Simon Fitzpatrick, Community Safety Team, explained that the Drug and Alcohol Action team (DAAT) is part of Wirral Joint Community Safety Team, which is comprised of staff from a number of agencies including, the Police, Local Authority, Probation Service, Fire Service and voluntary and community organisations.

Young people are one of three key priorities in Wirral’s Harm Reduction strategy. This evening, along with Paul Roberts, he proposed to give a presentation on Wirral’s Young Persons Alcohol Intervention Programme, and to focus on three themes in Wirral’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy –

• Young people’s alcohol misuse
• Alcohol related identification and treatment
• Alcohol related crime disorder in the community.

Each strand of the programme has a Young People’s Alcohol Action Plan. The Young People’s Alcohol Action Plan is a key priority for a range of partners, particularly the Children & Young People’s Department, the Police and the Hospital Trust and PCT. Wirral DAAT plays a key co-ordination role with partners in tackling issues associated with young people and alcohol.  The DAAT team visits schools and gives talks and advice on drug and alcohol issues. Trading Standards Officers are also involved with DAAT, and they deal with complaints about under-age drinking and take action against adults who purchase alcohol for young people.

Mrs Buckley drew attention to alcohol related problems in Balfour Road and in the car park attached to the Art Gallery, where empty bottles are left lying around. Children playing football in the car park is becoming a major problem.

Reply:  [CYPD] Although funding is available some young people don’t want to get involved. There are tremendous facilities but direct connection is needed with children. Respect Ice cream van can be used to make a connection, for example to get them to play football in the Sports Centre.

Graham Bell introduced himself as Inspector for the neighbourhood and stated that police listen to what people are saying and  to see what we can do. There is always an issue of boys and girls getting involved in anything that they see as ‘organised’ by people in authority or parents.  What we are striving to do is get young people to take some responsibility for the organisation of sport or cultural things. We want them to tell us what they want and what they will take responsibility for. 

Member of public:  The church in Balls Road?

Chair:  It is currently being refurbished.

Cllr Kelly: We have just heard the story of what is available and the work that is going on in general.  Would it be possible for us as a Forum to say to the service providers and services involved, ‘Here is a problem that has been identified over the last 12 months’.  Is it something we can monitor and say to the service providers we would like to see a report back to us at the next meeting on what you have done in terms of the children, the services available to address this particular problem in this area. To report back to us and see what the approaches and ideas presented are on the ground and if they satisfy residents in the area in general, not just Balfour Road, but Slatey Road etc., as well.  We have heard reports in the past about crime, anti social behaviour and burglaries in Slatey Road. Do a case study on Slatey Road.  What have we done specifically between now and February to monitor and see what has been done.

Insp. Bell:  We have had a clear request to see how successfully we are operating in this area and we can probably feed back at the February meeting about the activities they have been engaged in.

Cllr Kelly:  We understand the resources have to go to ‘hot spots’ but within a reasonable period of time between now and February for you to demonstrate that when the resources are available you are able to do certain things. I would like to see interventions, but understand about priories and resources etc.

Alan Stennard:  The work by the Police and other agencies is driven by the biggest problem and problems tend to move around areas.  Between now and February I think we could at least understand the current level of the problem and come back to you in terms of reporting back in February a) what we have been able to achieve, and give you a feel of what else we have been dealing with in the area, and b) what we have been able to deploy to the area and what is on offer.

The Chair thanked Simon Fitzpatrick and Paul Roberts for a most interesting presentation, adding that everyone has learned something about the serious problems we have, and she expressed admiration for people’s determination to try and tackle those problems. 

Minute decision: Resolved that: Alan Stennard to liaise with Inspector Bell regarding anti-social behaviour in and around Slatey Road and Balfour Road and report back to forum in February on any developments.