Issue - meetings

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday 16^th August 2019.

Question from Mr Paul Palmer, a member of the public, submitted in accordance with the Council’s constitution:

“Are the gates of the central park left open due to cost cutting at the council or just that they don’t care about the residents that live around the park that have to endure the constant Anti social behaviour? “

Answer to the public question by Councillor Paul Goodale:

"Thank you very much for your question Mr Palmer.

Following a request by Members of this Committee at their meeting in January this year, a report was presented to the February Committee meeting to specifically consider security of Central Park and if there was any evidence to suggest that the decision to leave the park open at all times had resulted in an adverse impact on crime and anti-social behaviour. Evidence provided by the Police to inform the report identified that crime and antisocial behaviour reports were lower in 2017 and in 2018, than when the park had been locked at night. The Police also reported that the type and number of complaints concerning Central Park did not provide any concern to Lincolnshire Police.

Whilst the decision to keep the park open and accessible to the public 24 hours a day has delivered financial savings, there were operational reasons that necessitated the decision, such as the difficulties encountered when ushering the public from the park prior to locking up on light summer evenings. The boundary fences around the park also provide little deterrence to any individual steadfastly determined to commit crime or anti-social behaviour, hence BTAC determined to divert resources from other parks in the Borough to the enhancement of the CCTV capability in Central Park. I am pleased to report that an order has been placed for this work and solicitors instructed.

I would also like to take this opportunity to share my appreciation for the work undertaken by Council staff who maintain the Central Park facilities each and every day, work that Committee Members will understand would need to be done, whether the park remained open 24 hours a day or was locked at night."

Invited to ask a supplementary question, Mr Palmer asked whether the enhancement of the CCTV system meant there would be more cameras and extra lighting, because when reporting incidents through the 101 service, people could not give a description of the people involved because there was insufficient lighting.

In response, the Head of Place and Space explained that the enhancement would not mean extra cameras and lighting; there would be an upgrade of the system, which would take place in the next month or so, adding that lighting was also known to attract people into parks.