Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Holding Room, The Guildhall, St. Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE.

Contact: Partnerships and Communities Team  0300 330 7000 e-mail:  forums@northampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcomes, introductions and apologies pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Minutes:

Present: Martin De Rosario (Co Chair MD), Larry Barber (Individual LB), Barbara Barber (Individual BB), Father Oliver Cross (FC), Cllr Ashraf (CA), Andy Leighton (AL), Jo Painter (VOICE JP), Gillian Chettenden (GC), Carl Weininger (Northants British Polio Fellowship CW), Beverley Mennell (BM).

2.

Minutes and Matters Arising

Minutes:

Minutes recorded as true to record.

 

NM contacted the Regeneration team regarding signage in the town centre for toilets.

 

John Dale Head of Services stated that the team is “looking at the town centre signage in general alongside and as part of the town centre strategy. This will also be part of the discussions.”

3.

Andy Leighton - Blue Badge pdf icon PDF 264 KB

Minutes:

 

AL gave an update from the last meeting regarding the Blue Badge issue.

 

Traffic Wardens to have the power to enforce the Blue Badge system and to remove the badge if it is being abused. The traffic warden also has the jurisdiction to issue a penalty fine.

 

Please report any abuse of the Blue Badge system to 0845 680 0153. Can also report via the Northamptonshire Highways website.

 

BM: Disability is not always visible. The medical evidence must be reviewed.

 

 

4.

VOICE pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes:

JP gave a presentation on the organisation VOICE.

 

VOICE offers free and confidential advice and support to victims of crime. Victims are effected differently to crime.

 

The support is accessible to everyone although 95% of referrals are from the Police.

 

Practical support given, eg free door alarms.

 

BM: There was a burglary is Kingsley and victim died of stress. There have been welfare reforms which means that there have been more burglaries.

 

CW: It appears that women are effected differently to crime than men.

 

JP: People are also reluctant to report crime. VOICE works with the witness care scheme and the Criminal Justice System is explained.

 

RA: Do you support victims where English is a second language?

 

JP: Yes. We use an interpretation service.

 

CW: How quick is your response time?

 

JP: When case comes in an initial phone call is made to the victim. It is then transferred to the allocation team. Each case has its individual requirements.

 

CW: People are often frightened to go to Court.

 

JP: Yes – the Police are encouraged to be approachable.

 

ACTION: NM to send the presentation out to the Forum members.

 

 

5.

Mental Health

Minutes:

MR: Mental health is still a taboo subject. Services are still difficult to access. NCC has less funds and nursing homes are closing. People are living longer and there is more of a strain on resources.

 

1 in 5 adults suffer mental health and 34% people do not know they suffer mental health.

 

 

6.

Action Plan

Minutes:

Action plan to be updated:

 

Disabled People Forum to be made aware by Highways at planning stage of major road changes.

 

 

7.

Community Information Exchange

Minutes:

World Health Day on April 7th in the Market Square.

 

 

8.

Items for Next and Future Meetings

Minutes:

Scooter to go to attend next meeting.

 

NM still trying to contact the Diabetes Unit to attend Forum.

 

 

 

 

9.

Date of the Next Meeting

Minutes:

May 12th 10:30am – 12:30pm, The Guildhall