Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval of Medway’s annual rolling three year Community Safety Partnership Plan 2009-2012 as part of the Council’s policy framework.

Discussion:

This report set out a review of the Community Safety Partnership Plan following a strategic assessment in November 2009. In addition, the report had been considered by the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6 July 2010 and Cabinet on 20 July 2010 in accordance with the Council’s policy framework rules.

The outcome of a Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) screening was attached to the report and it was noted that a full DIA would be required as part of the planning process when the plan was rewritten in 2012.

Councillor O’Brien, supported by Councillor Chishti, proposed the recommendation as set out in the report.

Decision:

The Council approved the Community Safety Partnership Plan, as set out in appendix 1 to the report.

This report provided details of the progress towards developing a new Community Safety Partnership Plan 2009-2012. The Police and Justice Act 2006 had placed a statutory requirement to produce an annual rolling three year plan, underpinned by an annual strategic assessment, for the purpose of reducing crime and disorder and combating substance misuse.

The six priorities for 2009-2012, which had been reviewed and refreshed, were: Tackling Substance Misuse, Tackling Anti Social Behaviour, including criminal damage, Reducing Repeat Business of Violent Crime, Improving Local Street Scene, Reducing your worry of crime and disorder and Improving your confidence in Medway Community Safety Partnership.

The plan had been considered by the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6 July 2010 and the Committee’s views were set out in section 6 of the report.

As a policy framework document the revised Community Safety Partnership Plan 2009 – 2012 would be referred to Council on 29 July 2010 for approval.

The outcome of a diversity impact assessment screening was attached to the report. It was noted that a full diversity impact assessment would be required as part of the planning process when the plan is rewritten in 2012.

This report requests the committee to review the annual refresh of the plan.

Discussion:

The Assistant Director, Front Line Services, introduced the report advising that the annual rolling three year plan set out the aims and objectives of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP). A third strategic assessment had been undertaken in November 2009 and, coupled with the views of the public and stakeholders, it identified six key areas of focus. The plan also contained the progress made on existing actions in the ‘Performance Highlights 2009’ section of the plan.

The reason for urgency accepted by the Chairman was that the report had to be submitted to this meeting in order that the committee’s views could be forwarded to Cabinet on 20 July 2010.

Members asked various questions and commented on:

·        enforcement checks of uncovered skip vehicles using Medway’s roads and causing litter problems, suggesting that there should be a specific reference in the plan about this;

·        the use and success of the SoS bus with aiding people from mis-use of alcohol and/or drugs, or any other reason of safety by acting as a first aid facility or simply a refuge;

·        anti-social behaviour – deliberate fires (arson) and appropriate action to reduce the risk of repeated incidents. The committee was advised that Kent Fire & Rescue Service specifically provided youth outreach to young people to provide information on the risks of fire setting;

·        gated alleyways used as rubbish dumps and the successful use of community clear-up campaigns;

·        Alcohol Control Zones (ACZ) – requirement for clearer signage and recognition by officers and the police that it moved street-drinking problems on to other areas within Medway. Members discussed the possibility of making the whole of Medway an ACZ.

Decision:

The committee agreed to refer the annual review of Community Safety Partnership Plan 2009-2012 to Cabinet for approval recommending the addition of a section on the enforcement of uncovered skip vehicles and that Cabinet take note of the comments made during the discussion (as set out above.)