Agenda item

(A report by Christian Allen, Assistant Director – Regulation)

Peter Hunn, Community Safety Manager, Matt Fisher, Operations Manager, and Boston Police Inspector Fran Harrod will also be in attendance at this meeting to answer questions.

The Assistant Director – Regulation presented a report on options for improved security for Central Park, arising from the recommendations of the Regulating and Safeguarding Boston’s Economy Task and Finish Group.

Members were reminded that at the meeting of the Committee held on 3 February 2021, it had been agreed to accept the recommendations relating to locking of the park gates overnight and the funding of a service for Central Park to address on-going anti-social behaviour.  Officers had been instructed to produce an options report including costings for consideration at a future meeting.

The report provided options to address the issues raised:-

• Employ a security firm to patrol the park and open and lock the gates on a daily basis;
• Use of BTAC Operatives
• Install maglock gates, an electronic access control system which would automatically lock and unlock the gates at predetermined times.
• Employ three additional anti-social behaviour officers to patrol the park.

The full details of the options, associated costs and appropriate officer opinions were set out in the report.

The report also included the views of Boston Sector Police Inspector Francesca Harrod on behalf of Lincolnshire Police, who had been consulted on the matter. 

Regarding the police’s capacity to respond to incidents, the Inspector confirmed that all calls were graded in terms of harm and risk, with officers deployed to urgent incidents.  A fight would be graded as urgent; people sitting drinking would not.  The police did not struggle to attend urgent incidents, but when urgent and non-urgent incidents were reported concurrently, urgent incidents took priority. 

 The Inspector added that the police representation had not been submitted lightly, but as a result of nuisance caused to residents and park users and the impact on police resources. 

The majority of incidents occurred in the hours of darkness, so the figures varied over the year.  Anecdotally, it was considered that locking the gates overnight would eliminate incidents and the police could utilize their resources more effectively. 

The Committee thanked Inspector Harrod for her comments.

Members discussed all options to address anti-social behaviour within Central Park, with the primary focus being on timing and method of locking the gates. The Committee recognised that not everyone in the park in either the early hours of the morning or late at night were acting in an anti-social manner and accepted that locking the park gates would not be 100% effective in stopping all anti-social behaviour, but it would be a deterrent.

Consideration was given to employing an additional CCTV operative to focus on the BTAC Area to improve surveillance and early notification to the relevant authorities of any incidents observed.

A proposition that an additional CCTV operator be employed was then proposed and seconded.

There was also a view that locking the park gates overnight would have a positive impact on reducing nuisance for residents and protect the park.   There had been a substantial number of complaints received from nearby residents of noise and disturbance from the park at night. 

Members discussed the need for locking the gates and having a patrol of the park in addition to employing another CCTV Operator.  There was more support for locking the gates if the times could be set.  Someone locking the gates and advising people it was time to go home would make the area safer. 

It was proposed that a security firm be employed to open and lock the park gates on a daily basis, as set out in paragraph 4.3 of the report, for one year, with officers to consult Members regarding the details.

[Councillor Viven Edge left the meeting at 8.35 pm]

The Assistant Director - Regulation advised the Committee that there had been a significant level of BTAC investment in CCTV for the park and the cameras had night time capability so it was difficult to see how matters could be improved.  CCTV was a passive deterrent. 

Anti-social behaviour required officers on the ground to move people along.  It was pointed out that an additional operator would result in an ongoing revenue cost to the Committee for the length of the contract.  The Committee could set locking times for the gates.

The Chairman pointed out that CCTV was a Council service and that provision of an additional operator represented a 2% increase in the BTAC precept. 

The Community Safety Manager confirmed that an additional CCTV operator dedicated to Central Park and other BTAC play areas would help alert the police to incidents of anti-social behaviour adding that the operators relied on complaints from residents regarding noise disturbance, as they did not have sound capability. 

Following thorough debate and propositions being moved and seconded it was;

 RESOLVED:

1.    That Option 1 be approved, as set out in paragraph 4.3 of the report, to employ security personnel with the appropriate competency and training to open and lock the gates of Central Park on a daily basis for a one-year period.

2.    That the Assistant Director Regulation be delegated authority, in consultation with the Chairman of BTAC, Leader Portfolio Holder and Section 151 Officer, to implement this option with Members to be consulted on the details.

3.    That the Assistant Director Regulation undertake an immediate recruitment process to acquire one CCTV operator, to be focused on the BTAC area.