Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       Further to previous agreements at People and Communities Committee, this report provides the agreed update on anti-social behaviour in parks and open spaces covering the August - December 2018 period.

 

1.2       At previous meetings, Members further agreed that initial work would be focussed on Falls Park/City Cemetery, Orangefield Park/Avoniel Park, Marrowbone, Dunville and Ballysillan.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to

 

·        note the progress against these actions and to receive a further progress report in due course.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       Current Context

 

Reported Anti-Social Behaviour To Council

 

Ongoing analysis of reports from members of the public, along with anti-social behaviour witnessed by Council Officers has identified the following parks/open spaces as having issues with persistent anti-social behaviour.

 

3.2       Please note figures provided below are for the period August – December 2018.

 

Park/Open Space	Area	Reported Anti-Social Behaviour Incidents
Falls Park/City Cemetery	West	60
Woodvale	West	26
Lenadoon Park	West	22
Jubilee Gardens	North	22
Marrowbone	North	19
Dunville Park	West	16
Girdwood	North	13

 

3.3       Please also note that the list below only represents the parks/open spaces with the highest numbers of reports of anti-social behaviour.  Reports of anti-social behaviour are received for other parks/open spaces across the city but at a much lower level.

 

Repairs at Parks/Open Spaces

 

3.4       As indicated above, anti-social behaviour is often under-reported.  Officers therefore regularly review requisitions for repairs at parks/open spaces due to vandalism, criminal damage or arson.

 

3.5       There has been a marked reduction in serious vandalism at the majority of parks/open spaces, however, vandalism remains persistent in many of the parks/open spaces highlighted above.

 

Member Feedback

 

3.6       Elected Members engage regularly with Officers articulating concerns about anti-social behaviour in parks/open spaces.  Officers have reviewed their Elected Members contact on this issue and the following parks/open spaces present most frequently as of concern:

 

 

Park/Open Space	Area
Falls Park/City Cemetery	West
Marrowbone	North
Orangefield/Avoniel	East

 

Animation/Programming

 

3.7       Progress to Date

 

·        Programmes of animation were undertaken at four locations which had been identified as having persistent challenges with anti-social behaviour.  These were Marrowbone Park, Ballysillan Park, Orangefield/Avoniel and Dunville Park.

 

·        Programmes included a range of internal Council services providing in kind assistance (Sports Development and Parks Outreach) as well as working with local youth workers from within their existing budgets.

 

·        Feedback has been gathered from a range of community and voluntary organisations operating around the parks/open spaces (including youth workers) on the programme.

 

3.8       Next Steps

 

·        Feedback is being reviewed and the next stage of animation is being designed with local partners.

 

·        The focus remains on low cost options and working with existing youth and community resources to sustain the animation for as long a period as possible.  The approach being followed is outlined below:

 

Ø  Lead Council Officer to work with all existing Council services to align existing service delivery to the priority parks/open spaces.

Ø  Local engagement with Elected Members, residents, agencies and youth/community groups to agree a programme.

Ø  Identify and align other existing programmes and initiatives in the area to maximise positive animation within the park/open space.

Ø  Review with local partners.

 

            Operational Co-ordination

 

3.9       Progress to Date

 

·        Weekly ASB contact list distributed by BCC containing contact details of Police, BCC Officers, Youth Workers and Translink to share information during weekend operations.

 

·        Weekly operational tasking meetings take place between Council, Police and other statutory agencies as needed to review operational priorities and plan for the week ahead.

 

·        Targeted collaborative operations with Council, PSNI, Youth Workers and Translink resources to disrupt ASB. A mobile lighting tower has been used to illuminate problematic parks during operations to disrupt ASB.   

 

3.10     Next Steps

 

·        Operational tasking meetings to take place between Council, Police and other statutory agencies to plan for mid-term break and St. Patricks Day.

 

·        DPCSP funded Youth Outreach project focusing on Transient Youth starting on 8th February 2019 and covering each Friday and Saturday evening up to and including St. Patricks Day. This project will focus on the Falls Park and City Cemetery and be delivered jointly by 4 different Youth Clubs. A similar project is due to get underway in South Belfast focusing on the Lagan Walkway.

 

Awareness Raising

 

3.11     Progress to Date

 

·        Council Anti-Social Behaviour Officers have commenced a process of engaging with post-primary schools to raise awareness of the dangers associated with anti-social behaviour in parks and open spaces.

 

·        Officers have also carried out awareness raising visits to off-sales in the vicinity of parks and open spaces, highlighting concerns raised around proxy buying and under-age drinking.

 

·        PSNI continue to proactively use their social media channels to deter anti-social behaviour around parks and open spaces.

 

3.12     Next Steps

 

·        Ongoing development of partnerships with post-primary schools across Belfast to take place, seeking co-operation around communication with parents and pupils around wider community impacts and risks of anti-social behaviour.  This work will be carried out in conjunction with PSNI, Youth Workers and Translink where appropriate.

 

·        Officers will also continue to carry out visits to off-sales throughout the city to remind retailers of their obligations and to offer support to those retailers.

 

3.13     Maximising Strategic Opportunities

 

Officers continue to work to ensure alignment and connectivity between other strategic programmes of work to maximise the potential to positively impact on the ongoing challenges in parks and open spaces:

 

·        PEACE IV Shared Spaces Project and Wider PEACE IV Programme – Officers continue to ensure the capital/programming investment from PEACE IV Programme are aligned to ongoing work aimed at improving safety in parks and open spaces.  Contracts for a range of PEACE IV work are in the process of being procured and awarded.

 

·        Small Business Research Initiative(SBRI) – Council was recently successful in securing £100,000 of funding from the Department for Economy to facilitate innovation and technology around how to better encourage positive use and deter negative use of parks/open spaces. 

 

·        Fresh Start – Tackling Paramilitarism Action Plan – Officers continue to work with Executive Office Officials and individual lead departments/organisations in maximising the benefit of the following work streams within the action plan for communities in Belfast.

 

3.14     Financial and Resource Implications

 

Staff Resources

 

The above approach continues to support the values and principles of the City and Neighbourhood Services and wider Corporate Change Programme and is delivered within existing staff resource.

 

Financial Resources

 

All of the above work continues to be accommodated from within existing Council and (D)PCSP revenue budgets.  The work is intended to maximise existing resources, reduce duplication and facilitate joined up decision making and resource allocation in the identified parks/open spaces.

 

3.15     Equality or Good Relations Implications /

Rural Needs Assessments

 

            There are no equality or Good Relations implication at present, however, this will monitored on an ongoing basis.”

 

            The Members discussed various Council parks and open spaces that were affected by incidents of anti-social behaviour and noted the transient nature of the problem.

 

            A Member reiterated her concern regarding the proposed Small Business Research Initiative and the potential data protection implications regarding the collection of personal data pertaining to youths should the initiative be progressed.

 

            The Committee noted the update provided.