Improvements noted for new community safety team

Council bosses safy a new community safety project needs to improve

Hartlepool Borough Council finance and policy committee was presented with a three month review into the Hartlepool Community Safety Team, which was given the go-ahead last year.

The organisation brings together the police, fire service and council officers and looks to improve safety, confidence and cohesion over dealing with crimes in the area.

Based at Hartlepool Police Station, the team, led by Hartlepool’s Neighbourhood Chief Inspector, meet every morning to consider the priorities for the day based on calls received from the previous 24 hours.

They also interact with residents at weekly drop-in sessions offering crime prevention advice.

In total 13 recommendations have been made for improvements for the group, although a report produced for the committee said the scheme has shown ‘early benefits’.

Denise Ogden, director of regeneration and neighbourhoods on the council, said: “It’s understandable after three months bringing together three organisations such as these there are still improvements to be made.”

Recommendations include holding a ‘day of action’ each month, a training programme for all staff involved with the community team, raising more awareness in schools and having a dedicated mental health worker at its base.

The report also said consideration should be given to the fire service being based at Avenue Road on a full time basis.

However praise was given for the morning meetings which provided a ‘vehicle for ensuring safeguarding risks are addressed at the earliest opportunity’ the report found.

The Community Safety Team features 48 neighbourhood police officers, four fire service officers and more than 30 council community safety officers.

They offer weekly hubs for residents at Community Hub Central in York Road on Mondays, Community Hub South in Wynyard Road on Tuesdays, and Community Hub North in Miers Venue on Wednesday, from 11am until 2pm each day.

The three month review covers how the programme since the official launch of the model at the Safer Hartlepool Partnership Face the Public Event on 26 February 2018.

Members of the committee noted the work the scheme has done so far and they will now look ahead to a full review into the community safety model to take place in 2019/20 with a completion date of December 2020.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service