Minutes: April 2006

Wednesday 12th April 2006

1. Present

Helen, Paul, Adrian, Mark, Robin, Lesley, Chris, Ken, Cllr Dart, Rita, Nick, Nicola, Paula, Kati, Kathleen

1. Apologies

None

2.

Rita Glen-Gallo – attended the meeting to talk about Children’s Services Equalities Action Plan that was circulated with the minutes.

She explained that since the Education Department had amalgamated with the children’s elements of Social Services the Action Plan covers issues across all the department and all of the issues.

She wished to ask if anything needed to be changed, altered or amended or if the Group wished her to attend regularly to keep them informed? She would like to come back in 6 months time to give an update.

Helen said we needed to ensure that we are not limiting our focus and scope to statistical neighbours and perhaps need to look at Beacon LEA’s to see how they have done things. Also item 33 makes no mention of transsexual.

Action: Rita to amend this.

Paula said that in the same way you talk about promoting Race Equality in school through Black History Month/Holocaust memorial Day you need something about promoting LGBT Lifestyle so young people know there is an option for them.

Action: Rita will speak to their DEMA Department about incorporating this.

Paula reported that ‘gay’ is a derogatory word in schools but teachers do not challenge it in the way they would challenge ‘race’. There was discussion about the need for education on all issues around sexuality, including sexually transmitted decease.

Action: Rita to find out how sexuality issues are taught in Swindon schools. She will attend a future meeting to report back her findings to the group.

3. Adrian Robinson – Best Value Performance Indicators

Adrian said on page 6 of the Children Services Equalities Action Plan you will see a list of the Council’s current monitoring process. What they measure is driven by what they are required to do by the Government. What he is looking to do is to get feedback from the Coalition about how they should handle things like belief and sexuality and whether people are comfortable about giving this information. He said they are required to ask the question. He wanted to know what they need to do to develop best practice and how people would wish to be treated.

Paula asked if other LEAs such as Brighton and Manchester monitored? Adrian said they have a whole lot of information which they imbed very well similar to how we do Race and Disability. He has come really to see from your perspective how people about that.

There was discussion about advertising in the gay press and advertising in a positive way for ‘gay’ staff. Chris said for him it has been a very positive experience working for Swindon Borough Council.

It was felt that a person’s sexuality had no bearing on whether they could do their job but the comment was made that this also applied to Race but that was a legal requirement. It was hoped it would not become a legal requirement to state your sexuality. Nicola said that was why she had a concern about coming and asking the question.

Paula said she thought the possibility was an issue and suggested monitoring the happiness of your employees at the moment by doing a ‘blind’ test asking if they feel happy in their employment. She said the other side of the coin was that she worked for Intel and do have the question every quarter but if you say yes or no it is not followed up and I think that is quite a good gauge and it gets better because people start to come out.

Adrian said even though we have equality training you cannot bring people in and brainwash them.

Helen thanked Adrian and Nicola.

5. Minutes of the last meeting and Matters Arising

These were agreed as a true record.

Kati reported that she was still waiting to hear from the paper and student magazine.

6. EAF Meeting feedback and Issues to be raised at EAF Interim Meeting

Paula asked for information on these meetings? Helen explained that representatives from each of the Coalitions attended these meetings. They have a full agenda that they work on together. It is also the Forum for taking issues raised at each individual Coalition meetings and if relevant these can go right up to Cabinet level.

7. Report of the Hate Crime Forum – Robin Stannard

The fourth quarter (Jan-Mar 06) Homophobic Hate Crime saw 6 crimes recorded. None have been detected so far but in 5 cases the offender is known (83.33%).

I have picked out a few crime cases to summarise and give a flavour of what is happening in the town. If you find this useful I could continue with it.

1. The Aggrieved has reported that a group of youths, both female and male aged around 10 -15yrs have been hanging around the [deleted] flats for a period of time. Recently the group had started to make rude comments in regards to the aggrieveds sexual orientation.

   They have on occasions also thrown small stones at the flat windows, but have caused no damage.

   The aggrieved does not feel harassed by the youths, but feels that they don't necessarily realise what they are saying. But is concerned about the stone throwing, as this may eventually damage a window, and there are two small children living in the flat.

   Current status
   The Officer in the Case works as part of neighbourhood partnership team. Regular patrols undertaken in the area in an effort to discourage the behaviour, and to identified the youths details. Contact with the IP has been made which revealed that the youths have not been seen since the incident was reported. The aggrieved was still unable to give any indication to the identity of the youths responsible. This will be a an ongoing target patrol area for the Neighbourhood Partnership (Policing) Team.

2. The aggrieved had youths throw eggs at the side of his house on several occassions. there have been no verbals used by the youths, no gestures. the victim doesn't know who these youths are and the youths would not know who he is or that he is gay. he also stated that he believed that the incidents were created because he was gay.

   Current status
   Enquiries continue with the sector Inspector, Mr. Burt, overseeing with a view to implimenting an Action Plan

3. It is alleged offender approached the aggrieved and asked for his bike and money calling him a "gay boy". He did not take either then headed towards [deleted].An area search by officers was done but no person was found.

   Aggrieved contactable only via mobile phone and address but not seen at the time.

   Current status
   OIC is still having problems making contact with aggrieved. He is not responding to messages on his telephone or at home address.

4. Aggrieved (a juvenile) was on his way home with friends. He was walking away from a gang of approx 15 unknown males and females who were shouting homophobic abuse in his direction - one of these males without any provocation, hit him in the mouth leaving him bleeding. He was later taken to hospital and found to have a broken nose, split gum and a loose tooth.

   Current status
   Enquiries continue – efforts to complete video interviews of juvenile witnesses continue

5. A few friends were inside [deleted] night club when the DJ dedicated a song to "the lads from [deleted]", at which point they cheered, thus identifying themselves. They continued dancing on the dance floor.

   A group of 4 males were present and one of them shouted homophobic abuse at the group. One of the males approached the group and a scuffle ensued resulting in the doormen ejecting all 4 from the club.

   The friends left the club to return home. The 4 males were waiting nearby and as the friends approached, one of the 4 shouted "There they are, get them."

   All the friends were assaulted. Police arrived as the 4 began to disperse and arrested two.

   Current status
   CPS directed No Further Action due to conflict of evidence regarding identification

During this period there was one Transphobic crime reported which remains undetected at this time.

A total of 4 Crime Related Incidents were reported during this period, up 2 (66.66%) from the 3 reported during 04. There were no reported incidents.

This year a total of 27 homophobic hate crimes have been recorded, up 3 (+12.5%) from 24 last year, with 8 detected (29.63%) – 9 (37.5%) last year with 14 (51.48%) currently rule H. – the same as last year (58.33%)

4 Transphobic hate crime/incidents were reported during the year – none reported previously.

19 Crime Related Incidents were reported during the year, up 8 (72.75%).

6 Incidents were reported during the year, up 2 (50%) from last.

At the last meetings comments regarding Theatre Square were raised with the Town Centre policing unit. After some legal difficulty the Dispersal Order has been re-imposed with, I am told, more resources allocated to monitor the area.

Mark said there are a lot of crimes not reported because of the discrimination people feel they will receive. On Friday and Saturdays they are absolutely fuelled by alcohol and drugs both in and out of the Gay Community.

Nick also felt the figures didn’t reflect reality. Mark said for the same period there were 147 homophobic incidents that they were notified of. Robin said they were going up year on year, 5 years ago when we started monitoring there were none reported at all though the same levels of assaults would have been happening 5 years ago as now.

Mark asked of those incidents reports how many were repeat incidents? Robin said if it’s a repeat offender, each incident is given a different number but it is one report.

8. Any Other Business

Bob said the Gay Policing Initiative meeting held on 18 April at Devizes followed on from event held on 25 March. Mark said he is Chairman of the GPI and ran the event on 25 March. 45 people attended, 30 of which were members of the public. Intended that these will run on a regular basis.

Paula asked for the remit of the GPI. Robin said it was to drag the Police Community into the 21st Century. Hopefully act as an Independent Advisory Group giving a critical overview of what the Police are doing. If they don’t like what we are doing they have an opportunity to change it or suggest better ways of doing things.

Nick reported on a new gay venue in Old Town ‘Backers’. Mark said this venue was set up by Cloud 9 and has not received very good support and will close if they don’t get better support. They have done everything they can and need the Gay Community’s support. It’s where the ‘Mission’ used to be.

Audit Commission emailed Kati and the Coalition have been selected to comment on the Council. Copies of the questionnaire were handed out and Kati needs to send in a response by 28 April. She would be grateful for any comments.

9. Dates of future meetings

7-9pm, Wednesday 14 June: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 9 August: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 11 October: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 13 December: CR2, Civic Offices