Agenda item
Commission into the Public Safety of Young People in Tower Hamlets (CAB 141/089)
Decision:
Resolved:
That the recommendations of the Commission into the Public Safety of Young People in Tower Hamlets, as set out in the report (CAB 141/089), be endorsed.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (K. COLLINS)
Service Head, Youth and Community Learning, Children’s Services (M. Durkin)
Minutes:
The Chair, in introducing the report:-
· Formally thanked Mr Collins, Corporate Director Children’s Services, and Ms Durkin, Service Head Youth and Community Learning, and their Officer Team Officer team for their support of the Commission’s activities and the report setting out the findings and recommendations of the Commission.
· Commented that the commission, which he had welcomed the opportunity to chair, had met over six months and looked at the safety of young people.
· Commissioners had been drawn from across the spectrum of agencies working with young people, and young people themselves (two deputy young mayors sat on the commission). Other commissioners were from the college, the police, churches and mosques, the local authority, the fire brigade. The Chair formally thanked all the commissioners for contributing their valuable time to assist the Commission with its work.
Councillor Hawkins, Lead Member Children’s Services, commented as follows:-
· The public safety of young people was an issue of enormous significance and central to the Community Plan theme of One Tower Hamlets and therefore a key driver for the Authority.
· Violent crime and the fear of it was a real and significant issue for the young people of Tower Hamlets. The perceptions of such crime were often disproportionate to the reality, indeed the Commission had found that the crime rate was falling, however both perceptions and reality must be addressed particularly as the victims of such crime were often young people themselves.
· One issue that had emerged had been how poor access to transport and mobility could limit the options and experiences of young people. One outcome was territorialism, which was greatly damaging to both those in the associated groups of young people, as well as for those they encountered. It was positive to have pride in your community, but not to be defensive if others came into that community.
· Issues such as this were emotive, however the Commission’s review had been worthwhile because of an honest and transparent examination of such issues. The contribution of all the witnesses to this was commendable, and the outcome had been illuminating.
· The Commission had found that the vast majority of young people were law abiding and this premise had identified challenging issues. One was that young people were entitled to congregate in public places in a social manner, also to use the amenities such as parks; and the Authority needed to protect them when they were there.
· The Commission had shown how important it was to listen and recent initiatives with young people, and other initiatives such as the Young Mayor’s election and the You Decide campaign, had created a positive foundation to build on in this respect.
· It was important now to provide the necessary support to families, which provided a much needed focus which transcended ethnicity and generation.
· There was much to take forward in conjunction with partners of the Council, as a result of the Commission, and the findings would contribute to the next Youth Justice Plan.
A discussion followed during which the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission into the Public Safety of Young People, were welcomed, and additionally the following points made:
· Although the Community had come a long way in terms of its approach to young people, elders in the community often still had unwarranted perceptions of them. Young people were an asset enriching the community.
· Support provided to families would be critical in the achievement of the Commission’s recommendations and the expeditious cascading of this to youth clubs at the front line of youth provision would be welcomed.
· A sensitive and appreciative approach to young people, on the part of the Metropolitan Police, would be needed as the warmer weather facilitated young people to remain outside. Much formalised gang activity was related to the economics of drug culture.
· The identification of Tower Hamlets as a low crime borough on the map of London Boroughs was to be celebrated.
· Consideration that the voices of young people, which had not come through strongly enough in early drafts of the Commission’s report had now done so in the final version.
Mr Collins, Corporate Director Children’s Services, at the request of the Chair, addressed the matters raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, held on 7th April 2009, in relation to the report; as set out in the tabled sheet of questions and comments presented by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee earlier in the proceedings.
The Chair, in Moving the recommendations, as set out in the report, formally thanked Mr Collins, Corporate Director Children’s Services, and Ms Durkin, Service Head Youth and Community Learning, for their contribution and that of their Officer team in supporting the work of the Commission.
And it was:-
Resolved:
That the recommendations of the Commission into the Public Safety of Young People in Tower Hamlets, as set out in the report (CAB 141/089), be endorsed.
Supporting documents: