Agenda item
Hate Crime against People with Learning Disabilities
This item has been added on the agenda as per Chairman’s request.
Minutes:
The Chairman invited Bath Network for People with Learning Disabilities (Network) representatives to address the Panel with their statement.
Paul Rogerson and Nigel Lung read out the statement in which they highlighted the work of the Network. There are three Networks in BANES meeting once a month and their purpose is to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. One of the main problems that people with learning disabilities encounter are that they are victims of Hate Crime. Almost all members of the Network have been bullied, having things stolen from them, being called names and had their homes damaged. The Network members decided to do something about this and launched their first community safety zone in 2010 in Radstock. A community safety zone is a group of shops or business premises which have agreed to offer safe place for someone with a learning disability to go into when they are experiencing and/or feel afraid of hate crime. The Network set their goals to set safety zones in Bath and Keynsham. Keynsham successfully launched the scheme at the end of 2011. The Network needs at least ten safety zones across the city centre in Bath to launch the scheme. The Network visited lots of business premises in Bath but only two business premises signed up and put the yellow sticker (as a mark of the Community Safety Zone) on their window.
The Network asked the Panel for a help on getting more business premises engaged in the scheme.
Sue Dicks (Community Manager for Partnership Delivery) offered to introduce the Network to the other Community Safety partners.
Pippa Farrell (from ‘Your Say’ Advocacy Service) explained the Community Safety 10 Point Plan to the Panel.
The Community Safety 10 Point Plan, the Network representatives’ statement, Community Safety Zone yellow sticker and Community Safety Card is available on the minute book in Democratic Services.
The Panel made the following points:
Councillor Lisa Brett, who suggested to the panel that this matter be considered as the additional item on the agenda, said when the Network approached the Council with the request, they got knock backed. Councillor Brett asked the Panel to send the message to the Cabinet, or appropriate Cabinet Member/s, that every Council building should display the yellow sticker.
The Panel debated this matter and agreed with the proposal from Councillor Brett. The Panel also recommend that the issue about Hate Crime towards people with Learning Disabilities should be included in the report on Community Safety: Business Improvement District and Night Time Economy for the next meeting.
Councillor Rob Appleyard (Westfield Ward Member) welcomed the scheme and added that the Council should lead by example by displaying the sticker on its premises.
It was RESOLVED to:
1. Thank the Network representatives and Pippa Farrell for addressing the Panel on the Community Safety Zone scheme;
2. Send the message to the Cabinet, and/or relevant Cabinet Member/s, that every Council building should display the yellow sticker; and
3. Request from the officers to include an update on ‘Hate Crime against People with Learning Disabilities’ in the next Community Safety report for May meeting.