Agenda item

Officer provided a presentation on the proposed review which would explore diversifying and modernising the street champions initiative. The initiative was instigated in 2006 with a view to recruiting volunteers to act as the 'eyes and ears' of the Council and had grown significantly with over 4,600 volunteers. It was noted that a review of the initiative would have two main strands as set out below:

1.    Developing the communications surrounding the initiative and bringing it into the 'digital age' by diversifying the ways in which volunteers could report issues and receive information. It was noted that there was scope for issues to be reported through new digital technologies rather than exclusively through the Contact Centre in order to make the initiative as accessible to as many residents as possible.

2.    Exploring how the links between street champions and Neighbourhood Watch schemes could be strengthened. Officers advised that, where street champions had grown into a successful initiative, Neighbourhood Watches in the Borough were not growing and were seen to be in need of additional support. It was proposed that this aspect of the review could supplement work already underway in a pilot project to explore how stronger links between the two schemes could be strengthened.

Officers noted that the pilot projects would be starting in September and run throughout the following year. This would mean that the Committee could receive information and intelligence gathered from the carefully selected and diverse pilot areas in order to inform this review. Specifically, this would assist with assessing the success of current communications, identifying the barriers to reporting issues and exploring how street champions could be engaged in reporting low-level crime in the Borough.

The review would also have the support of an officer working with the Hillingdon Academy as a proposal had been agreed for this to be undertaken as an Academy project.

Discussion

Members noted that, when the scheme began, volunteers were provided with feedback from the Council on the issues that they had reported. This had stopped when reporting had moved to the Contact Centre. It was suggested that a review could explore whether such automatic reporting could be re-started as it had been valued by volunteers.

With regard to witnesses, Members stated that they wished for more than 1 Street Champion to present to the Committee and suggested that there should be at least 6 volunteers invited to present evidence.

In response to Members' questions, officers advised that there would be a log of issues reported by street champions held within the Contact Centre. All residents who reported issues to the Council would be logged within Onyx meaning that they would have a unique identifier assigned to them. From this, a report could be drawn on what issues had been raised by street champions. Officers also advised that issues reported by volunteers would not be dealt with a quickly Members' Enquiries but that they would receive the same quality of service.

Members raised concerns that ward councillors were not aware either of who street champions were within their ward or what issues were being reported. It was noted that the role should not be made more onerous or bureaucratic by introducing formal reporting but that there should be a mechanism to ensure that information was passed from street champions to ward councillors. It was agreed that officers would explore whether it would be possible for ward councillors to receive a list of street champions in their wards and report back to the Committee in due course.

Officers advised that it was important that any changes to the initiative did not alienate current volunteers who may not wish to use digital technologies to report issues. Instead, the focus should be on diversifying methods of reporting to expand the demographic whilst ensuring that existing reporting mechanisms remained in place.

It was highlighted that street champions were not restricted to reporting negative issues but could also come together to bid for funding to support projects in their local areas. This would be assisted by the simplification of bidding for Chrysalis funding.

Members noted that they wished to explore whether training or inductions could be provided to volunteers and the current turnover of street champions was during the course of the review.

RESOLVED: That:

1.    Officer explore whether the details of street champions could be passed to ward councillors and reported back in due course;

2.    The scoping report be amended to reflect that at least 6 street champions should be invited to provide evidence to the Committee; and

3.    The scoping report be noted.