Agenda item

Community Safety Delivery Plan - Mid Year Progress Report

Minutes:

The Committee received a report on the mid-year progress against the Community safety Partnership delivery plan for 2018/19.  The Committee was also invited to give suggestions for actions to help delivery of the 2019/20 Community Safety priorities.  Milestones would also be added to the plan.  Concerns about the progress on some elements of the Plan were raised and Officers confirmed that action has been/ is being taken to enable delivery.

 

It was noted that it was the Lichfield District Safer Community Partnership was a statutory partnership with a duty to produce a community safety plan.  It was reported that anti social behaviour (ASB) was one of the three priorities along with domestic abuse and child sexual exploitation. Alcohol and mental health and public reassurance have also been identified as cross cutting themes. The Committee considered the progress for these priorities in turn.

 

It was noted that diversionary activity for young people to reduce ASB had a positive impact and in the past year the community safety team had adopted a more rigorous approach to determining whether it could help with reports of non-criminal cases of ASB. This had meant that some civil matters for example, neighbour disputes, had been passed to the most appropriate authority resulting in a freeing up of resources to undertake other community safety work including awareness raising campaigns etc. A mediation service has also been funded so that when the team’s efforts to resolve disputes have been exhausted the parties can be referred to mediation. To date this has proved successful in one case and partially successful in another.  

 

Regarding domestic abuse, a campaign was run around the World Cup as it was known that domestic abuse rises on occasions like this and the online campaign went viral with 11 million views.  It was noted that similar campaigns were being planned.  The Committee expressed their gratitude to Kathy Coe, the CEO of the Pathway Project and were pleased at the announcement that she has been awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE)

 

It was then reported that taxi drivers had been trained in safeguarding, including Child Sexual Exploitation) so as to raise their awareness of the signs to look out and how to pass on any concerns and that drivers had been receptive to this initiative.

 

It was noted that the “Get in 2 it” project relied on the use of Council assets and it was asked how the council reach young people where they were.  It was reported that the contract with Freedom Leisure included an active strategy and they would soon be recruiting an Active Communities Officer who would go out into the community.  It was also reported that the Health and Wellbeing team were proactive in engaging with young people, going out to where they are, although the activities may not be able to be performed in that area. It was asked that the project be taken to rural areas where there were facilities for example Fazeley and it was reported that this was already being planned.

 

In reference to ASB in parks, it was asked whether there was evidence that it had increased when locking the gates, in particular in Burntwood, had ceased or if it was a perception.  It was reported that there had been no reports of ASB to Police regarding this issue so it could be a perception. It was noted that it was still a concern of Members.  There was some discussion as to whether the Smart Alerts from Police helped raise awareness of what was happening in the area or raised fear and an increase in a perception of crime.

 

Members felt that there was a gap in running diversionary activities for older children as at times it is them causing ASB (and perception of) by ‘hanging about in groups’ and encouraging younger children to commit the disorder.  It was believed that greater engagement in schools could tackle this along with other areas like hate crime.

 

Members were also advised that a pilot project had been set up to support people with alcohol and mental health concerns.

 

Other areas that the Committee wanted to be considered in the 19/20 plan was road safety and an increase in 20mph signs where appropriate.  It was agreed to raise this and how better to promote voluntary speed watch at the next Partnership meeting.  Another area was mental health in young people as it was felt that it had been neglected.

 

RESOLVED:  (1)        That the progress made against the Community Safety Delivery Plan be noted; and

 

                        (2)        That the views of the Committee be taken into account when considering actions that may deliver the 2019/20 Community safety priorities.

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