Agenda and minutes

ATTENDANCE: Anna King (AK, Chair), Michael Macleod (MM, NBC), Morcea Walker (MW, Individual), Debbie MacColl (DM, NBC), James Averill (JA, Media), Nicola O’Neil (NO, Aquarius), Nicci Marzec (NM), Ann Bodsworth (AB, NDAS), Christ Starmer (CS, NDAS).

APOLOGIES: Pauline Woodhouse, Neelam Aggarwal-Singh, Rachel Packman, Kate Scott, Paula Whitworth.

Minutes accepted as true.

MW congratulated Anna King for the organisation of the Forum float at the recent Carnival.

WASH – Multi agency place to take vulnerable people for them to receive help and to keep them safe during night time economy.

It can also be used to take statements from police too, this is easier than going back to Campbell square and it keeps the police in the town centre.

Nene commissioning are looking to get involved to give medical help on the scene too.

MW – Would it be a good idea to let the youth forum have a look so they can have an idea of what’s available.

AK – It would also be good for the women’s forum to have a look at especially for people like Aquarius.

AB – It seems that more and younger people are being taken in by police now. The police are using NDAS as an overnight stay but there is no SLA in place.

ACTION: Arrange meeting with Ann Bodsworth and Martin O’Connell.

NM to send the Forum some statistics when the centre has been open for 2/3 months.

It will be open on the busy nights and student nights etc.

Are they linked in with Serenity and other similar services?

ACTION: MM to get full partnership from Martin O’Connell.

Q: Is the centre reliant on funding?

A: No, the room has been gifted so we are not reliant on funding.

Two weeks of action – signposting homeless people to the help they can get and informing the public about asb.

Once this two weeks is up and the information has been shared, there will then be 4 further weeks of action and legislation will be used if there is ASB.

AB A lot of issues with homeless people are alcohol and drug related which then excludes them from getting help and shelter from places like the Hope Centre etc.

These issues are very complexed and people getting shelter and keeping their space is very hard.

MW talked about how the Sikh community help people and the night shelter.

NO the immediate concern is in the winter and keeping people warm or sheltered but actually in the summer when the heat is extreme, how can these people stay in the shade and also keep hydrated. There are no fountains or free drinking water in the town.

Elsies are doing a handout bag for kids who get free school meals at school.

AK the housing team are looking to create a small information sheet for homeless people who which will have a list of all the accessible services for them.

DM St David’s WoA next week – plenty of free activities to take place.

There will also be an awareness day for forums, chairs will try and be in attendance to try and gain a bit more interest and gain more members for Forums Saturday 18^th August.

Umbrella Fair are doing Tea on the Lawn instead of the normal Umbrella Fair.

11^th August International Youth Day – Becket’s Park.

AVG organising an event 11^th October – symposium for reducing the impact of domestic abuse on family/children. There will be a price attached.

ACTION: MM to send out info to all forums once received.

There will also be more training sessions which will include information about honour based violence.

ACTION: MM to be sent more info and possible add to next/future Diverse Communities Forum.

Could also be a topic to be added to Hate Crime week – MM to speak to Vicki Rockall.

AB the support in Northampton is declining rapidly and putting all women’s (and mens) safeguarding services at risk. Services need to keep pushing for this and shouting about how it is a real problem in this county.

NON free training is still being offered around the county. These dates can be shared to the forum.

AB Commissioned service with NCC, all tier 4 families are coming through. People turning up, not enough police to pick up offenders and so on.

When the unitary council happens, it is important to keep the good and make a case for the good so it stays.

DM the Facebook page(s) for forums are in the process of being updated.

NCC are talking about more cuts today, another meeting will take place on august 1^st.

September 18^th 2018