Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning and Service Strategy – presented by the Community Safety Manager, Planning and Service Strategy.

The Chairman asked the Community Safety Manager, Caroline Duckworth to speak to Members as regards an update from the Safe Durham Partnership (SDP).

Members noted that several of the issues discussed by the SDP Board had been touched on during the meeting, including the Police, Crime and Victims’ (PSV) Plan and Safe and Wellbeing Visits.

The Community Safety Manager noted that other issues discussed at the SDP meeting included Organised Crime, namely “Does your work take you behind closed doors?” highlighting the important issue and that information on this would be circulated to AAPs and internally at the Council.  Members noted issues in terms of Reducing Reoffending, with three priority areas having been identified: a review of the pathways to desistance throughout the criminal justice system; growing use of restorative justice; and developing the performance framework. 

Councillors noted a review of the Local Criminal Justice Board and governance arrangements of the SDP in terms of abuse-related areas: domestic abuse and sexual violence; modern slavery / human trafficking; honour based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation; hate crime; and financial abuse of vulnerable adults.

Members also noted items relating to casualty trends across the North East and County Durham, similar to the presentation to the Committee received in September from the Strategic Traffic Manager and Chairman of Road Safety Great Britain, Dave Wafer.  The Community Safety Manager added that in relation to funding, it had been noted that there was funding via the PCVC in terms of community safety projects focusing on the SDP and PCVC strategic objectives and that a Funding Group was looking to develop funding bids in relation to: cyber-crime; domestic abuse; open water safety equipment; community cohesion; the Multi-Agency Intervention Service (MAIS); and PREVENT.

The Community Safety Manager concluded explaining that all 14 AAPs had held their Annual General Meetings and 7 had selected Crime and Community Safety, Road Safety or Traffic Management as their priority.  It was explained that 15 projects had been delivered under the Altogether Safer theme and that AAPs Boards had recently agreed to receive Police and Communities Together (PACT) issues at each Board meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Community Safety Manager for her update and asked Members for any questions.

Councillor M Hodgson asked whether the SDP, when looking at the Police, Crime and Victims’ Plan, was reviewing the Plan or looking at outcomes or something different.  The Strategic Manager, PPP noted that there was the opportunity to highlight high profile elements such as PREVENT and to provide feedback on issues.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.