TMSTH Area Forum Meeting - 24th April 2024

45 people in attendance

Chair, Ray O’Luby; Secretary Conor O’Luby; Treasurer, Jean Kirk, BCP Cllr Kieron Wilson

1. Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner candidates hustings

David Sidwick, Conservative Party candidate

Used to live on Castle Lane, knows area well. He’s going to say what he’s done and what he’s going to do.

Why did he stand? He became aware of anti-social behaviour, stopped someone stealing from a shop.

Was against the merger of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall Police services.

He did 3 years full research asking people of Dorset what they wanted (3 surveys). During Covid. It was clear that there was a disconnect between the people and the Police.

First day in office, he made it clear that he wanted a 100 day Police and Crime plan. Took 6 months, not a year.

Putting victims first. We’re the tenth safest place in the country, want to be the first.

Anti-social behaviour is down 16-24%

Operation Relentless to crack down on anti-social behaviour in 31 places

Have 174 extra police officers in Dorset. We need visibility. Started reopening police stations

Drugs are the biggest problems going ahead; need enforcement, treatment.

Operation Scorpion against drugs, £1m drugs seized. The plan is working, I want to continue it.

Police sergeant said we want to be crime fighters again

David Stokes, Labour Party candidate

Promotes Strouden Park Community Centre.

I’m a local lad, grew up in Bennet Rd, children at local school.

Remembers a time before the Wessex Way. Kids loved it in the old days

Bournemouth has changed, parents will be more worried now about their children out and about.

Talk a lot on the doorstep. Crime is one of the biggest issues. I want this area to be a safe place. People say they don’t feel safe

£7.5m cuts on Police in Dorset. 42nd place out of 43rd for funding from government.

Labour promises 13,000 more police officers. I want to listen to you, so much needs speaking up about. Shop crime is out of control. Increase from 8-30% of workforce facing attack. Labour has been campaigning on this.

We need change at the top, against Government cut backs. Support me

Marianne Storey, Independent candidate

Very happy to see how many people have come this evening.

I’ve worked 30 years in public sector, physiotherapist, management roles in NHS. Complex systems, helping older people leave hospital Then charity sector, can make a change in communities

What is the link between Police and crime and NHS?

Running Dorset Women (women’s health, equality, violence against women and girls, also working with Police).

Some people in the Police suggested to me that I should stand, because I understand community issues. We need someone who understands commissioning. My skills are matched to this role. After 4 years, what would I want to have achieved? I know I can do a job in this role. I want to change people’s minds about the role being a waste of money, pointless.

2 aims –

accountability, means if you log a complaint you’ll get a decent response. We will learn from the public.

Prevention – commissioning partnerships, working together.

The public has lost trust in the police, we need to address this.

Gill Pardy (on behalf of Howard Legg, Liberal Democrat candidate)

Election covers the whole of Dorset, not just BCP. Howard can’t be here tonight, because he’s at a leaving party (he has stepped down from his position as a councillor).

Common complaint that no-one ever sees a policeman any more

1441 police officers at the moment
92 PCSOs
106 Specials

The human touch disappears, need to use smartphones, some stations have closed. Need to tighten the recruitment process given those officers who have committed crimes themselves. Prevention, special needs and mental health are all important issues.

Questions from the public

Question - Police failure to respond to public reports on drug dealing

Marianne Storey – lack of accountability of Dorset Police. Neighbourhood police contact points, need more places to regularly get in face to face touch community level.

Drugs is a difficult one, no-one has a magic wand. Need more prevention, drug users need alternatives.

David Stokes – story resonates, not acceptable. How many people in Dorset and how many police, not enough. They are stretched, they are working. We need more civilian staff. The role of the DPCC is get your views across, many can give similar examples. I was scammed, I did report. You need to continue to report the drugs dealing.

David Sidwick – very disappointed to hear about your experience, put it to the Crime Commissioner, before the MP. Right to put in a complaint against Police.

Drugs deals, you know it’s a drug deal. Difficult to prove and ‘low-level’ harm compared to county lines. From a reporting point of view I’ve worked to get the Dorset police website changed to add ‘intelligence’ submissions

999 waiting time issue – how bad is Dorset? There are other factors (flu ‘epidemic in the control room when the report detailing most recent waiting times came out)

I was in a community centre the other day, someone shook my hand for bringing other police officers, changed the culture of the force. Need to talk about money. 51% of payment for Dorset Police is paid for by residents. The National Funding formula was put in place by Labour.

Question -

Townsend – crime there is increasing, shop workers having to chase people out of the shop

When and if police are going to start coming back to Townsend?

Will they come to spend time or just briefly appear?

Drugs in Townsend reflect lack of police presence

Marianne Storey- Yes they should be back there. Working with shops, what other roles can the police play other than visibility (education, security advice). Cut backs to youth provision.

David Stokes – 70 people came to Strouden Community Centre to talk to police recently, they should come to Townsend. We need more police and PCSOs to help shops.

David Sidwick – disappointed that they haven’t come recently to Townsend, they should be regular visits

Shops – theft has got a lot more organised, 80% is done by 20% people. I started a partnership meeting with Police and Chambers of Commerce, the police didn’t see shoplifting as a priority.

They can get the response right, they have Operation Shop Keeper. The police are now going 80% of the time to those who have been held by store security.

Tagging, after third offence, so you can be tracked.

Prevention – DPCC not there to recreate youth centres, don’t have money for this. Need impactful prevention for kids, I’ve got the government to focus on kids.

‘Wasp nest’: a schools video against county lines drugs gangs

Illegal gateway drugs school video (cannabis etc.) shows the consequences of drugs use

Johnny – I moved to country 19 years ago, there are a number people working in NHS and IT. Recently many burglaries targeted on Indian community, because of gold jewellery. Thieves turn houses upside down for gold.

David Sidwick – gold burglaries. Told police they have to be better at this, they had no idea about the Indian population; burglary has gone down 24% in Dorset since I’ve become DPCC. Need to get better at prevention and linking intelligence,

Gill Pardy – Thanks Johnny for his community’s contribution to society

Marianne Storey – I want to help make the police more accountable.

Question – wants to hear from individuals not about their parties. There are no criteria to be a DPCC, there have been changes, we want more police on the street. Courts and suspended sentences are pointless.

David Stokes – PCC doesn’t control the court, the role is to put your views across to police and to others in the criminal justice system.

Re being a member of a political party, this is not an issue, I’m Labour but I want to see a safer place, that’s why I want to be DPCC.

It will be a full-time job, if I’m elected.

David Sidwick – laws are not made by PCC, but can lobby MP to try and get laws changed. Nitrous Oxide canisters, I lobbied to get the laws tightened up

Dorset Criminal Justice Board, I’ve been chairing this which involves magistrates, police. We can ask difficult questions.

I’ve been working on rape and sexual assault.

5 police cadets across the Council, up from 1

Visibility is important, crime types have changed.

Officers on the beat includes those catching sex offenders online.

Political party – I don’t have a party whip, I have told the government when they’re not doing enough.

I’m going to put a financial statement saying who funds me. I’m truly independent

Question – what have each of the candidates done to prepare for role?

David Stokes – I’ve gone through all the info on the Association PCC website, I’ve been talking to people across the county. The main role is to listen to what local people say, not run police service.

David Sidwick- Why I got so angry, because of the way the job had been done before I was elected. I went out with PCCs, went out with other forces. I looked His Majesty’s Inspectorate reports, Lots of research, went to visit sexual trauma and rape service, 3 surveys asking people’s views. I reopened Boscombe Police Station, and Highcliffe and Christchurch police station will open. If other candidates get in they’ll be told they have a year to come up with the Police and Crime Plan, I’m not waiting that long.

Question – Police came round and accused us of hiding a grandchild. We don’t have a child, we were not given an apology.

Chair thanks candidates, agree police are under strain, but need to respond more effectively to residents’ concerns

2. Cob Barn

Philip Stanley Watts – worked for Civic Society, I think you should set up a Friends of Cob Barn.

Have a museum on Stour Valley Way

Cllr Kieron Wilson – Council is open to ideas for positive use.

Conor – is currently in talks with councillors and local residents about possible restoration and use.

3. Forum accounts

Chair – talks about financial position. Have received £650 from BH Coastal Lottery. We are also considering adverts on leaflets.

Accounts – they go to Ian Clark (auditing), explains costs compares Bournemouth School for Girls and Community Centres costs

Accounts 31-12-23

4. Other news

Kieron talks about fire at Hicks Farm. Believed to be arson, CCTV of kids running away.

Need to think about what we’ll do with the site, especially after this event.

Alan Goddard – asks Kieron about 20mph speed limits

KW – we need to address this issue. There was a full council meeting last night, agreed that we would look at areas that need 20mph. We are not bringing in a blanket 20mph only in those areas that deaths/injuries suggest action is needed.

Question – Wales made a blanket ban, you should listen to people, they’ve taken it back.

Jasmin P – supports 20mph in certain areas, where accidents justify it. Not blanket ban.

Brin – Harrow Council pilot scheme, became a money making scheme

Mike Hodges – Support slower speeds, I’ve lost someone on a pedestrian crossing. This is becoming a culture war at the cost of deaths on the road.

BCP Local Plan consultation closes on 3rd May