RHC & Runnymede Consultative Group
28/11/2018
Royal Holloway & Runnymede Consultative Group meeting
MINUTES
Tuesday 06 November 2018
Principal’s Meeting Room
PRESENT:
Royal Holloway: Dr David Ashton (CHAIR / Deputy Principal (Operations); Mike Berry (Director of Estates), Marie Ennis (Director of Marketing and Communications), Helen Groenendaal (Head of Student Advisory & Wellbeing, Academic Services), Tony Henderson (Interim Head of Public Relations and Medi
Royal Holloway Students’ Union: Clem Jones (President), Dr Tom Flynn (Chief Executive Officer)
Runnymede Borough Councillors: Cllr Nigel King (Englefield Green West), Cllr Nick Prescott
Residents’ Associations: Isabel Mullens, Leah Robson (ERA), Christine Welsh EGVRA)
Chamber of Commerce: Mark Adams, (Chair)
Surrey Police: Inspector Nick Pinkerton, PC Helen Gladstone-Lindsell,
Runnymede Borough Council: Aileen Baker (Environmental Health Officer),
APOLOGIES:
Cllr Dolsie Clarke (Mayor of Runnymede)
Cllr Japneet Sohi (Englefield Green East)
Jim Pearcey (ERA)
1. Welcome & introductions
2. Minutes and actions from previous meeting (12.06.18)
It was AGREED that the minutes of the last meeting on 12 June, 2018 were a true and accurate record.
3. Updates on areas of mutual interest:
- RBC
Councillor King thanked Royal Holloway for the actions taken in response to resident concerns about the route of double decker buses serving halls of residence in Englefield Green.
Councillor Prescot provided an update on development plans for Egham town centre. A discussion followed about the implications this would have for parking in the town.
Action: It was agreed that the meeting would note that parking is an issue for the whole community and attendees are invited to contact their ward councillor with their views and, in the case of the resident representative groups, encourage their members to do the same.
- Egham Chamber of Commerce:
Mark Adams provided an update on events organised by the Chamber of Commerce.
- EGVRA:
Christine Welsh thanked the Students’ Union for the information ahead of the Freshers’ Ball and asked if the SU could provide similar information about events at the Packhorse.
Action: Tom Flynn said the SU would provide information about events which may be busy.
- ERA:
Concerns were expressed about late-night noise in Lynwood Avenue caused by students entering and leaving the university via Spring Rise Gate, en route to on campus events. LR presented a document recording incidents of transient noise (appendix A)
Action: The university is taking further steps to address this issue. From January they will extend the presence of Students’ Union representative and security staff into the streets close to the Spring Rise Gate to coincide with key dates, times and events. The subject will be discussed again at the next meeting.
- RBC Environmental Health:
Aileen Baker reported that environmental health officers had dealt with 13 issue of noise from student occupied houses since the start of the autumn term. This was the same figure as for the same period last year.
- Surrey Police:
A report is provided in appendix B
- Royal Holloway Estates:
Refurbishment of Bedford Library and McCrea Building is underway
Amendments to the university Master Plan relating to the area around Piggery Gate will be brought forward.
A feasibility study will be carried out to explore adding additional levels to car park 14 (off Harvest Road)
- Student wellbeing:
A report is provided in appendix C
- Volunteering:
A report is provided in appendix D
- Students’ Union:
The SU will attend the Remembrance Day service at St. Jude’s church, Englefield Green
The SU will hold a forum for letting agents on 14 November
4. AOB
Cllr King informed the meeting that Runnymede Council is revitalising twin town links with Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, and the council would welcome a representative from the university on the twinning committee.
The meeting was asked to note that the Egham Royal Holloway community meeting would be held on Wednesday, 14 November, at the United Church of Egham
5. Proposed date of next meeting: Tuesday 26 February 2019, Principal’s Meeting Room, Royal Holloway
Appendix B
This report covers incidents and initiatives which have occurred since the last meeting on Tuesday 12th June 2018.
- Local ASB and crime situation (to 05/11/2018):
Runnymede currently has the lowest total of Total Notifiable Offences (TNO) for the three Northern Boroughs, and being the only Northern Borough currently in reduction this current financial year. There has been a 9% reduction (373 fewer crimes) in TNO in Runnymede this current financial year (to the end of October 2018).
In Egham there have been 78 fewer crimes reported (-22%) and in Englefield Green there have been 87 fewer crimes reported (-23%).
Runnymede has had the greatest reduction in offences of any Boroughs in Surrey FYTD. Runnymede is sixth of eleven Borough in the rankings of total notifiable offences (11 being the lowest).
North Surrey saw a significant increase in Burglary during 2017/18, but in 2018/19 Burglary has declined across Runnymede -60% (211 fewer offences). This is the highest rate of reduction in Surrey. Egham and Addlestone Town currently have the highest level of burglary activity (rolling data from 1st April 2017). The Borough and Division have Domestic Burglary as a priority and uniform and covert resources have been concentrated on identifying and arresting offenders. We have seen a significant reduction in burglary activity. Other reductions include Violence, Criminal Damage, Theft and Serious Sexual Assaults.
For all ASB incidents reported in the period 1st April 2018 to 31st October 2018, Runnymede is sixth of 11 Surrey Boroughs for Anti-Social Behaviour. “Rowdy and Inconsiderate Behaviour” and “Vehicle Nuisance/ Inappropriate Use” are the most reported types of ASB accounting for two thirds of reports both across Runnymede and in Egham Town and Englefield Green. Addlestone Town remains the area of the greatest reported ASB, followed by Chertsey Meads & St Anne’s and Thorpe & Hythe. These three wards account for 50% of all ASB reports in Runnymede. Egham Town is 4th at 12% of reports and Englefield Green 6th at 9%
Residential burglary
For year to date (FYTD) Residential burglary Egham - 11 offences down, -77% reduction.
FYTD Residential burglary Englefield Green -22 offences - 50% reduction.
Violence with injury
FYTD Egham 13 offences (down 7 for the same period last year) – 35% reduction.
FYTD Englefield Green 27 offences (down 28 for the same period last year) – 51% reduction.
Vehicle crime (excluding interference)
FYTD Egham 16 offences (up 6 for the same period last year) – 60% increase.
FYTD Englefield Green 16 offences (down 9 for the same period last year) – 36% reduction.
Criminal Damage
FYTD Egham 13 offences (down 7 for the same period last year) – 35% reduction.
FYTD Englefield Green 23 offences (down 10 for the same period last year) – 30% reduction.
Total Notifiable Offences (TNO)
FYTD Egham 279 offences (down 78 for the same period last year) – 22% reduction.
FYTD Englefield Green 286 offences (down 87 for the same period last year) – 23% reduction.
- On and near to Campus incidents (to 05/11/2018):
In this period, 49 incidents have been recorded. These include bicycle thefts, attempted theft from academic buildings, theft of phones, laptops and wallets, Class C drug offences and thefts from building works.
An international Student was contacted by unknown Chinese speaking persons he assumed were the Chinese (PRC) Police. They said that he had been sending illegal documents and if he did not provide it was not him they would deport him. The offenders then contacted him again to say he would need to prove he was innocent by sending money to a particular bank account in China which he did. .It appears to be a variant of a well-practiced fraud committed particularly on Chinese students.
Stickers found around University Campus saying "It’s OK To Be White" which several staff and security have taken to be racist. Posters and stickers containing this sentence have been placed in streets in the United States as well as on campuses in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The slogan has been spread by neo-Nazis, and racist groups. Section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986 created the offence of publishing or distributing written material with the intention of stirring up racial hatred or if it is likely that racial hatred will be stirred up.
There have been six incidents of violent crime – assaults. These include three students being assaulted by non-students who on campus either as friends of student or without authorisation.
We continue to work with Collage authorities to inform them of students who have committed crimes but much more often to safeguard vulnerable students who have been victims of crimes, or who have come to police attention as concern for safety or through mental health episodes. Information is shared under an Information Sharing Protocol to ensure that university authorities are swiftly informed.
- Other matters of interest:
Surrey Police now have Special Constables (SC) who are Royal Holloway undergraduates. They are currently serving in the Elmbridge and Spelthorne Boroughs.
Runnymede Safer Neighbourhood Team has contributed to a Runnymede Borough Council consultation by supporting the proposition that there be no change to the Council's current policy that all rear taxi windows must allow at least 70% of light to be transmitted through them. In short, the current policy means that hackney carriage and private hire vehicles cannot have rear heavily tinted “privacy” windows.
The basis for this restriction is for public safety. It is recognised that the current policy may involve an additional cost for operators, but the availability of a view from outside the vehicle helps to reduce crime and unacceptable behaviour.
Inspector Nick Pinkerton, Surrey Police
Appendix C
Royal Holloway & Runnymede Consultative Group
06 November 2018
Student Wellbeing (Community) report
Helen Groenendaal, Head of Student Advisory & Wellbeing, Academic Services
From the previous meeting – for comparison
|
|
2016 / 2017 (end of T3) |
2017 / 2018 (end of T3) |
Year on year |
|
Noise nuisance / house parties |
191 |
106 |
- 85 |
|
Parking / traffic |
56 |
81 |
+ 25 |
|
Refuse |
45 |
27 |
- 18 |
|
A-S behaviour |
28 |
8 |
- 20 |
|
Transient noise |
19 |
24 |
+ 5 |
|
Total |
339 |
246 |
- 93 |
Community Incidents reported to Royal Holloway
01 August 2018 – 06 November 2018
|
|
2017 / 2018 (to 06 Nov) |
2018 / 2019 (to 06 Nov) |
Year on year |
|
Noise nuisance / house parties |
57 |
33 |
- 24 |
|
Parking / traffic |
25 |
9 |
- 16 |
|
Refuse |
7 |
9 |
+ 2 |
|
A-S behaviour |
5 |
12 |
+ 7 |
|
Transient noise |
13 |
21 |
+ 8 |
|
Total |
107 |
84 |
- 23 |
Complaints are reduced year on year following the pattern of recent years; however there has been an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour and transient noise. Transient noise reports all relate to Egham and the vast majority are from the area immediately by the campus gate onto Spring Rise.
Preparations for the new academic year included the annual cycle of welcome packs being mailed out to around 1,000 student households – with better data this year on single occupancy flats – and included a welcome letter, Be a Good Neighbour guide and the Runnymede Borough Council recycling leaflet.
To date there has been one misconduct hearing for suspected breach of regulations within the local community; with one pending. The students called in were found in breach of regulations and have a financial penalty totalling £300.
Appendix D
Royal Holloway & Runnymede Consultative Group
6th November 2018
Royal Holloway Volunteering Report (prepared by Phil Simcock, Volunteering Manager)
- Royal Holloway students completed over 11,150 hours of community volunteering during the academic year 2017-18-.
- Runnymede and Spelthorne Volunteer Awards were hosted by Royal Holloway and Voluntary Support North Surrey on 29th May.
- A record number of 189 attendees with The Mayor of Runnymede and The Mayor of Spelthorne presenting awards to celebrate our volunteers.
- The newly co-branded Royal Holloway Volunteering Inspire Award was achieved by 74 students (minimum of 30 hours of volunteering during the year).
- This annual event was supported by Runnymede Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council, sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, with guest speaker from vInspired.
- Suffrage 100 Youth Project student leaders held a reception with young people involved at Royal Holloway as part of the Festival of History on 3rd June. This included the official unveiling of the community mosaic, which is located outside the Windsor Building facing the Davison Building on campus.
- Our Community Garden was officially opened during National Volunteers’ Week on 7th June with St Jude’s School children getting their first experience of our new outdoor learning and engagement space.
- Royal Holloway’s Community Partners’ Conference was held on Tuesday 11th September, with 50 representatives of community partners attending. The aim of the day was to support charities to better involve students as volunteers within their organisations.
- On Tuesday 3 July, our Volunteering team represented Royal Holloway at the High Sheriff of Surrey's Garden Party at Denbies. They interacted with guests introducing our award winning programme and answered questions about our initiatives and student volunteers. The High Sheriff Jim Glover presented the team with a certificate to congratulate the University on our community contribution to the County.
- The brand new Festival of Volunteering took place in Founder’s Square during Welcome Week on 26th September. Over 1,000 students attended to find out about volunteering with more than 50 stands representing over 35 organisations and 15 Social Action community projects. This was a huge success which helped raise the profile of Royal Holloway’s culture of Volunteering from day one for new students arriving.
Future Events
- Our Volunteering student leaders are supporting students at Strode’s College to engage with their local community through volunteering.
- Students are supporting the Englefield Green Memorial Trust to compile a book that documents the ‘village sons’ information collected by local resident John Scott.
- The University will be promoting the national #iwill week to encourage young people to make a pledge of their contribution to social action, 12-16 November.
- A number of Christmas volunteering opportunities will be engaged by our student volunteers, including our annual Santa’s Workshop initiative in collaboration with Age UK Surrey to support local isolated elderly residents.
Englefield Green