Community Protection News - July 2006
Departmental Matters
Departmental Service Plan
The Community Protection Department Service Plan 2006/07 has now been published and circulated to all Members and other departments within the Council.
The Plan shows how the Department seeks to contribute towards the Community Plan and the Corporate Plan. It also provides the results of performance against targets for 2005/06 and sets new targets for service delivery in 2006/07.
This will be the last CPD Plan to be produced, since the Department is now preparing to be incorporated within the new Environmental Services Department. Tribute is paid to the staff of CPD who have, for a number of years, produced outstanding performance in service delivery, and who will now assist in making the new department equally successful.
Environmental Health and Trading Standards
Off Yer Bike!
Nuisance off-road bikers have been taken ‘off road’ for good thanks to a joint operation between Wigan Council and the police. Council Community Protection Officers working with Greater Manchester Police’s specialist off-road team, recently seized 13 motorcycles being illegally used off-road as part of a ‘sting’ operation over two weekends. The misery of off-road biking has in recent years led to a number of serious injuries and even deaths across Greater Manchester.
The task force targeted areas close to the Belle Green Estate, the Whelley Loop Line, Ince, Amberswood Common in Hindley and Westwood Park in Wigan.
During the operation police seized 13 ikes for having no insurance, issued 14 fines and handed out 28 warnings. 13 riders were also reported for traffic offences.
The council’s Community Protection team was on hand to gather CCTV and photographic evidence as well as dishing out warnings about the illegal use of council land and noise nuisance problems. One factor in the success of the operation was the information provided by local residents following a mail shot a few weeks beforehand.
Motor vehicles can only be driven legally off-road on private land and with the land owner’s permission. Riders must not use public land, parks, pavements and pathways. It is also illegal to ride on public pathways and roads using unlicensed or uninsured vehicles. This applies to all vehicles including quad bikes, trials and motocross bikes, ‘mini’ moto bikes and 4X4 cars.
Anyone wishing to report an off road nuisance can call Greater Manchester Police on 0161 872 5050. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence and will be passed on for intelligence gathering and use during future operations.
Another Street Trading Prosecution
Despite recent articles in the press that the Council will take legal action against people who persist in selling cars on the street the Licensing Section has had to take a further prosecution. Once again the Magistrates’ took a serious view of the offence and issued fines totalling £500 plus £250 costs. They recognise that the number of complaints the Council receives from residents on this issue shows what local people think of this problem and the level of fines seems to reflect that view.
Where the Section receives complaints from a local resident about cars being offered for sale we are now also posting letters at nearby properties to show that we have taken action. Quite often residents see cars for sale and are not happy with the obstruction it causes or think it is lowering of the tone of the neighbourhood, but they don’t make a complaint. They were therefore unaware of the reason for the car being removed and probably wouldn’t think it had been moved because the Council had put a warning notice on it. They probably thought that the car had simply been sold.
By informing all local residents of the action we have taken and not just the complainant we are trying to show local residents that the Council is actively targeting this problem we are also encouraging them to let us have details of any future cars being offered for sale in their area. Hopefully, over the coming months this will result in a reduction in this sort of problem. In the meantime we will again try to get the message across through the press that we will take action on this issue and point out that the level of fines being issued by the courts will certainly take the edge off the profit margin for selling the car.
Rogue Traders put on their guard
The message to rogue traders is clear – you are not welcome in Wigan!
As part of National Rogue Trader day on 26 April, Trading Standards and Greater Manchester Police were out in force to send out a clear message to traders who had cold called on our residents. Twenty traders were stopped and questioned about their trading activities. Of these twenty, four were cold calling on residents, touting for work. These traders were “politely” but firmly informed that we did not want them in our borough as we do not welcome cold callers.
The 16 legitimate traders who were working at people’s homes following requests from the homeowner, were supportive of our activities. One trader, when asked how he felt about traders who cold called on residents said: “Genuine traders do not need to cold call, they’re too busy!!”
We would advise residents never to deal with people who cold call, and never let them into your home. It is often the case that where work is carried out by these traders, they are extremely difficult to get hold of later if things go wrong. They often do not provide receipts with their details on or an address where they can actually be contacted. The offer of a 30 year guarantee is worthless if you cannot find the trader!
Legitimate businesses often do not knock on your door looking for work, so if you suspect somebody is cold calling on residents in your area, please report them to Trading Standards.
Urban Renewal
Housing licences improve living conditions in the Wigan borough
From 3 July 2006, properties of three or more floors, with five or more tenants belonging to two or more households are required by law to be licensed.
To grant a licence the council must be satisfied that:
- the proposed licence holder, the landlord or managing agent, are ‘fit and proper’ people
- properties and tenancies are managed appropriately
- the accommodation meets all minimum standards such as sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents
Licences will be issued with certain conditions attached, such as the maximum number of occupants for the HMO.
Properties will be assessed using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which has replaced the old Fitness Standard test for homes. Private residential landlords should now start to look at their properties in terms of risk assessment.
If an HHSRS assessment reveals health or safety hazards, then the council has powers to ensure that the landlord makes improvements.
Licences for HMOs in the Wigan borough cost £20 per occupant with a 25% discount for landlords who are members of the Wigan Landlords Accreditation Scheme. Licences are valid for a year.
Landlords with licensable properties who fail to apply for a license may face fines of up to £20,000, a criminal record and potentially, rent repayment orders.
To apply for a licence for a property in the Wigan borough, contact Wigan Council's Private Sector Housing Section on 01942 733348.
Community Safety
Young People’s Drug Services
The Young People's Joint Commissioning Group has commissioned a piece of work to research views and experiences of young people in the borough in relation to drug and alcohol use. The work will concentrate on ensuring that our services are reaching even the most problematic of our young people, and ensure that we are advertising our services in the right places and that young people know where to go for help.
The work connects to the review of adult drug services that saw new providers take over services on 1st May 2006. By connecting with young people at the earliest opportunity we can hopefully minimise the number of young people who go on to become problematic drug users and ultimately end up in adult services.
For further drugs information contact Helen Smith on 01942 827469.
Dualcom GPRS
A recent spate of break ins at several council owned premises in 2005 and 2006, were the telephone line to the premises had been cut prior to the perpetuators entering the premises. This disabled the intruder alarm signal and no signals were received at the alarm monitoring centre.
As security systems designers and advisors we are recommending a changeover to a dual or two way signalling devise that can not be disabled by potential intruders or vandals cutting the external telephone communication line to the premises.
Costs are taken into account at both the installation period and the cost of call charges during use of the communicator and benefits are being recouped by occupiers, who have already upgraded to the new style communicator in terms of lower telephone call charges and savings made over the year pay for the upgrade its self.
For more information on this product please contact the operational leaders or principal officers via Wigan Central Watch on 01942 404040.
Community Safety Partnership agrees priorities for Coming Year
"The Community Safety Partnership has recently agreed it's overall Control strategy for the next year. This high level plan identifies the priorities that all agencies in the Partnership will deliver action on. The three key areas for action remain Prolific Offenders, Priority Neighbourhoods and Public Confidence. The four particular crime and incident types that will be targeted for reductions are Criminal Damage, Burglary, Theft from Vehicles and Anti Social Behaviour.
The Partnership has targets to meet against all these priorities and they will be measured regularly to check that progress towards them is on track. A number of new approaches will be taken in tackling anti social behaviour and criminal damage. It is now well understood that Cleanliness and Damage are important factors in making up the Public's mind on their feelings of satisfaction and safety. Services to improve both will be included in the overall approach. The general picture on crime reduction remains positive. Wigan remains by some distance, the Greater Manchester Borough with the lowest levels of crime."