Minutes:
The Chairman (Councillor Kate Lymer) updated the Group as follows:
LBB had witnessed an intense period of multiple traveller incursions.
The Chairman had spent many days over the summer, dealing with emails, and also fielding messages via Twitter. She had issued daily press releases, and had provided information to the Daily Mail on more than one occasion. She praised the joint work that had been undertaken by the police and LBB in dealing with the Traveller incursion.
During this time, a three year court injunction had been obtained against the Travellers. Residents seemed to be satisfied with the joint response that had been generated by LBB and the police. The Chairman had drafted a letter to be sent to all of the Friends Groups thanking them for their assistance in the clear up after the Travellers had left. The letter also updated them concerning the injunction and offering practical advice going forward.
The web link concerning this on the Bromley Council Website is:
The Chairman and the Leader were meeting later that week with the police to have a review of the summer incursions.
The Chairman was meeting later that week with Andrew Rogers (LBB Communications Executive) to plan the launch of the ‘Hall of Shame’ which had been agreed by the Executive. The ‘Hall of Shame’ would display details of individuals who had been convicted of offences such as fly tipping, blue badge fraud and doorstep scams. It was hoped that the Hall of Fame would act as a deterrent.
A cold caller had been convicted and given a four year prison sentence for ripping off a seventy year old man for non-existent loft and roof problems which he charged £17k for.
The Chairman stated that as Bromley’s ‘SCAMbassador’ she had attended a joint Trading Standards and CAB stall in the Glades during National Trading Standards Week in July. This was going to be repeated in the week following the SBP meeting and the Chairman would also be attending on this occasion.
The Chairman visited Keston Police Dogs Centre to hand over some seized counterfeit clothing which could be used to train the dogs.
Later in the month, the Chairman would be visiting Barclays Bank in Chislehurst to present them with a certificate and a thank you letter. This was because of a splendid piece of work that had been undertaken between the bank, and Bromley and Greenwich Trading Standards which had resulted in the safeguarding of vulnerable residents.
Emergency Planning had been very busy over the summer, dealing with water shortages, cars driving into houses, and multiple fires to both buildings and grasslands. This led to LBB issuing a press release banning all barbeques in the parks during the summer period.
In August, the Chairman met the inspectors who would be judging whether the Purple Flag award could be renewed. The response was awaited but the inspection seemed to go very well and the Chairman was confident that the Purple Flag award would be renewed.
Agreement was needed with MOPAC in connection with LBB’s two Local Crime Priorities. ASB and high harm crimes (domestic abuse, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, weapons and hate crime) were pan London priorities for all boroughs. LBB submitted burglary and non-domestic violence (town centre night economy) as Bromley’s two main priorities for the police for the coming year.
The Chairman attended an APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) London round table meeting at Portcullis House in June, which focussed on Serious Youth Crime. She brought up the issue of gang nominals being moved into Bromley without any notification being provided by other boroughs. It was agreed that this was something that would be looked at, and would be dealt with by the Deputy Chief Executive.
The Chairman was planning to attend a London Councils Round Table meeting on serious youth violence later in September.
The Chairman had been notified concerning proposals for a tri-borough stop and search monitoring group. LBB were opposed to the idea of a tri-borough stop and search monitoring group, as was LB Sutton. Because of this, the idea had been scrapped. Superintendent Knight commented that the idea behind the proposed tri-borough monitoring group was to provide an over-arching meeting structure to discuss the possible commonality of issues. It was the case that the resources provided for stop and search activities would be shared across the three boroughs. It could be the case that officers engaged in stop and search operations in Bromley could be resourced from the Croydon or Sutton Command Units. There was a need for joint training and support.
There had a murder on the Friday before the meeting in Bickley. The chief suspect was in custody and was the victim’s son. The police were of the opinion that the Domestic Homicide Review threshold had been met. The Chairman had to decide whether to have a DHR or not. The Chairman had to write to the Home Office and inform them of whether or not LBB would be conducting a DHR. If LBB decided to progress with a DHR they would be responsible for managing it and for appointing an independent Chairman. The cost of this would be in the region of £10k.
The Chairman reminded everyone that the Crime Summit was on the 29th September. The ‘Bromley Stars’ awards event was also held in the Summer. The Chairman congratulated the Bromley Mentoring Initiative (chaired by the Chairman) which won the award for ‘Voluntary Team of the Year’, as well as to Trading Standards who won ‘Team of the Year’ award once again.