Agenda and minutes

            The Chair reported on the sad passing of Councillor Cole, who had served as a Borough Councillor.

            The Board stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

            The Chair announced that the Cheshire Police and Crime and Commissioner had written to the Chancellor for the Exchequer to highlight concerns regarding recent financial settlements for Cheshire Police and resulting financial savings.

            The Chair also welcomed suggestions from Board members for a Topic Group.

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 12^th September 2017 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            It was reported that no public questions had been received.

            The minutes from previous Safer Halton Partnership (SHP) meetings held on 19^th July 2017 and 18^th October 2017 were presented to the Board for information.

            The Board considered a report and a presentation on the emergence of cyber crime as a local threat to communities and the work of TITAN. The presentation set out the types of cyber-enabled crimes and the role of The TITAN unit, whose mission was to tackle organised crime groups causing the greatest levels of harm to communities in the North West.

            Members noted that TITAN was the name for the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, it was established in 2009 as a collaboration between the six police forces in Cumbria, Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North Wales to tackle serious organised crime that crossed county borders in the region. The unit comprised of five teams working closely together and included representatives from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, UK Border Agency and the National Crime Agency. These teams are: the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU), the Regional Crime Unit (RCU), the Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART), Regional Cyber Crime Unit (RCCU) and the Protected Persons Service Unit (PPS).

            RESOLVED: That the report and presentation be noted and TITAN be invited to attend a future meeting.

            This item was deferred.

            The Board received a presentation from PC Jane Tetlow which provided Members with an oversight into the role of the Youth Engagement Officer, Safer Schools Partnership. Halton had two Officers and the Youth Engagement Officer for Widnes, PC Jane Tetlow, was in attendance and provided examples of her work to support educational establishments, staff, pupils and the community locally.

            Members noted that the Safer Schools & Young Person’s Partnership also involved multi agency working and fostering positive relationships between the schools and police service. One of the main roles of the Partnership was to provide the young people of Cheshire, Halton and Warrington with the relevant tools to facilitate self-awareness and self-insight. This would enable them to make informed decisions to avoid becoming offenders or victims of crime.  

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report be noted; and

2.    the potential of a Topic Group be explored which would consider practical steps the Local Authority could take to ban ‘in school time’ use of mobile phones as a means to encouraging a safer school environment.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which advised on the actions and activities the Council had undertaken following the tragic events that took place in Kensington and Chelsea with the Grenfell Tower Fire.

            Following the tragic events that took place at Grenfell Tower on 14^th June 2017, the immediate focus was on the type of cladding used on residential tower blocks greater than 18m tall. The Council was required, as also were all Registered Social Landlords, to send various returns to Government in relation to buildings in their ownership. The Council provided all information requested within the timescales set. As the Council does not own any housing stock, most returns were therefore nil returns.

            It was noted that there were no residential blocks of 18m tall in the Borough, however, the Council Building Control Team offered support to both Halton Housing Trust (the owners of Churchill Mansions in Runcorn) and also to the Management Company who look after The Decks in Runcorn. Following a review with the owners of those buildings, it was concluded that the high rise accommodation in Halton was considered low risk in relation to the external envelope of the building. However, two recommendations were made to the building owners:

·         Review all fire risk assessments and action any recommendations from those assessments; and

·         Retreat any timber above 18m as advised, or with any suitable treatment giving class 0 surface spread of flame (this relates specifically to The Decks)

            The only other high rise building in the Borough was the Municipal Building, Widnes and whilst it did have aluminium cladding panels to the podium, this was extruded aluminium and not aluminium composite material (ACM) that was used in the Grenfell Tower.

            Whilst there were no similar buildings to Grenfell Tower in Halton, the Council carried out further activities to ensure, as far as possible, that public buildings within the Borough were safe and full details of these were outlined in the report.

            Arising from the discussion, the Board requested an update from the building owners of The Decks and Churchill Mansions on the two recommendations detailed above.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report be noted; and

2.    an update be requested from the building owners of The Decks and Churchill Mansions on the two recommendations detailed above.

            The Board received a presentation from Mike Andrews, Community Safety and CCTV Manager, on the Council’s response to Organised Criminal Gangs and the Government Strategy to tackle ‘County Lines’ and Criminal Exploitation.

            The Serious and Organised Crime Strategy placed significant emphasis on the importance of effective local partnerships. In order to support this a partnership group, chaired by David Parr (Chief Executive), had been set up to tackle organised crime groups in Halton (Operation Portfolio). The aim of Operation Portfolio was to deliver an effective partnership response to the threat posed by serious crime and organised crime groups impacting on communities in Widnes and Runcorn.

            The presentation highlighted the key objectives of the partnership group and an outline of what are ‘County Lines’.

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted and TITAN be invited to attend a future Board meeting.