Agenda item

UPDATE FROM INDIVIDUAL WARDS

A verbal update will be given.

Minutes:

Simone Strauss, Vice-Chair advised that the intention had been to have an interim meeting with the Ward Panel Chairs to consolidate any issues or concerns in their Ward which could then be addressed accordingly outside of tonight’s meeting. However, there had not been time for this meeting to take place so instead, Ward Panel Chairs had emailed Simone with their issues which she then read out as follows:

 

·         Ponders End Ward Panel are not receiving any Partner messages regarding firearm incidents and stabbings; therefore, the local community have no knowledge of what is happening in their ward. The Chair of Ponders End Ward Panel has raised this with her SNT Sergeant, and he has said that he is not receiving these messages either. CI Rob Gibbs explained that Partner messages tend to go to a relatively tight circle of people and do not Partner message on everything. It’s a subjective to call whether to share information or not but in general, if asked, the Sergeant can respond with the information requested within data protection realms.

·         A lot of wards are not receiving their newsletters which are a really useful analysis of what is happening in the wards. AGREED that Simone would forward CI Gibbs a list of wards who were not receiving their newsletters and he would look into this.

Action: CI Rob Gibbs

·         There is a disparity between some wards having the mobile phone numbers for their Safer Neighbourhood Teams’ PC’s and PCSO’s, but others did not. CI Gibbs said that a phone directory had been produced for all of Enfield’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams which had been circulated to SNB Chairs which detailed the contact numbers for all the SNT Sergeants. He added however that there was no reason for the PC’s and PCSO’s to not provide their job mobile phone numbers.

·         A question was raised as to whether there was a What’s App usage policy for the MET as it was felt that this would be a useful way for the Safer Neighbourhood Teams to communicate with the Ward Panel Chairs as well as being a good method for them to receive incoming intel. CI Gibbs advised that What’s App is not really the key method of communication for the MET as it can potentially expose the individual to a Professional Standards Investigation. The MET has a Communications Engagement Team which filters all comms, including What’s App. Following further discussions, CI Gibb offered to have a conversation with the Vice -Chair, Simone Strauss outside of the meeting, to discuss this matter in more detail.

·         In conclusion CI Gibbs said that the Safer Neighbourhood Teams’ responsibility is with their wards and reacting to any issues that may arise. He said that it is a conversation to be had between the Ward Panel Chair and their Sergeant as to what they want and what method of communication works best. He added that for any specific problems within each ward the first point of contact is with the individual SNT Inspector/Sergeant. If this does not result in a response then CI Gibbs could then intervene.