Decision details

This report will set out the findings of this scrutiny review following consideration by the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  

Discussion: 

The Chairman of the Task Group gave a powerpoint presentation setting out the background to the review, the evidence gathered and the conclusions and recommendations reached by the group.

The committee questioned the map and list of PACTs attached at Appendix 1 advising that there were further PACTs in Medway that had not been included. The Chairman of the Task Group responded that this was a finding of the review – that there was no definitive list of PACTs in Medway and because the police, public and councillors all referred to them differently, it had been extremely difficult to try to gather the information.

Members were enthusiastic about asking the Community Safety Partnership to progress the idea of Youth PACTs and thought this was an excellent way forward. Some Members also asked about how to form a PACT, as their ward did not have one. Officers responded that PACTs were formed when a local issue became such that the police and/or council wanted to liaise with the local community and agree ways to deal with it. Each ward would not necessarily have a PACT unless there were issues that required one to be formed.

Decision:

The committee agreed the recommendations in the review document as set out below, for referral on to Cabinet on 30 November 2010 and then the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and the Kent Police Authority:

1.      That the CSP should be asked to accelerate action to establish a database of PACTs, the areas they cover and contact details for each should be produced and published ward by ward;

2.      A protocol and guidance for PACTs in Medway should be produced by the CSP in consultation with PACT chairmen, to include a clear statement of purpose, basic operational standards and advice on how to access support and resources;

3.      A toolkit should be developed by the CSP to assist PACT Chairman and neighbourhood teams to run meetings, record priorities, actions and outcomes;

4.      The protocol for PACTs should include a requirement that Councillors are automatically invited to become members of any PACT within their ward and provided with sufficient notice of meetings;

5.      Consideration should be given to facilitating contact between PACT Chairmen by establishing a Medway-wide Forum to enable them to share experience and best practice and to coordinate priorities across wards;

6.      As part of its annual scrutiny of the CSP the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be provided by the CSP with an update on PACTs, including the priorities, actions and outcomes from them on a ward by ward basis with some evaluation of effectiveness;

7.      That the CSP should develop some analysis and comparative information to assist in evaluating the impact of PACTs and other forms of public engagement on the incidence of crime and anti social behaviour ward by ward with a view to providing this information in the quarterly news ward profile information provided to Councillors;

8.   That the CSP should recommend the Police to continue to fund support for PACTs and extend this to the development of evaluation and analysis of their effectiveness in line with commitment made in the Sustainable  Community Strategy and Community Safety Plan;

9.      That the Equalities and Cohesion Group should be asked to support the CSP in developing guidance to encourage and achieve participation by the widest cross section of people;

10.In addition to ongoing publication of PACT data there should be an opportunity for local residents to periodically provide feedback on the operation of their local PACT and, in particular, the extent to which they feel able to influence decision-making at meetings;

11.That the CSP should encourage and support each PACT to hold an ‘open meeting’ (with no issues pre-arranged for discussion) specifically to involve local young people and neighbours of different ages and/or ethnic background in order to gain a real understanding of the issues and priorities for those groups;

12.That the CSP should be asked to progress the idea of Youth PACTs with membership invited from every secondary school, and the Youth Parliament;

13.The CSP is recommended to invite all partners to review their community engagement strategies and the groups and organisations they support to eliminate duplication and maximise the use of, and support for, PACTs where possible and appropriate;

14.That the CSP should be invited to consider launching a Medway annual PACT recognition award scheme to help raise the public profile of PACTs, particularly in the local press;

15.That the CSP Media Officer should be asked to develop some guidelines and offer practical support to PACTs with production and publication of advertising material for meetings.