Petition Hearing

Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 1 Part I – Public PETITION REQUESTING INSTALLATION OF CCTV CAMERAS AT THE JUNCTION OF THE RISE, DEVON WAY AND DORSET WAY Cabinet Member & Portfolio Councillor Eddie Lavery Cabinet Member for Communities & Environment Responsible Officer Richard Webb, Director of Community Safety and Enforcement Report Author & Directorate Donna Cooper, Community Safety and Enforcement, Homes and Communities Directorate Papers with report None HEADLINES Summary To inform the Cabinet Member that a petition has been submitted requesting CCTV be installed at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way . This report is to assist the Cabinet Member to determine whether the Council should pursue the implementation of CCTV at this junction. Putting our Residents First Delivering on the Council Strategy 2022-2026 This report supports our ambition for residents/ the Council of: Be / feel safe from harm This report supports our commitments to residents of: Safe and Strong Communities Financial Cost The cost of any measure that it is agreed should be implemented will need to be determined as an outcome of the petition hearing. Select Committee Residents’ Services Select Committee. Ward Hillingdon West. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Cabinet Member for Community & Environment: 1. Meets with petitioners and listens to their request for a CCTV camera at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way which could reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and increase feelings of safety in the location; 2. Notes the assessment carried out by Council Officers on the potential viability of installing CCTV at this location and the likely effectiveness of those measures in achieving the benefits sought by petitioners; and 3. Decides whether to instruct officers to proceed to install CCTV at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way. Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 2 Part I – Public Reasons for recommendations The Petition Hearing will provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners regarding their concerns and suggestions. Alternative options considered/ risk management None at this stage. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. In May 2024 an E-petition was submitted to the Council in relation to having CCTV installed at the junction of The Rise, Devon Way and Dorset Way in Hillingdon West Ward. The initial E -petition failed the requirement for a petition hearing with the relevant Cabinet Member, due to having only 3 valid signatories. A subsequent, paper petition on the same matter was submitted on 25 June 2024 having 59 valid signatories and, therefore, satisfied the requirement for a referral to the Cabinet Member. The petition preamble states- “The recent spate of burglaries, criminal damage, thefts and vandalism on our once quiet streets has prompted this petition. The huge increase in crime in our area affects everyone, especially our most vulnerable neighbours. Over the last 18 months we have faced:  House break-ins and burglaries;  Confidence tricksters preying on our elderly neighbours;  Vandals smashing windows;  Car thefts and damage;  Thieves using Dorset Way as a blind spot to dump stolen cars and goods. Enough is Enough! We must take action. We know that the installation of CCTV cameras will: • Prove an excellent deterrent and naturally reduce crime in our area. • Also provide vital evidence for the police to catch and prosecute criminals.” 2. The petition asks the Council to install CC TV at this junction. In response to this petition, Council Officers attended the location to assess the situation and the viability of introducing CCTV at the location. 3. The junction in question is shown on the map below. The red dots represent existing lamp columns. None are exactly on the junction, therefore for CCTV to be considered it would need a new lamp column. H ighways have confirmed that there are no current plans to install a new lamp column and therefore no funding has been allocated for this work. The lamp column nearest to the junction is not suitable for a CCTV camera. Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 3 Part I – Public 4. The CCTV Programme Manager has completed two site visits. The first in response to the initial petition using data from January 2023 to May 2024. The second to meet with the lead petitioner. As a result of a meeting with the lead petitioner along with officers from the Localities/ASB team a further data download was completed covering May 2024 to 08/10/2024. 5. The following assessment s are based on the site visit and the data received from the Police. (Data must be recent when considering the proportionality of installing CCTV so only 2024 data should be considered). 6. SUMMARY DEVON WAY The data supplied is duplicated in several circumstances . F or example on the 15 th of September there are 8 separate references, but all relate to a similar time and same venue or outside the same venue meaning that it is most likely to be one incident reported by multiple informants. Two of the incidents did not occur near the junction where the lead petitioner has requested the camera. There are 11 incidents recorded in total (once duplications are removed) since 01/01/2023 -09/10/2024 (21 months) Most of these incidents clearly relate to a single address. If a camera was installed based on the data for this single address consideration would have to be given as to whether this address was being specifically targeted by the Council and as such a surveillance authority under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 would have to be considered which would be refused on proportionality grounds. Only 1 further incident is recorded in 2024 (2 separate reports) and e ach camera installation must also pass a threshold test : Each installation must be for a 'Specific Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 4 Part I – Public purpose and legitimate aim as well as having to meet a pressing need'. Information should be recent not historical. 7. SUMMARY DORSET WAY The data for DORSET WAY does not pass the threshold test. There have been two incidents reported , namely dangerous driving and highway obstruction. This cannot be managed by use of cameras since the Council does not use open space cameras for traffic legislation. Of note: two of the addresses that feature in these incidents are not near the junction where the request for a camera is being sought. 8. SUMMARY THE RISE There have been 18 incidents in 21 months (once duplications are removed). Of note: 8 of these calls directly relate to a single address which has been a repeat victim on several occasions. It is unknown why this address features so prominently, therefore the Localities/ASB team are now involved with some positive interventions being made and the occupier is being supported. Only 6 further offences were recorded in 2024. Each installation must be for a 'Specific purpose and legitimate aim as well as having to meet a pressing need'. Information should be recent not historical 9. ASSESSMENT Much of the data obtained is from 2023 and relates to certain venues. A site visit to the location by the CCTV manager identified that several residences have installed their own CCTV. 6 offences have been recorded in last 9 months in the whole of The Rise which consists of 54 houses. To be considered for CCTV all information needs to be recent, therefore only these 6 of these reports would be relevant. This renders this request to fall below the threshold test compared to other requests. The CCTV Manager also noted that the lamp columns are old and only 5 metres high, therefore they would not support a mobile camera deployment. A new column would be required, and a camera would have to be removed from another location due to current resources. Moving a camera in itself is not problematic if justified. A lamp column would also have to be relocated to cover the relevant junction and would require further works to complete this. There is currently no funding stream for a new lamp column or installation costs. The lamp column would also have to be taller and therefore not in keeping with the other columns. 10. Localities/ ASB Team Actions The Localities/ASB Team contacted the lead petitioner to investigate their concerns and ascertain if any o ther positive intervention could be made to address the reports of ASB/Crime in the area. The Localities team conducted regular calls to provide reassurance, and made a request to the local Safer Neighbourhood Police Team to provide patrols in the area when they were available, Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 5 Part I – Public Letters were hand delivered to all residents requesting contact with the Localities Team to discuss their concerns regarding ASB, however only 2 responses were received. A second delivery of letters to residents resulted in 2 responses, however these related to waste and overgrown vegetation. Local residents reported that there was an HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy) in the area and reports had been made in relation to possible drug activity . The Localities Officer contacted the team responsible for HMOs to make them aware and also contacted the management company, who informed that notice had already been served and this matter was in hand. Despite continued efforts the Localities Officer had little response from many of the residents regarding ASB in the area with only 4 residents out of 50 making contact. The responses are as follows: Resident 1: reported overgrown vegetation from property – This was reported to Street Scene Enforcement Team, and within a few days the resident called to say the owner had cleared the waste / foliage. Resident 2: reported waste on the streets – during site visit, area was clean and free from waste. Resident 3: stated no major persistent issue in the area. Periodically things happen like parking for pubs, litter, glasses, noise. No incidents of note in Devon & Dorset – Overall the resident said the area is nice with no concerns. Resident 4: Damage to a brick wall over a period of 5 months. Based on investigations carried out by the Locality Officer from the 7 August 2024 has led him to believe that this area as a whole is safe. There has been little supporting evidence to suggest there is a high level of ASB in this location. The most recent police information requested 5 O ctober 2024 received 23 October 2024 shows that there have been three recent incidents. Two incidents of Theft from Motor Vehicle and one attempt to break into a shed, however this is representative of the current crime patterns across the borough, rather than an indication that this location is being deliberately targeted. Continued partnership work will continue in the area; however, any further work will not alter the conclusion regarding CCTV at this location, nor would it alter the lead petitioner’s request to proceed to a petition hearing. Financial Implications Subject to any decision, the cost of the camera plus installation will cost around £4. 6k for a 6m column or £4.8k for an 8m column. However, dependent on whether the camera could be relocated from a different location, the cost of the camera (£2,680) may not be incurred by the service on this occasion, which would take the cost closer to £2k overall. There is currently no budget allocated fo r this additional camera, therefore any increases to the budget would need to be reflected in the 2025/26 budget build and spend managed accordingly throughout the total service budget. Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 6 Part I – Public RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities The recommendations will allow the Cabinet Member to consider the petitioners’ requests and to decide on the preferred response. Introducing CCTV at the junction could have a beneficial impact for local residents, however the potential effectiveness of any permanent measures that could be introduced cannot be predicted and will have a cost for the Council. Consultation & Engagement carried out (or required) No consultation has been carried out. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance None at this stage. Legal The decision -maker must have regard to the statutory guidance under PoFA 2012 and RIPA 2000. Officers have concluded that the request for installation of CCTV surveillance has not met the threshold test for each of the three sites. Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (“PoFA 2012”) By virtue of Section 33(1) of PoFA 2012 the Council must have regard to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice (“the Code”) when exercising any function to which the Code relate. There are 12 guiding principles in the Code that the Council must adopt in achieving the most appropriate balance between public protection and individual human rights. Regulation of investigatory Powers Act 2000 (“RIPA 2000”) RIPA provides a framework to ensure that investigatory techniques are used in a way that is compatible with the Article 8 right to respect for private and family life, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. Where surveillance is conducted in such a manner that is likely to result in the obtaining of private information about a person, such as directing a camera at a particular property, it may fall under RIPA and would require direct surveillance authorisation from a Magistrate. Use of direct surveillance will only be authorised by a Magistrate if considered to be legal, necessary and proportionate. Devon Way Officers do not support the installation of CCTV at this site because it does not meet the requirement of the threshold test in the guiding principles of the Code. As most of the incidents in Devon way relate to a single property. RIPA may be engaged, a nd authorisation from a Magistrate required if direct surveillance is conducted on the property. Dorset Way Officers do not support installation of CCTV as the data relied upon does not meet the requirement of the threshold test in the guiding principles of the Code. Petition Hearing – 22 January 2025 Page 7 Part I – Public The Rise Officers do not support the installation of CCTV as the data does not meet the requirement of the threshold test in the guiding principles of the Code. BACKGROUND PAPERS Surveillance Camera Code of Practice https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/update-to-surveillance-camera-code/amended- surveillance-camera-code-of-practice-accessible-version