Agenda item

Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) are under a duty to produce a Community Safety Plan to formulate and implement a strategy to reduce crime and disorder, combat substance misuse and reduce re-offending. This report provides information on the proposed priorities for the new Plan, following the Strategic Assessment. The CSP Plan forms part of the Council’s Policy Framework and will cover the period from 2024 to 2027.

Discussion:

The Head of Regulatory Services introduced the three year Community Safety Plan and the accompanying action plan which was updated annually. The Board was informed that a lot of work done was on tackling the perception of crime and reporting of crimes and the damage that perception when negative does to the community.

Members then made the comments and raised questions which included the following:

• It was highlighted that one of the risks to achieving the aims of the strategy was lack of resources. The police highlighted that they were currently operating at 50% of capacity to tackle incidences of antisocial behaviour. There was a concern that the issues with under resourcing and retention of staff would impact ability to achieving outcomes for Medway. The officer said that they regularly referred to the level of policing needed in Medway, and this was a topic of discussion at partnership meetings. To ensure that there was more response to needs which was aligned to the aspirations of Medway.

• It was commented that there had been a notable lack of respondents to the recent survey and more needed to be done. The officer agreed more could be done to raise awareness of the survey in the community through the use of social media.

• There was good work being done with the drug and alcohol reduction initiative.

• It was suggested that initiatives to provide free travel during school holidays for young people be considered.

• That services be mindful to allude to an increase in workforce when replacement of police officers that were previously lost from the force was not an increase in workforce and there were still serious issues with resources, recruitment and retention of staff.

• It was vital that social isolation be considered as part of the preventative agenda in Medway, particularly in relation to young people where there had been an increase in prevalence of mental health issues,  to minimise escalation to issues that then required acute service intervention.

• Concern was raised on the increased use of vapes by young people and the negative impact and it was asked what preventative work was being done in this area. The officer confirmed that vapes were an age restricted product. Test purchasing exercises were offered on a regular basis but there was not enough resource in place to target every establishment which was why there was a reliance on public reporting of breech of restrictions.

• It was commented that a more proactive approach on education in school, in particular for boys in their behaviour towards girls as a means to tackling violence against girls and women should be considered. It was further added that families and the community needed to play their part in getting the message across.

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Decision:

The Health and Wellbeing Board agreed:

1. To note the Strategic Assessment 2023.

2. To note that as a Policy Framework document once the new Community Safety Plan 2024 – 2027 is completed, it will be taken to Full Council on 18 July 2024.

3. That the partnership notes the comments and suggestions made in discussion of this item.