Agenda item

(Mr. P. Murray, Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, and Mrs. E. Boyle, Policy and Business Development Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

 

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.     Key Issues

 

The antisocial behaviour programme contributes to the achievement of the departmental vision of providing quality parks, open spaces and leisure environments that people value and use. In particular, it enables the delivery of the departmental objective regarding the provision of programmes and services to make people feel safer. In line with the departmental plan, the objectives of the antisocial behaviour programme are to:

 

·         enhance the environment around Parks and Leisure facilities;

·         develop education initiatives involving creative or supportive interventions to model acceptable behaviour around Parks and Leisure facilities;

·         define enforcement as a deterrent against infraction of bye-laws or legislation; and

·         develop sustainable interagency and inter-departmental networks and leading a partnership approach to reducing antisocial behaviour.

 

The Antisocial Behaviour Coordinator prioritises action and expenditure by collating evidence gathered through antisocial behaviour incident reports. This information is used to inform a coordinated partnership response, drawing on council resources, the support of local community resources, PSNI and the Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

 

Members will recall that a new ASB incident recording system was implemented in February 2012. The new CRM system records more detail than the previous Flare system and a substantial increase in the number of reported ASB incidents was expected due to the improved categorisation of ASB

 

1.1 Trends in the available ASB incident data

 

The evidence available for June to August 2012 indicates a slight seasonal increase in antisocial behaviour, especially in park areas in Balmoral, Court, Lagan Bank, and Old Park.

 

1.2 The data for the period September to December 2012 indicates a decreasing trend of ASB. The rate of the decrease in ASB between June to December 2011 and June to December 2012 is significantly different. In 2012, incidents of ASB declined sharply between summer (June to August) and autumn (September to December) whereas they declined marginally in 2011.

 

1.3  Previous Interventions

 

There are a number of interventions that will have contributed to the reduction in expected ASB reports:

 

§  During the months June to September 2012 in Old Park, in Marrowbone, walls were removed, fencing and gates were redesigned to restrict access from youths and increase the capacity of PSNI to identify youths gathering in the park.

§  In Old Park, in the Waterworks, a series of mobile CCTV van visits were planned in conjunction with the PSNI in support of the wishes of surrounding communities to reduce tensions in June and July.

§  In Lagan Bank, in Botanic Gardens, there was a group of drinkers that had repeatedly congregated at the bandstand and a series of joint operations were initiated in partnership with the PSNI to remove them.

§  A series of mobile CCTV van visits were also planned in Botanic Gardens and Ormeau Park to reduce the numbers of drinkers gathering.

§  In Balmoral, in Musgrave Park, Wedderburn and Woodlands, a number of fencing improvements, a series of joint operations with the PSNI and use of mobile CCTV van patrols was initiated to reduce the numbers of drinkers using the sites.

§  In Court, the closure of Woodvale park has had a significant effect on the decreasing number of ASB incident reports.

 

1.4 The available data provides an accurate ASB profile for each park. The parks with the most incident reports suffer the following ASB issues:

 

         Falls Park: Drink, Littering and Rowdy behaviour

         Alexandra Park: Substance abuse, Drinking and Rowdy behaviour

         Waterworks: Drinking and Rowdy behaviour

         Botanic Gardens: Drinking and Rowdy behaviour

         Ormeau Park: Rowdy Behaviour and Vehicle nuisance

         Woodvale: Drinking and Vandalism

         Musgrave: Drinking and Rowdy behaviour

         Cavehill: Animal problems

         Victoria: Animal problems

 

1.5     Future Interventions

 

         The profile of incidents above demonstrates that specific interventions are required to reduce specific ASB. The use of mobile CCTV will be programmed to attend parks during the lighter evenings to deter drinkers and rowdy behaviour. The development of the approach to Young adult association areas will continue in Falls, Botanic and Musgrave. Ormeau Park will benefit from further restrictions to vehicular access and options will be explored with the Park Manager. Enforcement operations will be scheduled in Cavehill and Victoria Parks to reduce the impact of Animal problems.

 

         The electoral area which continues to show an overall increase of ASB incidents in parks areas, is Old Park. In the period of February to March 2013, the ASB coordinator will liaise with local Councillors, Park Managers and PSNI in order to identify appropriate interventions which will respond to the particular profile of ASB in the area.

 

         Members will recall the report to committee detailing the Young Adult Association areas (December 2012). The development of these sites are ongoing, they are designed to reduce the incidents of damage, littering and rowdy behaviour. The proposals are attracting positive comments from PSNI and community partners. Although these interventions are not appropriate for every park area in Belfast, there are a number

 

         of alternatives such as weekend education initiatives designed to attract participation from young people, which may be more appropriate for the Old Park area. A report will be brought back to members following any development or evaluation.

 

1.6     Park Warden developments

 

The internal resource used to reduce incidents of ASB is the deployment of Park Wardens. They have recently attended formal training led by the Association of Public Sector Excellence which was designed to support them in adopting statutory enforcement powers and inform their understanding of the legal framework underpinning enforcement operations.

The partnership between the Dog Wardens, Litter Wardens, Get Home Safe Officers and Park Wardens has been very successful in providing a series of joint working opportunities and the necessary support to issuing fixed penalty notices.

 

2.      Resource Implications

 

         The development of the programme will be facilitated through the agreed antisocial behaviour budget 2012-13 which is approximately £250,000.

 

3.      Equality and good relations implications

 

Much of the antisocial behaviour programme work spans activities related to reducing interface tensions and bringing youth together to take part in positive programmes and activities.  All of the programme work is in line with the council’s equality and good relations policies and procedures.

 

4.      Recommendations

 

Members are asked to note the contents of this update report.”

 

            During discussion, a Member, on behalf of the Chairman, requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting which would outline the extent of antisocial activity at the Marrowbone Millennium Park and that officers from the Department consult with the Police Service of Northern Ireland to ascertain the number of incidents which had been recorded by that organisation at the vicinity. In response, the Director undertook to submit a report in this regard to a future meeting.

 

            Further Members requested that information be circulated in relation to the number of incidents which had been recorded at the Knocknagoney Linear Park, particularly in respect of abandoned vehicles, and in regard to the overall number of incidents reported at the Ballysillan Playing Fields.

 

            A further Member referred to the ongoing levels of antisocial activity taking place at the Woodlands Playing Fields and requested that officers assess and secure the number of unauthorised access points to the venue.  He requested also that officers from the Department consult with a full range of statutory bodies and agencies to address any issues which might arise at the venue during the weekend surrounding St. Patrick’s Day.  In response, the Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator pointed out that officers from within the Department would liaise with the local Community Safety Partnership and the Police Service of Northern Ireland in advance of St. Patrick’s Day to address, in partnership, any anticipated problems which could arise in this regard.  In respect of the securing of access points to the Playing Fields, he indicated that an audit in this regard would be undertaken.  

 

            A Member referred to a number of incidences which had been reported in the local media of organised gatherings which had been arranged through social media networks at both the Alexandra Park and the Waterworks in north Belfast.  The Director responded by indicating that officers from within the Department would continue to monitor the situation in conjunction with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

 

            Concern was expressed in relation to damage which had been caused recently to a number of football pitches within Ormeau Park by scrambler-type motor bikes and it was requested that measures be put in place to secure access to the pitches, particularly at the Ozone entrance to the park at the Ormeau Embankment.  In response, the Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator outlined the range of cost-effective measures which might be considered to address the issue raised, including the feasibility of erecting a purpose-built fence in conjunction with work which was ongoing in the establishment of a 3G pitch at the site. He indicated that further information would be submitted to the Committee in due course.

 

            After further discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided.