APPENDIX 2
4. Memorandum submitted by Burnley Borough
Council and Chief Superintendent of Lancashire Constabulary (Pennine
Division)
1. This submission is made jointly by the
Chief Superintendent of the Pennine Division of Lancashire Constabulary
and by officers of Burnley Borough Council. The decision to make
a joint submission reflects the very close partnership working
there has been between the Police and the Council, as well as
with other agencies, in working together to manage tensions and
risks to community cohesion in the years since Burnley suffered
the disturbances which were the subject of the Burnley Task Force
Report, chaired by Lord Tony Clarke (2001).
2. In Pennine Division, the Police have
established a systematic approach to community intelligence gathering
over the recent years, which is recognised as embodying good practice
in community engagement. This generates a range of soft and specific
intelligence to help identify and manage risks to public order
linked to community cohesion. The intelligence is categorised
under four broad headings for the issues which could impact on
community cohesion : economic, political, racial and criminal.
3. The Police have recently initiated a
system of ward panels called "Police and Community Together"
(PACT), which meet monthly and are an opportunity for the Community
Beat Managers of Lancashire Constabulary to meet with local residents,
local ward Members and workers with local agencies in order to
identify issues and problems that need addressing in each ward.
This is widely seen as a positive initiative, and enjoys the support
of many other agencies. It is one of the initiatives on which
Burnley's approach to neighbourhood management is building.
4. The Police hold a regular weekly "scanning
meeting", which enjoys the participation of many other agencies,
including the Borough Council, the Neighbourhood Wardens employed
by the Borough Council, the County Council, some community representatives,
and others. This is an opportunity for information sharing about
a range of current issues that could result in public order or
community cohesion breakdowns. The meetings are extremely task-orientated
and result in rapid deployment of resources in order to help manage
and address the risks that are identified.
5. At a more strategic level, senior managers
of District Councils, the Police and other agencies (including
the community and voluntary sector) come together on a regular
basis as the "East Lancashire Risk Assessment Strategy Group".
This is a working group of the East Lancashire Together community
cohesion pathfinder, and provides an opportunity for forward planning
in respect of community cohesion-related risks to public order,
and the promotion of positive messages about community relations.
It is also an opportunity to reflect on the practice and interventions
that have resulted from the scanning meetings. Home Office colleagues
are routinely copied in on the papers and minutes relating to
the work of this Group.
6. On the basis of these positive initiatives,
the Pennine Division of Lancashire Constabulary is taking part
in the CENTREX National Community Cohesion project. Again, this
involvement is proceeding with support and participation from
representatives of Burnley Borough Council. This project will
result in the collation and dissemination of best practice in
respect of inter-agency working around the identification and
management of risks to public order that have a community cohesion
dimension.
7. The Police are working in partnership
with Burnley Borough Council and with other agencies, and in collaboration
with colleagues from the Civil Service (Government Office for
the North West) in order to run a tabletop exercise in December
2004, which relates centrally to the concerns of this Committee
Inquiry. The exercise will be opportunity to test the preparedness
of the Police, Burnley Borough Council and other agencies to positively
manage any rise in racial incidents, "Islamophobia"
or other forms of prejudiced and hateful behaviour that may result
from any terrorist threat or incident that takes place in the
future. The process of working towards this exercise has itself
been a vehicle for improving the preparedness of local agencies
to work together effectively on these issues.
8. More widely, there are regular opportunities
for agencies to work together to promote community cohesion, and
to ensure that the principle of building good community relations
is built in to all of our work. A key vehicle for this is the
Community Cohesion Group of the Local Strategic Partnership, Burnley
Action Partnership. The Group is chaired by the Chief Executive
of Burnley Borough Council, and enjoys regular participation from
the Police, Lancashire County Council, East Lancashire Together
community cohesion pathfinder, the community and voluntary sector,
the Primary Care Trust, local housing associations and a range
of other organisations. Home Office colleagues are routinely copied
in on the papers and minutes relating to the work of this Group.
9. A key partner in our work to effectively
manage and address the risks of "Islamophobia", racism
and other forms of prejudice with which the Committee Inquiry
is concerned is the "Building Bridges in Burnley" network.
This is our local inter-faith network, which has been created
by the initiative of members of every Christian denomination in
Burnley, and by representatives of every Mosque in Burnley. Those
active in the "Building Bridges in Burnley" project
come together regularly to discuss a range of issues, including
the commonalities and differences between their religious beliefs,
and the social issues facing the town. The project has a strong
reputation for implementing a range of positive initiatives to
bring people together across the divides of race, ethnicity and
faith, and in taking a pro-active approach to promoting positive
messages on the importance of good community relations. For example,
in the recent period, Christian and Muslim leaders who are part
of "Building Bridges in Burnley" both spoke out very
clearly condemning the kidnapping and subsequent murder in Iraq
of Kenneth Bigley, thus making clear that such outrages are not
representative of Islam.
10. The way in which the media amplified
the statements of "Building Bridges in Burnley" during
this period is one example of the increasingly positive and responsible
approach that has usually been taken by the print media as well
as by the broadcast radio media in East Lancashire around issues
relating to community cohesion. Through the links which the Police
and Burnley Borough Council have built up with the press and the
radio over the recent years, and through the initiative of the
media themselves, we have increasingly seen how the press and
radio can report and comment on issues relating to race, ethnicity,
religion and community relations in a helpful and positive way.
We are confident that this approach would shape any media reaction
to the threat or reality of terrorist attacks in Britain that
we may face in the future.
11. Representatives of Burnley Borough Council
and the Pennine Division Police would of course be very happy
to provide further information and background documents to the
Committee Inquiry, or to attend such hearings of the Committee
as its members see fit.
8 November 2004
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