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Sunderland Residents Federation
1st November 2011
Present:
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K. Slater
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B. Eastick
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B.Taylor
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G. Brewis
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D. Maddison
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J. Allen
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J. Falade
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L. Griffiths
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P. Colborn
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K.Dagg
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T.Kinnair
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J. McCaul
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Sr. A. Williams
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O. Dodds
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M.Lawrence
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N. Letchford
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T. Paczynski (Gentoo)
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T. Kawanzaruwa (Gentoo)
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J. McElderry (Guest)
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H.Gifford (Guest)
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Apologies:
1. Doris welcomed Jim and Helen as our guest speakers from the Probation Service, and apologised for our change of venue at such short notice which was unavoidable.
Northumbria Probation Trust is one of the largest in the country and has clients of 18+ on community orders and on licence, with a caseload of approx.7000 for the area. It costs £40 thousand per annum to keep a person in prison, and a fraction of that to use the community order scheme. They delivered a slide presentation on the service which was most informative.
The court can make an order that the offender attends detox or behavioural classes as part of their sentence as drink and drugs are the main cause of offending in young people. Being from a single parent family does not necessarily lead to increased offending. It is very hard to break the cycle of violence in families.
In Sunderland we have multi agency support (Safer Sunderland Partnership) with the probation service which is proving a great success.
L Maps – Cllrs, probation service, Gentoo, police and ASB units meet regularly to exchange information and discuss issues.
Care in the community for mental health issues has caused more work issues but links with co-ordinated strategies can cope.
The job seeking part of their job signposts offenders in the right direction for help to make them more independent with support from other agencies.
With the current recession the services are coping with staff shortages by setting up city teams with field officers.
They go into schools to educate the young at an early age and use case scenarios to act out a courtroom scene with judges and juries to make them think about offences and sentences.
Doris and those present thanked Jim and Helen for their very informative talk.
2. Minutes of the General Meeting, 2nd September.
Ramps – if the tower blocks are still not having any success, to use the complaints system. Adult Services dept. will be our guest speaker in January. The nexus public meetings were attended by members who did not think much would come of them Selective .licensing article by Eddy Moore – to see Eddy for a copy if anyone needs one.
3. Minutes of the Committee Meeting, 4th October.
Scooter policy now in place in flats throughout city. Lakeside residents association is again up and running with new committee, they have been invited to join our meetings. SRF offered to give the new committee any support they may need. Publicity group to meet after the New Year -- Eddy, George and Tony. Agreed to organise a trip to Ryefields Retirement Village, Warrington in the New Year.
4. Correspondence.
5. Treasurer’s report.
6. Any other business.
Agreed to buy a wreath from SRF for Remembrance Sunday. Action Plan to be discussed at next meeting. To hold next meeting at Mary Magdalene Church Hall.
7. Dates of next meetings.
Doris closed the meeting and asked those present to enjoy the refreshments laid on as this was the last general meeting before Christmas.
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