Neighbourhood Management Pilot

What is the Neighbourhood Management Pilot model and what wards does it cover?

NMB NW - ASB hotspot map

The Neighbourhood Management Pilot model was recommended by the Tower Hamlets Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) review completed in April 2017, to tackle community safety issues in the Borough. In August 2017, the Council and Tower Hamlets Police agreed to carry out the project in the neighbourhood area comprising of Spitalfields and Banglatown, Weavers, Bethnal Green, St Peters and Whitechapel wards, due to this area having the highest level of police 101 calls for Anti-Social Behaviour, drugs and crime incidents across the borough.

The council and police also agreed to join up local resources and co-produce activities, honouring commitments identified by the ASB Blueprint with maximum impact, resulting in reduction in crime, improved engagement with the public and to build confidence in the council, police and community safety partners in tackling these issues.

Why was this Neighbourhood area chosen?

There are approximately 3500 class A drug users in the borough, with around 50 per cent of them in treatment. There are also 3000 residents dependent on alcohol, with around 20 per cent in treatment. It is reported that the Royal London Hospital, the large number of hostel places and the proximity to Shoreditch and Hackney are all having an impact on drug demand in the neighbourhood area, which accounts for over 29 per cent of drugs/ASB related reports in the borough.

It was agreed to use this neighbourhood area as the pilot for this project, and findings would help partners make a decision on whether the Neighbourhood Management Model could then be rolled out across the Borough and what that might look like in the other parts of the borough.

How will the Neighbourhood Management Pilot operate?

The pilot started in the Summer 2018 and will end in March 2020. A neighbourhood manager has been facilitating joint working across partners and a range of services, and meeting with residents and businesses to ascertain their concerns. Findings from these meetings are presented to a Neighbourhood Management Board, which meets every three months and chaired by Cllr John Pierce.

Membership of the board includes representatives from the council, Police, Tower Hamlets Homes, Safer Neighbourhood Board and local businesses. Essentially, the Neighbourhood Management Board is responsible for:

delivering the commitment identified by the ASB Blueprint
maintain oversight of the delivery of the Pilot project through regular meetings
review a monthly performance dashboard and identify issues and barriers to the project being delivered successfully
identify and provide necessary support and resources for the pilot project
facilitate practical support provision for the Neighbourhood Manager
lead the co-production and strategic communication with the stakeholders, including residents and businesses in the area
evaluate the project at its completion
provide recommendations on the role of the Neighbourhood Manager and a roll-out of the neighbourhood management model in other areas of the borough

Who is the Neighbourhood Manager and what are the priorities?

John Fortune is the current Neighbourhood Manager and has been working closely with stakeholders and the public in the pilot area, listening and assisting them to access council services. Most of the issues identified have been related to drugs and the ASB caused by drug dealing and drug misuse in the area; including frustrations with reporting, slow response and visibility of the police in this area.

Based on these findings and result of an appreciative enquiry, John has been actively encouraging the public to continue reporting to both the police and council via an improved and simplified reporting process and has identified a thematic delivery plan for actions in the following areas:

Hostels: working with hostel managers, improving learning amongst each other and best practice to deal with ASB associated with their residents
Schools: improved engagement with head teachers, staff and parents in all primary & junior schools in the pilot area. Resourcing Police and THEOs at closing times, to improve visibility, gather information and build public confidence
Highways: using council CCTV to identify top 10 drug use/dealing vehicles and assisting the police to stop and search vehicles, using enforcement powers to disrupt suspected offenders
Brick Lane (Markets): plans are now in place to reclaim market area previously used for selling stolen goods and improving confidence between the council, police and market traders
Parks and open spaces: reviewing park designs, opening up spaces to make natural play areas to deter ASB and drug use
Neighbourhood Team: Recruiting 2 Community Safety Neighbourhood Officers, who will support the Neighbourhood Manager with problem solving, conducting caseloads and using Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices, ASB warnings, Community Protection Warnings and Community Protection Notices. The team will also be able to draw on other council resources such as THEOs and ASB officers.

To make contact or arrange a meeting with the Neighbourhood Manager, please get in touch with John via email John.Fortune@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

How to report ASB, drug dealing and other criminal activity in the Neighbourhood area?

The council, police and partners would encourage the public to keep reporting their concerns around drug dealing and drug use. Use this simple guide for further information, and the range of reporting services available below:

Call 999: in an emergency, if there is a crime occurring or there is a threat to life
Call 101: for ASB, including drug dealing. If drug dealing is happening outside of a school or playground, call 999
Report Crime, ASB and drug dealing to the police online (for drug dealing select ‘Antisocial behaviour’)
Report ASB to the council online
Call Crimestoppers to report any crime anonymously on 0800 555 111

Useful contacts

John Fortune - Neighbourhood Manager

Email: John.Fortune@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Neighbourhood Area Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams

Online Watch Link (OWL)

OWL is used by the Metropolitan Police Service in partnership with local Neighbourhood Watch coordinators to communicate with residents and businesses across the borough.

OWL is an advanced solution for police & communities to grow and manage Neighbourhood Watch, School Watch, Business Watch and dozens of other schemes. OWL provides watch members with the latest messages and local crime alerts sent by email, telephone, SMS or fax.