Michelle Cunningham presented the report following the request by the Chair of the Cleaner, Greener Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Members were provided with the opportunity to review the actions being taken by the Community Safety Partnership in response to the ongoing anti-social behaviour being caused by off road vehicles which was causing harassment, alarm and distress to residents across the Borough.

District Commander, Mark Barber, thanked the Chair for inviting him to this evening’s meeting and briefed members on operation Caesar that the Police had been responding to for the last three years. That operation Caesar was owned by the community policing teams that ranged from high visibility patrols and the support of specialist units, road policing units and local joint operations that had been successful. That evidence based data from Police systems had been taken to identify the top five hotspots and an action plan had been set for the Police and partners to visit those five sites to look at what target hardened opportunities were available, engage with local landowners and to encourage members of the public to continue to report problems. Members were also briefed on the future plans of Police to have off-road quad bikes which had been successful in other Police forces across the UK. That funding had been agreed through the Council and Community Safety Partnership to support the pilot for off-road quad bikes with the initial paper being supported by Essex Police Chief Officers with the second paper due to go to Chief Officers within the next couple of weeks. That final details were being looked at with the Inspector and once approved by Chief Officers and with the joint funding approach it would be specific to Thurrock and to local residents. The next stage would be the procurement and purchasing phases with insurance and training to be undertaken.

Councillor Redsell thanked the District Commander for all the work the Police had undertaken in the borough but they needed to tell residents about all this good work and get the praises from residents on those successes as residents were unaware of all the good work being undertaken.

Councillor Pothecary was pleased that this was now a priority for Essex Police but had concerns that target hardening tended to involve A-Frames which were a nightmare for cyclists, mobility scooters, prams, wheelchair users and making footpaths and pathways completely inaccessible for those people who innocently wanting to use them. Councillor Pothecary questioned whether there was an alternative being considered other than using A-Frames and asked for a commitment to look at alternatives as these frames stopped people from doing the things they want to do. Michelle Cunningham agreed with Councillor Pothecary’s comments and that the Council were working closely with the public rights of way team to make sure the access routes were kept open and to look at different alternative mechanisms that could be used.

RESOLVED

1.         That members of the Committee scrutinise and satisfy themselves that the Council and Police were working together effectively to combat the issue of Anti-social Behaviour in relation to motorbike nuisance.

2.         That members of the Committee recognise that we cannot address this issue without the support of our communities and that reporting is key.

Michelle Cunningham and Mark Barber left the meeting at 9.10pm.