Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment that reviewed the usage of the City’s permanent Anti-Terrorism Traffic Regulation Order. (ATTRO) during 2017.

The Director of the Built Environment explained that there had been 6 uses of the ATTRO for events, and only 2 of these were by CoLP – the Lord Mayor’s Show and Grenfell Fire Memorial Service.  He noted that there had not been any for urgent incidents.

A Member commented that there was no information around timing and location of the ATTROs within the report.  She noted that it would be useful to include these so that their use could be justified.  The Commissioner explained that these details could not be included in a public report concerning Counter-Terrorism operations.  The Town Clerk confirmed that he and the Assistant Town Clerk did challenge each use of the ATTRO to assure themselves on behalf of the authority that its use was both proportionate and necessary.  He explained that the use of ATTRO around St. Paul’s was due to a threat considering attendees from the cabinet and Royal Family.

A Member suggested that there needed to be increased scrutiny on whether it was necessary to have the ATTRO available, given that they were evidently not being used for emergency incidents.  The Commissioner noted that not having been deployed for any emergency incidents was not a valid justification for removing the option to do so if required, particularly with the threat from terrorism at the current levels.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.