillor for the St Mary's area to facilitate dialogue with the community.

3

BUSINESS MEETING

Minutes of the Last Meeting

These were read and accepted as a true record.

4

MATTERS ARISING

4.1

Residential Sprinklers Seminar

Arrangements have been finalised to hold the seminar on Monday 27 May at the St Mary's Football Stadium.

5

COMMUNITY SAFETY ACTIVITY

5.1

Schools Challenge Crew

A third teaching assistant has been appointed to enable the team to provide proper support to the Key Stage Three (11-14) programme. The schools team are meeting the local performance indicator to see at least 90% of all children in all key stages in the Key Stage One and Three. However it is only proving possible to visit about 45% of pupils in the Key Stage Two (7-11 years). The Key Stage Two scheme will be evaluated to seek a solution to the problem.

5.2

Youth Liaison

5.2.1

Young Firefighters

The groups at Andover and St Mary's are now well established and their training needs are being addressed. Discussions are taking place with other stations to expand the scheme. Funding for individual groups is being sought via sponsorship/local initiative.

5.2.2

Firesetters

The number of referrals to the scheme continues to grow and the management of the scheme is under evaluation.

5.3

Arson Intervention

Mr Les Vivian explained the background to the arson forum and of his role as the Forum Co-ordinator. The major areas of concern for the forum are the incidence of car and school fires.

A car clear project has been initiated with Southampton City Council which enables owners to dispose of rather than abandon cars. The City Council has arranged for these cars to be collected and disposed of; the owners having handed in log books etc at Redbridge Fire Station. Evaluation of the project is showing a reduction in the number of car fires and it is intended that the lessons of the scheme will be recommended to other authorities where car fires are a major problem.

The response to deliberate fires in school premises includes a joint approach with Mr Vivian, the Youth Liaison Officer and the Teaching Adviser co-ordinating any potential help to the school management to resolve/prevent arson attacks.

5.4

Prince's Trust Volunteers

Arrangements are well advanced to commence Team One of the Princes Trust volunteers at St Mary's Fire Station on the 10 June 2002. Team One will be lead by Police Constable Nicki Smith and Charlotte Jess from the YMCA. SubO Simon De'Ath has been appointed to co-ordinate the project and to lead alternate teams. The scheme will assist 16-25 year olds who are unemployed and through attendance on the 12 week programme gain basic skills and self confidence via team work.

5.5

Community Support Team

The two members of the team have now been appointed and will commence operations in mid June. The team will attend domestic fires across the county to help promote safety issues arising from incidents to the local community and then to the wider community via the media. They will also support the community in the aftermath of incidents involving major injury or fatality.

5.6

Home Risk Assessment

HFRS has organised a meeting of all the District Authority "Home Check" schemes to explore potential for partnership approach and to remove any duplication of effort.

5.7

Best Value Revue - Fire Safety

SDO Bacon detailed the outline for a full Best Value review of fire safety which will include elements of community safety. The review team should report by the end of this year.

6

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Monday 12 August 2002 at 1430 hours at C53 Redbridge Hill Fire Station