RESTRICTED
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MINUTES OF BARNSLEY COMMUNITY SAFETY SERVICE
MAP HATE CRIME REDUCTION INITIATIVE GROUP
HELD AT 1.30 PM, WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER 2010
In Attendance: Inspector Ian Barber (Chair) SYP/BCSS
Max Senior BCSS Principal Hate & Hidden Crime Officer
PS 3220 Janet Pursley SYP Prevent Engagement Officer
Angie Millsom Cultural Diversity, Education
Jacqui Goodridge BMBC Senior Welfare Rights Officer
Amanda Heenan NHS Barnsley
Katherine Richards Equality & Diversity Mgr, Adult Social Services
Steve Smith Barnsley Youth Service
George Arthur TUC Barnsley
Beverley Powell Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust
Kaveh Rejaie Probation Service
Reverend William Shaw Baptist Pastor/PCT Chaplain
Kevan Riggett Barnsley BPL (Metrodome)/LGBT Forum
Davitt Khutishivili BBEMI
Apologies: Diane Weston Berneslai Homes Equality & Diversity Mgr
Julie Milburn SYF&R
Sharon Smith BBEMI, Community Engagement Co-ordinator
Jules Horsler BMBC Equalities Officer
Charmaine Bolton-Choy BME Gypsy & Traveller Support Worker
Annie Turnbull Who Is Your Neighbour
Gareth Nicholas Who Is Your Neighbour
Vanessa Abe Barnsley College
Copies: Yvonne Cass MARCO
Councillor Margaret Bruff Central Ward
Judith Stone Victim Support Barnsley
Elizabeth Barton-Rossall Stonham Housing
Gaz Gerrard BMBC Communications Officer
Jackie Wray Barnsley Asylum & Migration Team
Alan Bloore BFC Supporters Trust
Colin Brotherston Principal Hate & Hidden Crime Officer
1. APOLOGIES
1.1 See previous page for apologies.
1.2 Introductions were made for the benefit of members.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING & MATTERS ARISING
2.1 The minutes of the previous meeting held on 10 November 2010 were accepted as a true record.
3. ACTIONS UPDATE
3.1 Berneslai Homes Leaflet. Members to feed back to Max Senior (a) their comments on the leaflet produced by Berneslai Home and (b) whether they feel the MAP should use it as a general leaflet for the public in 2011/12. No responses were received from members in relation to the leaflet. Given the current financial climate, and an email received from BMBC Senior Management Team regarding expenditure, Max Senior suggested that this matter should be deferred until the new financial year. Action: Deferred until April 2010.
3.2 Asylum Seekers & Refugees. Max to clarify that once the template for the myths flyer is approved that in future he will be able to update the statistics without having to go through this formal process again. The myths flyer has been printed and is now available for distribution. This will be held in printing department so if updates are required at a later date, assuming financial resources are available, a reprint can be done. On behalf of the MAP, Inspector Barber extended his appreciation to Max Senior and Katherine Richards for their work on the flyer.
The majority of the flyers will be used as an educational tool rather than a public document under a programme that is currently ongoing in schools through Migration Impact Funding (MIF). During January to March 2011, Quos Dance Theatre Company, Red Ladder and Football in the Community will do some work in hotspot schools, ie. Dearne High, Willowgarth and Foulstone, on issues around Immigration and Asylum etc. Discharged.
Once a decision has been reached in respect of the flyer, advice will be sought from a member of BMBC Corporate Communications department on how best to market the idea of wider circulation. An approach will then be made to the Partnerships to see who would be willing to contribute to funding. As above. Discharged.
3.3 Deferred Actions. Ultra Right Groups. The Christkindle market was held in Barnsley on the weekend of 4-5 December 2010. It was noted that the Ultra Right Group also had a stall.
George Arthur reported that Barnsley Trades Council would be organising a demonstration on Saturday 11 December 2010 starting at Churchfield before taking a route through the Town Centre. The march has nothing to do with opposition to the Far Right but is about the cuts imposed in the Council. Whilst a route was originally proposed for the march, due to concerns with this an alternative, shorter route has been suggested. George expressed concern that the decision had been made to prevent the march going near the BNP stall and said it was unfortunate that a demonstration involving all the Trade Unions in Barnsley should be stopped from going down a particular route because of the presence of this party. He raised further concerns in relation to the designated area for political activity, stating that the Trades Council were opposed to this, as they felt it would give Ultra Right Groups a legitimacy to have an area of the town which was theirs and barred others with political disagreements from this area.
In response to the first concern, PS Pursley advised that Barnsley Football Club would play Sheffield United on the day of the demonstration. She stated that due to policing issues associated with this match around restrictions and access etc. a decision had been made that the march could not take place along the original route. This was echoed by Inspector Barber. George stated that if the presence of the BNP had played no role in this decision and it did not set a precedent for any future demonstrations, then he had no further issues.
In terms of the designated political area, Inspector Barber advised that this was not solely for the BNP but will be for any political party. A decision is still awaited on the designated area from BMBC Legal department.
3.4 Open Door Publication. No good news stories to date.
Kevan Riggett reported that the Drag 4 U event, which was held on Saturday 4 December 2010, had been very successful. This event has been run over the last 5 years to raise funds for the HIV Terence Higgins Trust but this year had raised funds for Barnsley’s HIV charity. The income will be split with Barnsley LGBT Forum. Kevan stated that BPL had donated the sponsorship money from the tables and all ticket sales as well as a raffle prize and tombola. He extended his appreciation to those who had supported the event.
4. CASEWORK UPDATE
4.1 Four casework reports were presented to the meeting as follows:-
Racial Harassment - From 1 April 2010 to 1 December 2010, 133 incidents were logged and recorded. To date, this has increased to 143.
Homophobic Harassment – From 1 April 2010 to 1 December 2010, 21 incidents were logged and recorded. To date, this has increased to 22.
Disability Harassment – From 1 April 2010 to 1 December 2010, 7 incidents were logged and recorded. To date, this has increased to 8.
Total Harassment – Between 1 April 2010 and 1 December 2010, 161 incidents were logged and recorded.
4.2 An urgent casework meeting will be held at 2 pm on 14 December 2010 at Beevor Court.
5. FINAL LEAFLETS & POSTERS
5.1 Copies of the final A5 flyer relating to Migrant Workers, Asylum Seekers and Refugees were distributed within the meeting.
5.2 The Advice for Parents leaflet was also circulated within the meeting. The leaflet has finally been approved by BMBC Communications following the removal of photographs. BMBC had asked that these be removed, as they did not feel that they truly represented the population of Barnsley. Angie Millsom felt this was unfortunate, as the point of the leaflet was that it would be recognisable to children and young people as well as their parents and carers. Members agreed that the removal of the photographs meant the leaflet did not have the same impact. Given the decision, it was suggested that maybe different images could be included on a future reprint or on the Council website.
In terms of the signposting information, it was felt that this should have included website addresses and telephone numbers. Katherine Richards suggested that it might be pertinent to include an article in the Open Door magazine around bullying, which included this additional signposting information. Action: Max Senior to send a copy of the finished article to Bob Williams with a request that an item be published in a future issue of the Open Door magazine.
5.3 The Hate Crime So Do We posters have now been printed and are available for circulation. Members were asked to take copies and display them within their respective agencies. The posters will also be displayed in Connects offices and Lift Centres across the borough. Amanda Heenan will arrange the latter.
5.4 The Barnsley Hate Crime Incident Reporting form was discussed. At a recent hate crime meeting, the Fire Service requested slight inclusions to the form, highlighted in red ink. Whilst no issues were raised in respect of the inclusion around smoke alarms and fire safety, it was not considered relevant to include the name of the person receiving the referral on the initial page, as there was already a section included around this.
Leading on from this, PS Pursley advised that following a recent meeting regarding the outcomes of the hate crime disability session, it had been agreed that the form should be looked at in its entirety with members of the MAP to ensure members were happy with the content prior to it being circulated to Reporting Centres for their staff to take into use. Action: Members to peruse the form and feed back any amendments/inclusions to Max Senior in advance of the next meeting.
6. HOLOCAUST UPDATES
6.1 Max Senior and Reverend William Shaw are working on the Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) events, which will be held in January. The first will be run by the Library Services, in conjunction with Max and William, on the evening of 27 January 2011 in Barnsley Library Lecture Theatre. This will be via invitation only, as the event is restricted to 60 people.
Also on this evening, a schools competition will take place. Again, this is being run by the Libraries, but Max and the TUC are sponsoring the award ceremony.
6.2 On 30 January 2010, between 6 pm and 7.30 pm, a further event will be held at Sheffield Road Baptist Church. Reverend William Shaw will lead on this and a full programme of events is planned. Arek Hirsh, a Holocaust Survivor, will be in attendance and Wombwell Mixed Voice Choir will also perform. The theme is Untold Story. Kevan Riggett volunteered to send Max Senior photographs and stories of the concentration camps from a LGBT perspective for the display board.
7. CORRESPONDENCE
7.1 A document entitled Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain had been circulated to members. Max Senior referred members to Section 4 of the document, which is pertinent to the work of the MAP.
7.2 Max Senior referred members to a document that can be found on the website for Equality and Human Rights about the work of the MAP. Details can be found at www.equalityhumanrights.com
8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
8.1 Barnsley Arena. A representative is required on the MAP from Barnsley Arena. Despite numerous emails to the agency, no progress has been made. Action: Kevan Riggett to seek a representative from Barnsley Arena.
8.2 Funding. Due to funding constraints, three specific programmes of work are at risk, ie. The Schools programme around hate crime, that is due to take place in January to March 2011, the Chinese New Year and the prizes for the HMD schools competition. The funding required for these is £2,300, £500 and £150 respectively. Although representation has been made to the appropriate parties requesting £3k to fund these three important streams of work, a response is still awaited. Money is normally ringfenced for these events to occur.
In terms of prizes for the schools competition, Max Senior advised that George Arthur and the TUC had kindly volunteered to contribute money towards this. If members are able to contribute any funding towards the Chinese New Year or schools programme, it was asked that they inform Max. Action: Katherine Richards to discuss the funding matter with colleagues.
Post Meeting Update: Following Katherine Richard’s intervention, it has been agreed to allow funding on the MAP’s initiatives to go ahead. Discharged.
Kevan Riggett asked what the Chinese Association required to run the event, stating that if they required a venue then the Metrodome might be able to assist. In terms of the prizes for the HMD schools competition, Kevan advised he would take this back to the LGBT Committee to see if they could offer any financial assistance. Amanda Heenan said she would also look at what she could offer from a health angle in terms of the Chinese New Year. She advised that when the PCT supported the Pride event they promoted a health needs survey and suggested that it might be possible to do something similar with the Chinese Association. Beverley Powell suggested she could also look at this from a healthy workplace perspective. Both said they would be willing to try and find £125 each towards the cost of the event and would seek approval from their respective organisations. Action: Max Senior to determine whether the Chinese Community would be willing to complete the health surveys. Amanda Heenan and Beverley Powell to take the proposal for funding back to their respective organisations. Kevan Riggett to look at funding for the HMD schools competition.
8.3 Honour Based Violence. SYP and other partners are looking to establish a Honour based Violence Panel and have requested a representative from each District to represent the community. Following a discussion, it was agreed that Max Senior and/or Colin Brotherston should sit on this Panel.