Minutes of Joint Policing Committee Meeting Held in the Council Chamber

LONGFORD COUNTY COUNCIL

COMHAIRLE CHONTAE LONGFOIRT

Minutes of Joint Policing Committee Meeting held in the Council Chamber,

Aras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford on

Friday, 21st November 2014 at 11.00 a.m.

PRESIDING:CouncillorGerry Warnock.

PRESENT:Councillors - Paraic Brady, John Browne,

Seamus Butler, Mark Casey,

Peggy Nolan, Pat O’Toole, P.J. Reilly.

Mr. Frank Sheridan, Director of Services.

Mr. Ciaran Murphy, Senior Executive Officer.

Chief Superintendent Padraig Rhatigan.

Superintendent Thomas Murphy.

Acting Superintendent Padraig Jones

Sergeant Pat Conway, Garda National JPC Monitoring Office.

APOLOGIES:-Councillors - Mick Cahill, Gerard Farrell, Padraig Loughrey, Martin Mulleady and Paul Ross.

MEETINGS

ADMINISTRATOR: Ms. Anne Lee.

INTRODUCTION/ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE JOINT POLICING COMMITEE.

Councillor Gerry Warnock, Chairperson, Joint Policing Committee, welcomed the members, Gardai, staff and media to the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Joint Policing Committee. Councillor Warnock stated that the Joint Policing Committee was established in accordance with Guidelines issued by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Joint Policing Committee is a body established under the Garda Siochana Act 2005 to serve as a forum where local authority representatives, Oireachtas members and community and voluntary interests, together with senior Garda Officers responsible for the policing of the area, can consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the area.

Presentation by Sergeant Patrick Conway, Garda National Joint Policing Committees Monitoring Office

Garda Pat Conway addressed the members regarding the functions and operation of the Joint Policing Committees and replied to queries raised.

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES.

It was agreed that the following Groups be requested to nominate a representative to the Joint Policing Committee -

• Irish National Teachers Organisation to nominate a representative from the Longford Branch to the Committee for the first half of the term of office of the JPC i.e. +2 ½ years. This will be followed by representative on behalf of the Youth of Longford.
• Irish Farmers Association.
• Longford Older Persons Network.
• Tidy Towns Committees.
• Acorn.
• Business Groups.

GARDA PRESENTATION.

Superintendent Tom Murphy and Inspector Padraic Jones addressed the meeting and replied to queries raised–

•Incidents recorded by Gardaí in County Longford 2014.

•Crime Prevention Strategies.

•Community Engagement.

•Anti Social Behaviour Prevention Strategies.

Councillor P. Nolan proposed and Councillor M. Casey seconded that a letter be forwarded to the Garda Commissioner and to the Minister for Justice & Equality emphasising the need for extra Gardai to be assigned to County Longford.

LOCAL AUTHORITY PRESENTATION.

Mr. C. Murphy, Senior Executive Officer, addressed the meeting on the following and replied to queries raised -

•Membership of Joint Policing Committee.

•Steering Group

•Activities

•Community Representation

•Frequency of Meetings

•Six Year Strategic Plan and Annual Work Plans.

It was agreed that the Local Authority Website be fully utilised to publicise information regarding the Joint Policing Committee.

Items referred from Municipal District Meetings -

Longford Municipal District Meeting - 2nd July 2014

Speed Ramps within Housing Estates –

Notice of Motion proposed by Councillor Gerry Warnock-

“I propose that the Roads Section conduct a study on behalf of Longford Municipal District in relation to the provision of speed ramps within housing estates throughout our operational area, so that when funding becomes available we have a plan ready to go with minimal delay. It is evident that there are problems with speeding within estates and residents have huge issues regarding child safety. I would suggest that wherever possible we have a consultation process with the relevant Residents Associations to give them a chance to voice their concerns.”

Granard Municipal District Meeting - 23rd September 2014.

Ramps in the Village of Abbeylara.

Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor P. J. Reilly

“That speed ramps be installed in the Village of Abbeylara on the Granard, Castlepollard R396 Road, as the speed of heavy vehicles and heavy cars are dangerous to the people living in the Village. Also, that safety works be carried out at the junction on the approach road from Lisryan in the Village because of poor vision.”

It was agreed that the issue of speed ramps be referred to the Infrastructural Strategic Policy Committee.

Longford Municipal District Meeting - 24th September 2014.

Anti-social behaviour in Longford Town.

Councillor G. Warnock, Chairperson of the Joint Policing Committee, referred to a report which he prepared on Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in Longford, and which he presented at a Public Meeting held in the Longford Arms Hotel on the

6th November 2014. Councillor Warnock referred to issues which arose at the public meeting.

Longford Municipal District Meeting - 24th September 2014.

Provision of of CCTV Camera at the entrance to Oakvale Housing Estate in Longford town.

It was agreed that the upgrading of CCTV Cameras be included in the Six Year Strategy of the Joint Policing Committee.

SIX YEAR STRATEGY AND ANNUAL OPERATIONAL PLANS.

Mr. F. Sheridan, Director of Services, stated that there is a requirement for the Joint Policing Committee to develop a six year strategic plan linked to the Local and Economic Community Plan. The committee must also implement Annual Plans which include objectives derived from the relevant Annual Policing Plans. Annual Reports, which are a statutory requirement, must reflect the progress made in achieving objectives contained in the Annual Plans.

It was agreed that the Steering Group will prepare a draft Six Year Strategy for consideration by the Joint Policing Committee.

Councillor P. Nolan proposed and Councillor P. Brady seconded that Councillor Gerry Warnock’s report – “Crime and Anti-Social-Behaviour in Longford” be used as a basis for the Strategic Plan.

Superintendent Rhatigan emphasised the need for the Joint Policing Committee to deal with strategic issues.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS.

Community Text Alert Scheme.

Councillor P.J. Reilly referred to the cost to Community Groups for Text Bundles in connection with the operation of Community Text Alert Schemes in their areas.

It was agreed that Community Groups should write to the Department of Justice requesting that this charge be taken up by the Department. This item to be placed on the Agenda for the next J.P.C. meeting.

Date of Next Meeting.

It was agreed that the next Joint Policing Committee meeting be held early in 2015.

This concluded the business of the meeting.

Signed: ______

Anne Lee,

Meetings Administrator.

Confirmed and adopted at Joint Policing Committee Meeting held on the

6th March 2015.

Signed: ______

Chairman.

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