I urge the council to consider implementing the following measures to address this pressing issue:
1.Increased police presence: A more visible and frequent police presence could serve as a deterrent to potential criminals and provide reassurance to business owners and shoppers.
2.Improved Street Lighting: Enhancing the street lighting along Fulham Palace Road can make the area less attractive to criminals and improve safety for pedestrians during evening hours.
3.Security Camera Installation: Installing additional CCTV cameras at strategic locations can aid in monitoring suspicious activities and provide valuable evidence for law enforcement investigations.
4.Collaboration with Local Businesses: Working closely with business owners to implement collective security measures, such as alarm systems and neighbourhood watch programs, can foster a united front against crime.
5.Authorisation of Shutters for Local Business: Allowing businesses along Fulham Palace Road to have shutters be put into place, to create extra safety.
I believe that by taking these proactive steps, we can significantly reduce the incidence of break in and restore a sense of safety and confidence within our community.
I trust that the Council will prioritise this matter and work
towards a swift and effective resolution. Thank you for your
attention to this urgent issue. I look forward to your response and
to seeing positive changes implemented on Fulham Palace
Road.
On reaching 1 signatures an officer will investigate the matter further
This Paper petition was received on 20/08/2024.
65 people signed this Paper petition.
Thank you for your petition received on 20 August 2024. My name is Sina Moini, I am the Community Safety Manager at Hammersmith & Fulham Council and I have been investigating your concerns.
May I firstly say that I am very sorry to hear about the recent incidents and your concerns. Following receipt of your petition I have undertaken work with colleagues to ensure that I can provide you with a detailed response.
I understand that there are five key aspects you would like the council to address and respond to concerning:
1) Increased Police presence
2) Improved street lighting
3) Security camera installation
4) Collaboration with local businesses
5) Authorisation of shutters for local businesses
In advance of this response, I have carried out a full review of the concerns raised in your petition working with Police and Council colleagues. I hope that the following is helpful and provides the detail and assurance you were seeking.
Increased Police presence
I have been liaising with your local Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) to ensure that they were aware and to ascertain what support they can provide to you. It has been confirmed that the Police will conduct additional patrols - including both on foot and mobile patrol – to provide a more visible uniformed presence in the area.
I understand that following a recent enquiry, the SNT visited your premises on 09 August, as well as other affected businesses in the area that were brought to our attention. I have been advised that the team provided businesses with crime prevention advice and their contact details to share concerns with the team directly. From the visits, it was established that some of the incidents were not initially reported to the Police but rather through other channels which I understand the Police have provided further guidance to support with.
If you have not yet received a visit, or if the information relayed to me is incorrect, please let me know and I will happily follow this up.
Improved street lighting
Towards the latter part of 2023, the Council’s Street Lighting service undertook a street lighting audit in your area. The audit was undertaken as part of the Council’s longer term public realm improvement plans. Following the audit, and having spoken with colleagues, I can confirm that the area’s lighting levels met the British standards required for the road and, as such, was deemed as having sufficient lighting.
However, should there be any concerns with faults etc e.g. lights not working, the team have advised that such concerns should be reported via the Council’s “Report It” webpage - Report it | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (lbhf.gov.uk)
Security camera installation
I can confirm that the Council’s CCTV asset includes coverage of this location with cameras in situ for the area between Hammersmith Flyover and through to Charing Cross hospital.
We are proud to have the largest CCTV network across the country. Our CCTV service operates 24hrs a day and provides essential support to Police in preventing, detecting, and deterring crime.
As part of our work, and to reiterate the importance of reporting crimes, where crimes are reported to Police colleagues they will respond and approach us to ascertain whether we can see the crime “live and in action” when they are responding, alongside requesting that we review the footage and ascertain whether we can identify any person(s) responsible following an incident.
The Police do come to us directly with these investigations to seek CCTV footage however, if you wish, you too can share the CAD details with us (the CAD details are a crime reference number you will be given by Police when you report a crime) and we will liaise with them too – please note that due to legal parameters of CCTV we cannot provide CCTV footage to businesses or residents however. Details on what the CCTV service does can be found here - CCTV | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (lbhf.gov.uk)
Collaboration with local businesses
As mentioned, the SNT should have visited you and others already. The local SNT may have already offered advice on how businesses can ‘design out crime’ – if this hasn’t been done it can be requested. The Police will visit, assess, and make recommendations on how to prevent risk based on what the business is, the business layout, the businesses entry/exit points etc. This advice may include suggestions around installation of CCTV inside your premises – with advice on where to locate cameras – and/or arrangements in regard layout of the shopfloor for example. You can also find useful advice on purchasing surveillance equipment from the Surveillance Camera Commissioner at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surveillance-camera-commissioners-buyers-toolkit.
The Council can also offer broader advice and support via our business forum which is specifically designed to engage and collaborate with small and medium-sized businesses. We deliver the H&F Business Network. This forum is a borough-wide stakeholder engagement group that supports and facilitates economic recovery, business retention and town centre or high street resilience. To support all businesses in the area I have informed our Business Enterprise team of the concerns raised and they have advised they will arrange outreach visits to businesses along Fulham Palace Road.
If you would like to be formally introduced to the team and/or request a specific time to meet with them please let me know and I will, with your consent, pass your contact details to the team for direct liaison. Further information on the above can also be found on their webpage at Business events and networking | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (lbhf.gov.uk).
Authorisation of shutters for local businesses
The installation of shutters, or other such security measures, are the responsibility of the business owner. To install such measures our Planning team have advised that these need to be approved via the appropriate planning application. Details on how to make such an application can be found here - https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/planning/planning-applications/making-planning-application.
Should you wish to seek advice and guidance on planning matters and/or to seek support with your application you can contact the planning team directly at planning@lbhf.gov.uk. The team will be able to provide help and advice within the guidelines that can be provided ahead of making an application.
Broader council support
In addition to responding to the points raised I have arranged for increased high visibility reassurance patrols by our Law Enforcement Team (LET). The LET will undertake high visibility patrols designed to discourage any ongoing activity which may alarm or distress businesses, residents and/or visitors to the borough. Our LET team work closely with the Police and partner agencies to address ASB and address environmental crime. As a uniformed and highly skilled service the LET will work to capture and share intelligence, provide visible presence at key times and to provide feedback on any notable activity during their patrols. The LET will also enforce against any environmental crimes during their patrols.
The LET work 24hrs a day and can be contacted, at any time, via their dedicated email address LET.HF@lbhf.gov.uk – more details on the team can be found here - Law enforcement team | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (lbhf.gov.uk)
Please do email the LET to inform them of any local environmental crime and/or anti-social behaviour concerns you may have. The LET is also proud to have two allocated ward officers for every ward in the borough. These officers can visit you, at a time and date of your choice, to further understand your concerns.
It is important to note though that the LET are not the police. As such it is vital that you ensure any crime is reported to the police. You c