SUTTON SOUTH WARD PANEL MEETING, 5 DECEMBER 2012

The panel is the consultative mechanism by which the police discuss with the local community crime trends and policing priorities.

The most alarming aspect of this meeting was that only 3 panel members, plus the police, turned up – the Reverend Mark Pullinger, Heather and Richard.

The crime figures indicate South Sutton continues to be a low crime area. They showed crime down 19% on the figures for the same period in 2011 – burglary down, theft much the same. There were increases in assault and in harrassment (in this context, this being an umbrella term for a variety of forms of anti-social behaviour) but some of this is close to the station and, while in the Ward, not involving our residents.

Anti-social behaviour in the Ward is, overall, down. Other matters discussed included incidents involving dogs, pizza delivery drivers, proposals we made for use of “Community Payback”, the pressure from the “centre” in London for more action on drug enforcement (which is stretching local resources), and the reasons for the decline in anti-social behaviour incidents in the Ward.

It was agreed that the priorities would continue to be burglary and motor vehicle crime.