APPENDIX 15
Memorandum from the London Borough of
Harrow
1. What is the
scale of the impact of these crimes on the local environment?
There has been a significant impact on the local
environment as a result of these crimes. The affects are seen
cosmetically throughout the borough which has an affect on residents
well being and social health as well as the associated Health
& Safety aspect. This has been evidenced by the Crime Audit
and area based surveys undertaken as part of the "New Harrow
Project". Central to the project is greater investment in
the liveability agenda and improvements in the public realm. Evaluation
has shown that this approach has significant benefits ie reducing
crime and improving the quality of life of residents.
2. Has there been a cultural change in attitudes
to these kinds of crimes and are they being treated more or less
seriously than in the past?
Society has had a shift in the way these crimes
are viewed, as the government is promoting public interest on
these issues, which has led to issues of Environmental Crime being
treated more seriously than in the past and also the perception
of the public has become less tolerant. The New Harrow Project
is driving this agenda locally. Ongoing consultation and feedback
demonstrates that this approach is positively impacting on crime
and the quality of life of local people.
3. Do responsible bodies who deal with the
problem and its consequences have sufficient resources and powers
to do so?
Borough initiatives driven by Government has
enabled agencies to effectively tackle issues and a major contributory
factor is that of Joint Partnership working across the borough.
Additional resources have been allocated by the Council as part
of the New Harrow Project. There is a need for relevant Legislation
to be significantly strengthened to make absolutely clear, the
responsibility of all organisations and individuals to ensure
that property and grounds are maintained to a consistently good
standard. Also, to attach severe penalties, eg, very heavy fines,
immediate seizure of vehicle, plant, equipment and materials,
where individuals or organisations are using the public highway
or other public areas, as sites for the display of advertisements
(eg, A Boards), storage of building materials etc, and/or as building
works compound. All of these cause damage to the infrastructure,
impede maintenance and the free movement of pedestrians, as well
as both damaging and spoiling the environment.
4. Is there sufficient dialogue and co-operation
across Government and amongst the various bodies responsible for
dealing with the problem at a local level?
Government guidelines are clear and within the
borough information is filtered down to local level using various
methods to access all involved in the process.
5. What alternatives exist for dealing with
these types of crimes outside the criminal justice system?
Diversionary schemes have been introduced at
national and local level to combat issues relating to environmental
crime and these are being reviewed on a regular basis borough
wide to tackle issues of priority affecting the borough. Also
legislation has been introduced and amended to give local authorities
greater powers at local level. A problem-solving approach has
been applied by the "Safer Harrow" Crime and Disorder
Reduction Partnership to issues of crime, disorder and anti-social
behaviour in all its various forms.
6. Does environmental crime have a disproportionate
impact on poorer and less advantaged sections of society?
There is a greater impact on enviro-crime in
the poorer areas of the borough which has a greater affect on
individuals within these areas of society and can be seen in areas
of health and the social affects. The Borough on a whole is affected
by the affects of enviro-crime, as incidences of fly-tipping are
mainly concentrated in more rural areas of the borough. Whereby
Graffiti and Fly-posting is concentrated in areas of high visibility
such as Town Centres.
March 2004
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