Agenda item

This report provides information on the operation of the Community Safety Partnership from April – October 2014, the findings of the strategic assessment and the proposed action plan for 2015/16. 

 

Discussion:

 

The Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership, Councillor Hicks introduced a report on the operation of the Community Safety Partnership for the period April – October 2014, the findings of the strategic assessment and the proposed action plan for 2015/16.

 

The Committee was reminded that the scrutiny of the Community Safety Partnership was last carried out in June 2014 at which time it was agreed that the date of the annual scrutiny be moved to December each year to enable Members to scrutinise more effectively the findings of the strategic assessment, the proposed revisions to the Community Safety Partnership Plan and review the actions of the Community Safety Partnership.

 

The current Community Partnership Plan covering the period 2013 – 2016 identified the following priorities:

 

• Priority 1 – Tackle drug and alcohol abuse
• Priority 2 – Tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and enviro-crime
• Priority 3 – Reduce re-offending
• Priority 4 – Tackle domestic abuse
• Priority 5 – Reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions

 

The report set out performance against these priorities since April 2014 at Appendix 1.

 

The key findings of the strategic assessment were outlined within the report and the proposed action plan for the financial year 2015/16 was set out at  Appendix 2.

 

The Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership drew specific attention to the following initiatives:

 

• A Domestic Abuse Conference held at the Corn Exchange, Rochester
• The temporary provision of a Community Safety Shop in the Pentagon Centre, Chatham
• The launch of the Medway Safer Gambling Partnership in early December and subsequent publicity in the Municipal Journal.

 

Superintendent Tom Richards provided a brief update on recent events involving Medway Police including the recent by-election and the placement of a PCSO at Medway Maritime Hospital.

 

The Committee then discussed various elements of the report and the action plan including the following:

 

• In response to concerns raised as to policing levels in the urban areas of Medway and, in particular those Wards referred to in paragraph 4.48 of the report, Superintendent Richards confirmed that all areas of Medway were policed and he advised that the Police had a resource allocation model used to measure demand across the Police Force based on crime, anti social behaviour (ASB) and calls from the public. He confirmed that Medway received an equitable share of overall resources. It was also confirmed that all figures and percentages stated within the report related specifically to Medway not Kent.

 

• A Member referred to problems experienced by residents in the area of Rochester and Chatham, particularly late at night when there was a transition of people moving from one area to another. He expressed concern that residents were not minded to keep reporting these issues to the Police as the public perception was that no action was taken. He requested that he be afforded the opportunity of discussing this with the Police outside of the meeting.

 

• An incident in Balmoral Road, Gillingham on Saturday 13 December 2014 and the police response. Superintendent Richards advised that he was unable to comment specifically on this incident as enquiries were ongoing.

 

• In response to questions relating to PCSO’s, Superintendent Richards confirmed that a number of new PCSO’s were currently undergoing training and would be joining Medway in January and March 2015. Councillor Hicks confirmed that he had an up to date list of PCSO’s for Medway and he agreed to circulate this to all Councillors within the next few days. It was also noted that a full list of PCSO’s was available on the Kent Police website.

 

• A Member referred to paragraph 4 of the report and stated that he wished to have an understanding of the scoring matrix and how items were prioritised. In particular, he referred to paragraph 4.25 of the report and asked for information as to the actions that would be undertaken to achieve improved results. It was agreed that this be circulated via a Briefing Note

 

• In response to requests for further information on substance misuse services, Dr Alison Barnett informed that Committee that Medway had re-commissioned its substance misuse service from July 2014 and this was now an integrated service for drug and alcohol services. She outlined the services available in respect of treatment, recovery, intervention, assisting return to work and reducing consumption.  She advised that the reported statistics would take time to reflect these improved services.

 

• A member referring to paragraphs 4.60, 4.61 and 4.62 sought clarification on the figures quoted within these paragraphs. Cynthia Allen was requested to provide further clarification on this issue.

 

• A member referred to the reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents and sought information as to action taken to raise awareness of these issues. In response, Martin Adams from Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue provided information on the Police and Fire joint initiative ‘Licensed to Kill’.

 

• A Member sought an assurance that where possible the various members of the Community Safety Partnership work strategically with other partners and charities.

 

• A member sought information on Police response times and Superintendent Richards agreed that this could be provided to the Member direct outside of the meeting.

 

• A Member requested information on the involvement of Kent Police on alcohol licensing issues and, in particular, licensing of supermarkets. In response Superintendent Richards stated that whilst he was unable to discuss individual cases at the meeting, if supplied with the relevant information he could report back to the individual Member direct.  He did however confirm that Medway Police had an effective and robust Licensing Team that assessed all licensing applications. The Chairman of the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee explained that Licensing Hearing Panels were quasi-judicial bodies and, as he served on these Panels, he could confirm that the Police were actively involved in Licensing applications. However, he stressed that there were rules and regulations to be followed in the licensing process and he commended the Council’s Licensing Team in their knowledge of the licensing functions. 

 

• A Member asked for information as to the budgetary implications for Kent Police in the light of the recent announcement that there was to be a 5.1% decrease in the Police budget for 2015/16 and, in particular, whether this would result in reduced Police personnel in Medway. In response Superintendent Richards confirmed that the 5.1% decrease in budget equated to a £20 million reduction for Kent Police as a whole which would be shared equally across the Force according to resource allocation models. The level of savings equated to a reduction of 300 personnel with approximately 100 of these being police officers and 200 civilian employees. It was not possible at this stage to advise upon the potential level of reductions in Medway.

 

• A Member asked for further clarification on how priorities were identified and it was agreed that this information be included in the Briefing Note to be sent to members on the scoring matrix, referred to above.

 

The Committee also discussed the issue of comparing Police statistics with those of previous years having regard to the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s criticism of the past reporting statistics of Kent Police. In response, Superintendent Richards confirmed that whilst HM Inspectorate had previously given Kent Police a 90% accuracy rate for the recording of crime, following a range of improvements and a subsequent re-examination, this figure had now increased to 96%. This had placed Kent Police in the top two thirds nationally of Police accuracy in recording crime.

 

He stated that it was difficult to undertake comparisons with previous years as the way in which information had been recorded had changed. However, since June 2014, the records could be compared like for like.

 

He also reminded the Committee that the ‘Saville’ Investigation had been a major factor attributing to the increased levels of reported historic crime.

 

Councillor Hicks advised the Committee that arrangements were in hand for the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner to attend an all Member briefing in 2015 and Victim Support would be one of the topics covered. In addition, the Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator would be undertaking a presentation on the same evening.

 

In considering the report, some members expressed concern that the Committee was being asked to refer the proposed action plan for 2015/16 to Cabinet on 13 January 2015 without having had sight of the information requested during the debate on this item. In response, the Chairman gave an assurance that when the item was referred to Cabinet, the Cabinet would also receive a full list of the points raised by this Committee.

  

Decision:

 

a)                 The Members of the Community Safety Partnership be thanked for attending the meeting and answering Members questions;

 

b)                 The actions of the Community Safety Partnership for the half year April – September 2014 be noted;

 

c)                  The findings of the annual strategic assessment be noted;

 

d)                 The proposed action plan, having been considered in the light of the findings of the annual strategic assessment be referred to Cabinet on 13 January 2015, but that Cabinet be advised that this Committee has requested or noted the following:

 

·        That Superintendent Richards has offered to meet with Councillor Mackness outside of the meeting to discuss his concerns regarding problems for local residents when there is a transition of people moving from Rochester to Chatham late at night.

 

·        That all figures and statistics within the report relate to Medway and not the whole of Kent.

 

·        That Councillor Hicks, as Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership will circulate a list of PCSO’s across Medway to all Members in the next few days.

 

·        A Briefing Note be provided to Members setting out further information as to the scoring matrix used to formulate the statistics in the report and how priorities are identified.

 

·        Future reports from the Community Safety Partnership include trajectory projections where possible.

 

·        A Briefing Note be provided to Members clarifying the information relating to figures provided within paragraphs 4.60 and 4.61 and 4.62 of the report.

 

·        It be noted that Superintendent Richards will be providing Councillor Etheridge with information on response statistics.

 

·        It be noted that there will be an all Member presentation from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner in early 2015.

 

·        The Community Safety Partnership look to strategic working with other partners/charities where possible