Agenda and minutes

Present: Cllr James Hill (Co Chair, NBC), Pauline Woodhouse (Co Chair NBC, PW), Aimee Luck (NBC, AL), Neelam Aggarwal-Singh (IHWO, NAS), Lara Alexander-Lloyd (Police, LAL), Abade M Ahmed (Somali community, AMA).

Apologies: Diana Belfon, John Rawlings, Jenny Campbell, Morcea Walker, Nisha Mejer.

Minutes recorded as true to record.

No matters arising.

Apologies from Diana Belfon. Agenda item moved to the next meeting in September.

Apologies from Jenny Campbell. Agenda item moved to next forum meeting in September.

Reminder that the date of the national week was changed from last year and will start on Saturday 14^th October 2017.

AL gave an update on the plans for Hate Crime Awareness Week. Informed the forum that NBC will be arranging a planning meeting in the next couple of weeks to coordinate events. Any organisation who would like to be included in this meeting please inform AL (details on front sheet.)

PW suggested inviting Bangladeshi and Sikh groups to the planning meeting.

NAS: Grand finale for HCAW to summarise and reflect on the week.

PW: Raise awareness of HCAW through IFM, Asian Network and other radio stations.

Forum members asked to think about ideas for the inter forum event during Hate Crime Awareness Week.

AMA: There are language barriers to reporting. Some report but are discouraged by the system and put off reporting in future.

JH: Include education on Hate Crime during the week to encourage reporting.

LAL: Gave an update on Hate Crime in Northamptonshire, quarterly infographic shared with forum. Hate Crime is monitored weekly and each report is now reviewed. Northampton is currently in ‘exception’; the increase in reporting is more reflective of what communities say is happening.

The forum was pleased with the infographic; information presented in an accessible way.

PW: Enquired about residential hate crime incidents and the frustration around keeping logs/recording.

LAL: Neighbourhood teams picking this up. Important to record but this should be proportionate.

Forum discussed issues around hate crime and media representation.

Muslims often presented as all perpetrators whereas most are victims.

The general public don’t often recognise the different groups and faiths in a community and see them all as the same.  

Increase in high profile terror incidents increase hate crime. People travelling to other countries to fight and returning to Britain are a worry.

JH reminded forum that public only hear about when it goes wrong and that the police stop many incidents.

LAL to ask for a special to attend forum to discuss watch lists.

NAS: Communities worry that police aren’t doing enough when people are expressing views of hate on social media and they do not see a response.

LAL: History has taught us that police response can often incite hate incidents.

LAL asked for members to share the message with community groups that the police will take reports seriously and to keep reporting.

NAS: Brought up low attendance at meetings. What is being done to increase attendance.

PW: Reminder that it was decided that responsibility lies with forum members to promote the forum through their networks.

AL: New forum leaflets are being used to promote at all events we attend. A new community forums logo has been designed.

ACTION: AL to distribute logo to members via mailing list.

Plans in progress for a pop up banner that can be used to promote Community Forums at events.

AL: Read message from Rukhsana Bashir informing forum of the Hate Crime Review Panel taking place on Wednesday 13^th September 2017, at Force Headquaters, 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Feedback from community members has informed the choice of an evening panel.

Anyone wishing to attend please contact before the end of August 2017. Closed police cases may be referred but must be received by Wednesday 30^th August 2017.

PW: Can review panels takes place in the community?

LAL: Yes, if a case is referred for a specific area it can be arranged for the panel to meet in that location.

On the Agenda for next meeting:

Diana Belfon – Moving ahead Project

Linda Martin – Working Links

Mavis Mundirwa – Stories of Resilience

Suggestions for future meetings:

Housing; specifically around homeless, housing applications and criteria.

Police; watch lists special

21 September 2017, The Guildhall

21 September 2017, The Guildhall