Agenda item

The Community Safety Manager presented the latest update from the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership and in so doing highlighted the following:

·                The partnership had responsibility for the three districts in north Worcestershire including the Borough of Redditch.

·                The Council was involved in holding the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Mercia Police force to account, via the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Regulatory Services’ participation in meetings of the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel.

·                Since the previous meeting of the panel a new sub-group of the partnership, the North Worcestershire Serious Organised Crime Joint Action Group (SOCJAG), had been introduced.

·                There were also a number of operational sub-groups.  The Blue Light Group had only been established very recently and was part of a county wide initiative that had been trialled in Worcester to tackle the issue of street drinking.

·                Members were advised that the Partnership Plan 2017 – 20 was in the second year of implementation and all of the projects that were delivered by the Partnership linked to their priorities.

·                The partnership also received funding from the PCC which had to be spent on specific projects matching his priorities.

·                The PCC was not a member of the partnership but had a duty to work closely with all the community safety partnerships in the areas he served.

·                The partnership had been allocated funding of £200,000 to spend on local CCTV schemes and a report about this would be presented for Members’ consideration in due course.

·                Officers were aiming to upgrade the CCTV suite and to move to digital systems like the Police control room.

·                There was one lead Community Safety Project Officer for Redditch.

·                The Safer Redditch Group had provided funding for a project to tackle youth anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Matchborough.  Community groups such as Redditch Boxing Club had provided assistance with this.

·                The nominated neighbour scheme was very successful with 80 residents signed up.  It was designed to tackle rogue traders and was a scheme that had been piloted in Redditch and Bromsgrove at the request of the PCC.

·                Problems with ASB in Smallwood had been reported by residents and Councillor Debbie Chance at PACT meetings.  Investigations had found drugs paraphernalia, including discarded needles.  The Environmental Services team were disposing of used needles safely and looking for patterns in behaviour.

·                The Community Safety Partnership was working with Swanswell on a local pharmacy incentive scheme for drug addicts.  These involved offering a voucher for every five used needles that were returned safely to the pharmacy which then had to be exchanged for clean needles.

·                Redditch Pub Watch continued to meet, with the latest meeting having been attended by representatives of 18 organisations.  Participants could share information about those who had been thrown out of a public house or of those suspected of committing crimes such as theft.

·                A project to tackle ASB in Abbeydale had taken place in March and April 2018 based on concerns reported by a resident.  There had been positive feedback from the local community about this project.

·                Following a meeting between Councillors, the Police and residents in a local park, action had been taken to tackle ASB in Astwood Bank with a positive outcome.

·                The Community Safety Team had worked with the housing Locality Teams over the summer to tackle ASB involving Council tenants.

·                The team also took part in the Young Citizens Challenge every year, with children vising the fire station and learning about issues such as fire and water safety.

·                The Safer Places Scheme, which provided a safe place in public buildings to those with learning disabilities, continued to be supported in the Borough.

·                Hate Crime Awareness Week had been relaunched in 2017 with a range of events.

·                The Hate Crime Awareness Week in 2018 would take place on 19^th October.  Some celebrities would be attending to raise awareness of hate crime whilst Frank Bruno had donated boxing gloves which would feature in the week’s events.

·                Later in the year there would be 16 days of action as part of the White Ribbon Campaign to help raise awareness of domestic abuse.  Professionals would be provided with training to help them identify the signs that might indicate that a person was being abused.

·                A youth event was due to take place on 16^th December.  During this event a survivor of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation case would talk to young people at risk of exploitation about her experiences.

·                The Community Safety Partnership undertook evaluations and performance monitoring of every project in line with the PCC’s requirements.

Following the presentation Members discussed a number of points in detail:

·                The action that should be taken to initiate PACT meetings in local communities.  Members were advised that generally the police organised the meetings, though partners worked together at the meetings.

·                The changing nature of PACT meetings, which were moving away from a traditional Committee meeting structure to more flexible gatherings that met the needs of local communities.

·                The support provided by the Council to PACT meetings.  Members were advised that Officers attended PACT meetings where relevant.  Significant support was also provided by the elected Members who attended these meetings.

·                The difficulty for Members that could arise when PACT meetings were booked to take place on the same evening as the Council’s Committee meetings which were booked months in advance.

·                The potential for a PACT meeting to be arranged for residents living in Abbeydale.

·                The extent to which the partnership advertised the Nominated Neighbour Scheme.  Members were advised that there were leaflets which Members could distribute and staff in the Housing Service, Police and the fire service had received training in respect of this matter.  However, due to limited resources it had not been further promoted.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.