Agenda item - Scrutiny of the Crime and Disorder Partnership

Agenda item

Scrutiny of the Crime and Disorder Partnership

Minutes:

The Community Safety Manager presented a briefing note which updated the Board on the work of the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership in 2016/17.  During the delivery of this presentation the following points were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

 

·                Since May 2013 there had been a single Community Safety Partnership for the whole of north Worcestershire, covering Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest districts.

·                The Safer Bromsgrove Group took an operational lead on behalf of the partnership in respect of the district.

·                The Bromsgrove Town Centres Management Group was a sub-committee of the Safer Bromsgrove Group which focused on a range of matters including community safety in the town centre and links to economic regeneration.

·                There was a statutory duty for the partnership to produce a three year rolling plan outlining how partners would address key crime and community safety priorities during the period.

·                The partnership had links to the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).  Although he was not a statutory partner he had a duty to co-operate with the Community Safety Partnership and vice versa.

·                The West Mercia PCC provided funding to the Community Safety Partnership.  The funding process was due to be reviewed and it was anticipated that this would lead to a more robust, outcome-based framework in future.

·                There was a typographical error in the total figure that had been quoted in Appendix 2 to the report in respect of funding requests by the partnership to the PCC for 2017/18; this should have been recorded as £199,950.

·                The partnership had proposed a series of projects to be funded using grants from the PCC.  These had been identified based on available data.

·                A number of county wide initiatives were being delivered in Bromsgrove district including the Safe Place Scheme. 

·                Based on available data Appendix 3 had been developed to enable Members to assess the frequency of particular crime types in Bromsgrove.  Data had been provided for previous years and for both Redditch and Wyre Forest for comparative purposes.

 

The Board subsequently discussed a number of points in detail:

 

·                The trends in crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) identified from the available data.

·                The increase in domestic burglaries within the district.  The partnership had analysed available data and found that many of these crimes were committed in areas bordering Birmingham and often involved theft of car keys from a property.

·                The increase in Police patrols to address the higher crime levels in border areas of the district.

·                The increase in shoplifting in Bromsgrove and Redditch and the use of the online Facewatch platform to enable retailers to share information about shoplifting.  Members were advised that the Police managed this system and used it to help support businesses.

·                The increase in cases of violence without injury and the types of crimes covered by this category.  Officers advised that violence without injury applied to cases where an assault did not result in any form of abrasions to the skin (e.g. a push).

·                The inclusion of crime type figures for HMP Hewell in the data for Bromsgrove district and the potential for these figures to be viewed separately.  The Board requested that Officers circulate this information for Members’ consideration after the meeting.

·                The responsibility of the partnership for crime and ASB within HMP Hewell.  Members were advised that HMP Hewell was a member of the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership though various organisations in the criminal justice system had statutory responsibilities in respect of the prison.

·                The links between the Safer Bromsgrove Group and the Street Pastors and the funding provided by the partnership to enable the Street Pastors to operate effectively in the district.

·                The work of the Community Safety and Private Sector Housing teams in respect of illegal traveller encampments.

·                The action undertaken to secure Churchfields Car Park, which had included a review of the physical security arrangements.  These works had helped to make the site less attractive for youths who had previously committed ASB whilst gathering there.

·                The availability of literature informing residents about the Safe Place Scheme.  Officers explained that leaflets were available and were promoted to various local advocacy groups to help raise awareness.

·                The decline in vehicle crimes during the last 12 months.  Members were informed that this had been accompanied by a rise in burglaries involving thefts of car keys.

·                The impact of the night time economy on levels of violence with injury and violence without injury and action that could be taken to address this.  The Board was informed that the Bromsgrove Town Centres Management Group was working to establish a new Local Watch initiative.

·                The number of Crime Prevention Managers in West Mercia Police, which had reduced from 6 to 2 for the whole county in recent years.

·                The training that had been provided, both to Police Officers and members of the Community Safety team, to enable them to help support crime prevention initiatives.

·                The impact of reductions in resources within the public sector on the work of the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership.

·                The need for partners to work in innovative and different ways in the future to meet the needs of residents using existing resources.

·                The partnership’s links to the PCC and West Mercia Police and Crime Panel which held the PCC to account.  Members were advised that the Council’s representative on the panel was Councillor Sherrey who could raise issues on behalf of the Council during these meetings.

·                The number of business crimes recorded for the period, which were relatively low compared to other parts of the county, and the type of crimes within this category.  Members were advised that the business crime category was relatively broad and took into account any crime where there was a connection to a business.

·                The board requested a breakdown of the cases that had been recorded as business crimes for the period.

·                The work of the Bromsgrove and Redditch Schools Respect programme in a range of First, Middle and High Schools.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 

Supporting documents: