The Enfield Council Safer Neighbourhood Board met on 23 October 2025. According to the agenda, the board was scheduled to discuss community safety and policing in the borough, including updates from the police and ward panel chairs. They were also expected to receive updates on the board's website and funding.

Police and Community Safety

The board was scheduled to receive a verbal update from the police, and to engage in a verbal discussion with the Head of Community Safety.

A report from the previous meeting on 23 June 2025, included in the Public reports pack, noted that Chief Inspector Rob Gibbs had previously informed the board that the approach taken by police in schools and youth settings was set to change, with officers working evenings and weekends and placed geographically based on risk. He had also noted that the Home Office had pushed a focus on town centres through the summer period, with efforts focused on tackling anti-social behaviour in non-traditional town centres such as Southgate and Palmers Green.

Chief Inspector Rob Gibbs had also stated that retail crime had increased in priority, with a heavy focus on shoplifting, and that crime trends up to May showed a reduction of roughly four hundred crimes since the same time last year, driven by work in Edmonton, where 20-25% of crime takes place, as well as targeted work throughout the borough.

Inspector Andy Cover had highlighted the work taking place in his cluster of wards in EN3, including:

• Ponders End: Focusing on retail crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly around Ponders End Park, with CCTV, street furniture and tree trimming.
• Enfield Lock: Working with the ASB Team, getting CCTV and increasing patrols, and running a scheme to tackle knife crime, working with individual shops making sure knife sales are challenged.

The report also noted that Enfield Council Chief Executive Perry Scott had agreed to chair the Strategic Oversight Board, with Directors present from across the Council, and that there was a direct link with Haringey, as crime travels from one side of the border to the other, so the same Oversight Board is replicated in Haringey.

Updates from the Chair and Vice-Chairs

The agenda included an item to receive an update from the Chair and Vice Chairs.

The Public reports pack included a report from the previous meeting on 23 June 2025, which noted that the Chair had informed the board that funding was with MOPAC¹ to review proposals. Councillor Dionne John, Vice Chair of the board, had added that no further updates had been received from MOPAC, and that because of this it was indicated to the projects that implementation should take place at the back end of the year.

The report also noted that Councillor Dionne John had shared that the Terms of Reference² helps to clarify a more detailed and layered understanding of the role and responsibilities for chairs.

Other Business

The agenda allowed for any other business to be raised.

The Public reports pack included a report from the previous meeting on 23 June 2025, which noted that the Chair had advised that the funding for the board's website was received and is in the development phase, and that the website will be available to all ward chairs, with an allowance in the budget to allow for ward chairs to complete training courses. Councillor Dionne John had also advised that the board would be given a feedback form to complete to assess the current standings, which will then be discussed with Chief Inspector Rob Gibbs in areas of concern.