Community safety briefing for councillors after deaths in South Bank and Grangetown
Council leader Alec Brown called the virtual meeting following recent fatal incidents that are being probed by police.
Councillors have been briefed on community safety measures being put in place after recent deaths in South Bank and Grangetown.
Multiple arrests have been made by Cleveland Police investigating organised criminal activity following a head on crash on the A66 in South Bank that claimed the lives of five young people and two police officers.
Two men have also been arrested on suspicion of murder after a house fire in Birchington Avenue, Grangetown killed two people, including a child.
The two incidents have been ruled as not linked by investigating officers.
A half hour long call took place on Friday morning involving Redcar and Cleveland Council leader Alec Brown, chief executive Brian Archer, relevant officers and members of the council.
The virtual meeting was also attended by Redcar MP Anna Turley.
Coun Brown said: “We wanted to give all the councillors an update I had received from the local superintendent yesterday and also give them an idea of next steps in the coming weeks.
“We have got to think longer-term and how we work with some of these young kids to avoid them being criminalised in the future.
“But it is also about dealing with the here and now and reassuring people so they feel safe in their own homes.
“Some of the conversations I have had with people that have been affected by these events have been absolutely heart breaking.”
Coun Brown said he intended for a further meeting to take place involving police and social housing providers.
Another councillor, Paul Salvin, from Normanby ward, said it had been a “really good” meeting.
He added: “We need help and can’t be left to rot again.
“We have been forgotten about for decades and something needs to change.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands there was concern expressed from some members about inadequate police resources.
Coun Brown previously said 200 extra officers had been drafted in to help Cleveland Police and the force was doing an “amazing job” with some staff working “20 hour days”.
Other topics understood to have been discussed included social media posts inflaming community tensions and potential planning in terms of funerals that are set to follow in the coming days.