Serious acquisitive crime, violent crime and community safety

More recently, crime and drug use has increased in Bellinge; however, it is notthe top `hotspot’ for SAC for the county anymore.• Fencing has been erected to prevent anonymous routes, creating just one wayin and out, but there is evidence of lack of maintenance with a number of thefences either damaged or removed. It appears that some fences had beendamaged or removed for some months or years. Some fencing hasstrengthening bars added to prevent it from being jacked open.• On occasions, mothers lift their children over the fences so that they can go toschool, rather than walk the children around, which highlights that the fencingappears to be perceived by some residents as an inconvenience.• High fences are in situ in a number of areas, causing lack of visibility to theparking areas.• Some of the front lawns of the properties were unkempt.·3.4.4 Spencer and Kings Heath, Northampton3.4.4.1The Scrutiny Panel visited Spencer and Kings Heath wards on 8 October 2012.Salient points:• An Environment Visual Audit (EVA) of Kings Heath was undertakenapproximately two years ago. It was revisited in 2012. An EVA for specificareas within Spencer was undertaken and an Action Plan produced as directedby the Northampton Community Safety Partnership (CSP).• Some communal doors have been replaced within the ward, and someenvironmental improvements taken place to prohibit access to the rear of flats.• As part of the Action Plan, the Police is working with Housing Services, NBC,regarding Secure by Design standard for access communal doors.• During the site visit, the problem of storage cupboards within communal hallswas observed, as was the condition of some of the fencing.• A number of out of date signs in relation to crime prevention, and partnershipoperations are in situ around the area.• Two sites, where pubs had originally stood, were observed. An unused openspace, near to Brookside Meadows, was seen.• Disused and unkempt garage blocks, alongside knocked down street signage,overgrown foliage and general fly-tipping were observed; as were,maintenance issues, such as the removal of gates on public rights of way,problems with communal steps in disrepair and littering within shrubbed areas.4 Equality Impact Assessment4.1 Overview and Scrutiny ensures that it adheres to the Council’s statutory duty toprovide the public with access to Scrutiny Reports/agendas/minutes and othersuch documents. Meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny/Scrutiny Panels arewidely publicised, i.e.: on the Council’s website, copies issues to the local mediaand paper copies available in the Council’s One Stop Shop and local libraries.4.2 The Scrutiny Panel was mindful of the eight protected characteristics whenundertaking scrutiny activity so that any recommendations that it made couldidentify potential positive and negative impacts on any particular sector of the37