Agenda item

1.         From Councillor Phil Dilks

 

Illegal hare-coursing in Lincolnshire is a growing menace which can be described at best as an unwelcome resource challenge for our already stretched Lincolnshire Police and at worst an epidemic affecting the lives of decent law-abiding citizens who regularly feel threatened and intimidated by gangs of men with dogs.

 

In the last so-called hare-coursing ‘season’ from September 2015 to March 2016, there were 2,169 incidents involving hare coursing reported to Lincolnshire Police who made 174 arrests or reports for summons. Sadly, there has been a noticeable increase in hare- coursing incidents in the current ‘season’.

 

Over one weekend last month (11^th and 12^th February 2017), 31 incidents were reported to police across the county, with more arrests and seizures of vehicles with our police officers spending a total of 168 hours on ‘Operation Galileo’ patrols and dealing with hare-coursing incidents.

 

At the last meeting of Deepings Neighbourhood Police Forum, residents of Deeping Fen and Langtoft Fen told shocking accounts of how they live in constant fear of gangs of up to 20 men with lurcher-type dogs arriving from all corners of the country, damaging property and threatening violence to anyone who gets in the way of their illegal activities:

 

A father told how he was forced to move his children away after hare-coursers barricaded a local road and threatened to burn down his family home. A mother described how she is frightened to let her children play outside for fear of the coursers dogs.

 

The National Farmers Union locally recently complained that illegal hare-coursing is getting ‘out of control’.

 

As part of their ongoing ‘Operation Galileo’ to tackle hare-coursing, Lincolnshire Police recently confronted coursers on Deeping High Bank and near Hall Meadow Road, Deeping St James and have had some success with arrests and convictions. 

 

In his first media interview since taking over, our new Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was committed to tackling illegal hare-coursing and when he met with more than 100 South Lincs farmers concerned at the rise in hare-coursing, promised more resources to tackle the issue.

 

However, in discussions with myself and other local community representatives to explore what more can be done, Chief Inspector Jim Tyner - District Commander for North & South Kesteven and district tactical lead for Operation Galileo - suggested that a formal Public Spaces Protection Order may be helpful in policing and preventing hare-coursing in our area.

 

Such an order could be made by this council, using the powers of Section 71 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and in consultation with Lincolnshire Police, to prohibit would-be hare-coursers from using certain public roads, and creating an offence for failure to comply.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

1.    Welcome the new Chief Constable’s commitment to tackling illegal hare-coursing.

2.    Work closely with Lincolnshire Police to take all reasonable steps possible to combat hare-coursing in South Kesteven including full consideration of a formal Public Spaces Protection Order as appropriate to help improve the quality of life for local residents whose lives are being adversely affected by these illegal activities.

3.    Publicise the issue of hare-coursing and the action being taken to combat it through all appropriate means including an educational article in ‘South Kesteven Today’.

Decision:

 

Illegal hare-coursing in Lincolnshire is a growing menace which can be described at best as an unwelcome resource challenge for our already stretched Lincolnshire Police and at worst an epidemic affecting the lives of decent law-abiding citizens who regularly feel threatened and intimidated by gangs of men with dogs.

 

In the last so-called hare-coursing ‘season’ from September 2015 to March 2016, there were 2,169 incidents involving hare coursing reported to Lincolnshire Police who made 174 arrests or reports for summons. Sadly, there has been a noticeable increase in hare- coursing incidents in the current ‘season’.

 

Over one weekend last month (11^th and 12^th February 2017), 31 incidents were reported to police across the county, with more arrests and seizures of vehicles with our police officers spending a total of 168 hours on ‘Operation Galileo’ patrols and dealing with hare-coursing incidents.

 

At the last meeting of Deepings Neighbourhood Police Forum, residents of Deeping Fen and Langtoft Fen told shocking accounts of how they live in constant fear of gangs of up to 20 men with lurcher-type dogs arriving from all corners of the country, damaging property and threatening violence to anyone who gets in the way of their illegal activities:

 

A father told how he was forced to move his children away after hare-coursers barricaded a local road and threatened to burn down his family home. A mother described how she is frightened to let her children play outside for fear of the coursers dogs.

 

The National Farmers Union locally recently complained that illegal hare-coursing is getting ‘out of control’.

 

As part of their ongoing ‘Operation Galileo’ to tackle hare-coursing, Lincolnshire Police recently confronted coursers on Deeping High Bank and near Hall Meadow Road, Deeping St James and have had some success with arrests and convictions. 

 

In his first media interview since taking over, our new Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was committed to tackling illegal hare-coursing and when he met with more than 100 South Lincs farmers concerned at the rise in hare-coursing, promised more resources to tackle the issue.

 

However, in discussions with myself and other local community representatives to explore what more can be done, Chief Inspector Jim Tyner - District Commander for North & South Kesteven and district tactical lead for Operation Galileo - suggested that a formal Public Spaces Protection Order may be helpful in policing and preventing hare-coursing in our area.

 

Such an order could be made by this council, using the powers of Section 71 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and in consultation with Lincolnshire Police, to prohibit would-be hare-coursers from using certain public roads, and creating an offence for failure to comply.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

1. Welcome the new Chief Constable’s commitment to tackling illegal hare-coursing and congratulates Lincolnshire Police on Operation Galileo and work currently being undertaken.

 

2. Work closely with Lincolnshire Police to take all reasonable steps possible to combat hare-coursing in South Kesteven including full consideration of all the options as appropriate to help improve the quality of life for local residents whose lives are being adversely affected by these illegal activities.

 

3.    For Councillor Wootten, in his capacity as the South Kesteven representative on the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel, to highlight and re-iterate the issue with the Police and Crime Commissioner  and agree the most appropriate course of action on public awareness.

 

One notice of motion had been submitted by Councillor Dilks:

 

Illegal hare-coursing in Lincolnshire is a growing menace which can be described at best as an unwelcome resource challenge for our already stretched Lincolnshire Police and at worst an epidemic affecting the lives of decent law-abiding citizens who regularly feel threatened and intimidated by gangs of men with dogs.

 

In the last so-called hare-coursing ‘season’ from September 2015 to March 2016, there were 2,169 incidents involving hare coursing reported to Lincolnshire Police who made 174 arrests or reports for summons. Sadly, there has been a noticeable increase in hare- coursing incidents in the current ‘season’.

 

Over one weekend last month (11^th and 12^th February 2017), 31 incidents were reported to police across the county, with more arrests and seizures of vehicles with our police officers spending a total of 168 hours on ‘Operation Galileo’ patrols and dealing with hare-coursing incidents.

 

At the last meeting of Deepings Neighbourhood Police Forum, residents of Deeping Fen and Langtoft Fen told shocking accounts of how they live in constant fear of gangs of up to 20 men with lurcher-type dogs arriving from all corners of the country, damaging property and threatening violence to anyone who gets in the way of their illegal activities:

 

A father told how he was forced to move his children away after hare-coursers barricaded a local road and threatened to burn down his family home. A mother described how she is frightened to let her children play outside for fear of the coursers dogs.

 

The National Farmers Union locally recently complained that illegal hare-coursing is getting ‘out of control’.

 

As part of their ongoing ‘Operation Galileo’ to tackle hare-coursing, Lincolnshire Police recently confronted coursers on Deeping High Bank and near Hall Meadow Road, Deeping St James and have had some success with arrests and convictions. 

 

In his first media interview since taking over, our new Chief Constable Bill Skelly said he was committed to tackling illegal hare-coursing and when he met with more than 100 South Lincs farmers concerned at the rise in hare-coursing, promised more resources to tackle the issue.

 

However, in discussions with myself and other local community representatives to explore what more can be done, Chief Inspector Jim Tyner - District Commander for North & South Kesteven and district tactical lead for Operation Galileo - suggested that a formal Public Spaces Protection Order may be helpful in policing and preventing hare-coursing in our area.

 

Such an order could be made by this council, using the powers of Section 71 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and in consultation with Lincolnshire Police, to prohibit would-be hare-coursers from using certain public roads, and creating an offence for failure to comply.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

1.    Welcome the new Chief Constable’s commitment to tackling illegal hare-coursing.

 

2.    Work closely with Lincolnshire Police to take all reasonable steps possible to combat hare-coursing in South Kesteven including full consideration of a formal Public Spaces Protection Order as appropriate to help improve the quality of life for local residents whose lives are being adversely affected by these illegal activities.

 

3.    Publicise the issue of hare-coursing and the action being taken to combat it through all appropriate means including an educational article in ‘South Kesteven Today’.

 

In proposing the motion, reference was made to the Deepings neighbourhood policing forum, at which the increase in the occurrence of hare-coursing had been highlighted. The proposer also talked about the impact of hare-coursing on local residents, citing examples of threats of violence and intimidation. In preparing the motion, he had worked with officers from Lincolnshire Police, including the local Police Community Support Officers, the area Inspector, divisional Chief Inspector and the new Chief Constable. Reference was also made to legislation that allowed the Council to adopt Public Space Protection Orders, which gave police the power of arrest if known hare-coursers re-entered the area after they had been asked to leave. The Chief Constable had promised a step-change in the force’s response to hare-coursing for the next season. He concluded by saying that the motion, if successful, would send a clear message that the Council supported local residents and police while demonstrating its opposition to hare-coursing and the other criminal activity associated with it.

 

The proposal was seconded.

 

An amendment was proposed and seconded, which changed the three items that the Council was asked to resolve:

 

1.    Welcome the new Chief Constable’s commitment to tackling illegal hare-coursing and congratulates Lincolnshire Police on Operation Galileo and work currently being undertaken.

 

2.    Work closely with Lincolnshire Police to take all reasonable steps possible to combat hare-coursing in South Kesteven including full consideration of all the options as appropriate to help improve the quality of life for local residents whose lives are being adversely affected by these illegal activities.

 

3.    For Councillor Wootten, in his capacity as the South Kesteven representative on the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel, to highlight and re-iterate the issue with the Police and Crime Commissioner and agree the most appropriate course of action on public awareness.

 

In proposing the amendment, sympathy was expressed for local communities and reference was made to the police’s record in prosecuting hare-coursing through Operation Galileo. Both the proposer and seconder referred to existing powers in the Hunting Act 2004 and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act that could be used to tackle hare-coursing. Both expressed concerns about the enforceability of a Public Spaces Protection Order within the resources that Lincolnshire Police had available. A suggestion was made that while an Order should not be ruled out entirely, if it was a tool the police wanted, they could come forward with evidence to show that it was appropriate.

 

As Members debated the amendment, it was made clear that no one had been challenging police performance, instead the proposal had been about providing an additional tool that could be used. It was also noted that the original proposition did not state that the Council would instigate a Public Spaces Protection Order, but it would consider it as an option, alongside any other available options. Members speaking against the amendment also questioned why it was not felt appropriate to raise awareness of the issue in SK Today. Those speaking against the amendment also reiterated that the motion had been produced in partnership with the police, who had asked for the Council’s help.

 

One Member spoke of their experience with hare-coursers, highlighting difficulties experienced by police in responding to calls, given the geography of the area. There was also discussion about the resourcing of Lincolnshire Police and the capacity and the practicalities of effectively policing the Order, which to cover the district’s road network would need to cover the whole district. A suggestion was made that it was an issue that could be considered by the Communities Policy Development Group. The Chief Executive was asked whether the Chief Constable had made a formal request through her; she confirmed that she was not aware of any such request.

 

The proposer of the original motion was given the opportunity to sum up. He urged members to vote against the amendment, reminding them that the wording was developed in consultation with police officers. He added that local farmers and the National Farmers’ Union did not feel that the action taken by Lincolnshire Police to date had been sufficient. While cognisant of available resources, he also reiterated that, when asked what the Council could do to help tackle the problem, it was the police that suggested a Public Spaces Protection Order. He added further that the motion did not ask the Council to commit to making an Order, but to consider it as one option. He added that awareness raising through SK Today was not a matter that should be deferred to the Police and Crime Commissioner. He asked for Members not to treat the motion but a way of showing support to local communities.

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion. A vote was then taken on the new substantive motion, which was carried.