Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered the Committee’s recommendations arising from the Review of Hate Crime in Harlow at its meeting in March 2015 and

RESOLVED that:

A     The initiative to develop greater understanding of Hate Crime in Harlow through the production of a leaflet that could be utilised in schools and other public bodies in regular contact with members of the public, is approved.

B    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to obtain an up to date and detailed analysis of Hate Crime and investigate any trends revealed by that data which might inform further partnership approaches to address these issues.

C    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to prioritise Hate Crime inrecognition of the rise in incidents.

D    The Harlow Arts Trust be asked to explore the possibility of the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet’s response to the recommendations from this review is noted.

RESOLVED that:

A     The initiative to develop greater understanding of Hate Crime in Harlow through the production of a leaflet that could be utilised in schools and other public bodies in regular contact with members of the public, is approved.

B    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to obtain an up to date and detailed analysis of Hate Crime and investigate any trends revealed by that data which might inform further partnership approaches to address these issues.

C    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to prioritise Hate Crime inrecognition of the rise in incidents.

D    The Harlow Arts Trust be asked to explore the possibility of the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

The Cabinet received a report from the Scrutiny Committee that advised of the outcome of its review of Hate Crime in Harlow and made recommendations for how it could be tackled and reduced.

Proposed by Councillor Jean Clark (seconded by Councillor Jon Clempner) Cabinet:

RESOLVED that:

A     The initiative to develop greater understanding of Hate Crime in Harlow through the production of a leaflet that could be utilised in schools and other public bodies in regular contact with members of the public, is approved.

B    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to obtain an up to date and detailed analysis of Hate Crime and investigate any trends revealed by that data which might inform further partnership approaches to address these issues.

C    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to prioritise Hate Crime inrecognition of the rise in incidents.

D    The Harlow Arts Trust be asked to explore the possibility of the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

The Committee received the final report for the review of Hate Crime in Harlow. Marysia Rudgley, Community Safety Team Manager, introduced the report and outlined its key proposals.

Marysia informed the Committee that, further to comments made at the 3 February meeting, the Harlow Youth Council would (subject to Cabinet approval of the Committee’s recommendations) be invited to contribute both to the Safer Harlow Partnership’s work on Hate Crime and the arrangements for the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

The Committee asked that the Safer Harlow Partnership’s work include a focus on disability Hate Crimes and hate incidents.

RESOLVED that it is RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that:

A     The initiative to develop greater understanding of Hate Crime in Harlow through the production of a leaflet that could be utilised in schools and other public bodies in regular contact with members of the public, is approved.

B    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to obtain an up to date and detailed analysis of Hate Crime and investigate any trends revealed by that data which might inform further partnership approaches to address these issues.

C    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to prioritise Hate Crime in recognition of the rise in incidents.

D    The Harlow Arts Trust be asked to explore the possibility of the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

To consider the interim report on the above Review and an opportunity for the Committee to ask questions to the following expert witnesses to help inform its final report:

      i.        Sergeant Phil Moulcher and PC Jenny Paget (Essex Police).

    ii.        Steve Goodsell, Show Racism the Red Card (anti-racism educational charity).

The Committee received an interim report for the Review of Hate Crime in Harlow. Marysia Rudgley, Community Safety Manager, introduced the report.

The following witnesses were in attendance for this item:

      i.        Sergeant Phil Moulsher, Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant, Essex Police

    ii.        PC Jenny Paget, Hate Crime Officer (Harlow), Essex Police

   iii.        Steve Goodsell, Show Racism the Red Card (anti-racism education charity).

Sergeant Moulsher and PC Paget informed the Committee of the Police’s standard response to reports of hate crime, including the different responses provided to high and medium-risk incidents. All victims of hate crime are contacted by the Police, either by phone or letter. They also outlined the main differences between ‘hate crimes’ and ‘hate incidents’.

PC Paget provided some statistics of recorded hate incidents in Harlow that showed that overall incidents had decreased slightly in 2014 compared to 2013. Sergeant Moulsher informed the Committee that the detection rate for hate crime in Harlow was around one-third which, though lower than desirable, is comparable to crime detection in Harlow overall.

Steve Goodsell outlined the role of Show Racism the Red Card. The Charity has been working with school age children to provide education of hate crime, racism and related issues since 1996. Recently, the Charity has obtained funding to provide workshops in schools in Essex. Sixteen schools will be visited, including four in Harlow. Steve explained that the workshops had shown that the children have only a limited understanding of racism and hate crime, but have been useful to provide a safe place to explore ideas around race, challenge preconceptions and dispel myths. The workshops have been well received by the schools. Steve encouraged Councillors to attend the upcoming workshops in Harlow and agreed to send details to Committee members.

The Committee asked PC Paget whether Essex Police also believed there to be evidence of a rise in hate crime toward Eastern European residents in Harlow, as suggested in the report. PC Paget responded that, as the Police do not currently have a dedicated hate crime analyst, she was unable to answer.

Councillors raised concern that the Hate Crime Ambassadors referred to in the report may not be promoted sufficiently, as they were unaware of their existence prior to seeing the report. PC Paget assured Councillors that Hate Crime Ambassadors maintain close links with various agencies and community groups in the Town who signpost residents to them.

The Committee indicated support for actions that would help promote wider understanding of hate crime in Harlow and that could be included in its final report on this review:

(a)  a summary of hate crime, in the form of a short leaflet, that could be provided to teachers in Harlow schools;

(b)  a joint meeting between the Committee and the Harlow Youth Council to link the work each body has undertaken on hate crime.

In response to a query from Councillors, PC Paget and Sgt Moulsher agreed to send statistics of hate incidents in Harlow involving disability and a comparison with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52

An opportunity for the Committee to ask questions to the following expert witnesses to help inform its final report on Hate Crime in Harlow:

      I.        Steve Goodsell, Show Racism The Red Card (anti-racism educational charity).

     II.        Representative from Essex Police (awaiting confirmation).

As an expected witness was unable to attend, it was agreed to defer this item until the February 2015 meeting.

The Committee received a scoping report for the review of the impact of Hate Crime in Harlow. Graham Branchett, Chief Operating Officer, introduced the report.

RESOLVED that the Committee confirms the scope of the review of Hate Crime in Harlow.