Councillors have received briefings on community safety initiatives being implemented following recent fatalities in South Bank and Grangetown.
Cleveland Police have made multiple arrests while investigating organised criminal activity in connection with a head-on collision on the A66 in South Bank that resulted in the deaths of five young people and two police officers.
Two men have also been arrested on suspicion of murder following a house fire in Birchington Avenue, Grangetown that killed two people, including a child.
Unconnected incidents
Investigating officers have confirmed the two incidents are not connected.
A half-hour conference call took place on Friday morning involving Redcar and Cleveland Council leader Alec Brown, chief executive Brian Archer, relevant officers and council members.
Redcar MP Anna Turley also participated in the virtual meeting.
Council leader's response
Cllr 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."
Councillor concerns
Cllr Brown stated he planned to arrange a subsequent meeting involving police and social housing providers. Fellow councillor Paul Salvin, representing Normanby ward, described the meeting as "really good".
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 that concerns were raised by some members regarding insufficient police resources.
Cllr Brown had previously stated that 200 additional officers had been brought in to support Cleveland Police, and that the force was doing an "amazing job", with some personnel working "20 hour days".
Further subjects believed to have been raised included inflammatory social media posts stoking community tensions, as well as contingency planning around the funerals that are expected to take place in the coming days.
