Cover report for MBC Safeguarding Policy for Children and Adults at Risk

Communities, Housing & Environment Committee

19th March 2019

 

Community Safety Plan 2019-22

 

Final Decision-Maker

Council

Lead Head of Service

John Littlemore, Head of Housing and Community Services

Lead Officer and Report Author

Martyn Jeynes, Community Protection Team Manager

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All

 

Executive Summary

 

The Safer Maidstone Partnersip’s Community Safety Plan for 2019-22 replaces the previous Plan which was a five year rolling document covering 2013 to 2018 financial years. It sets out the strategic direction for the Partnership over the next three years.

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to Communities, Housing & Environment Committee

 

That Council be recommended to adopt the Community Safety Plan 2019-22.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Communities, Housing & Environment

19 March 2019

Council

10 April 2019



Community Safety Plan 2019-22

 

1.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1     Under the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 (as amended) the Safer Maidstone Partnership (SMP) is required to produce a Community Safety Plan which sets out how the partnership intends to tackle the priorities that have been identified in the annual Strategic Assessment.

 

1.2     Following completion of the Strategic Assesment, that was presented to this Committee on the 12th Febuary 2019, it was agreed that the focus of the Safer Maidstone Partnership should be on five key priority themes for 2019-22:

 

·      Protecting our communities against Organised Crime Groups (including modern slavery)

·      Reducing the harm caused by Domestic Abuse (including stalking) 

·      Keeping Children and Young People Safe

·      Reducing the impact of Substance Misuse on our community

·      Safeguard people whose Mental Health makes them vulnerable to becoming a victim or where it leads to an impact on the wider community

 

1.3    This Plan for 2019-22 will replace the previous Partnership Plan which was a five year rolling document covering 2013-18. It sets the strategic direction for the Partnership over the next three years.

 

1.4     Should the annual Strategic Assessment in early 2020 identify new emerging priorities then this plan will be refreshed to capture the changing landscape and brought back to this Committee in March 2020.

 

 

2.           SMP SUBGROUPS

 

2.1     To successfully deliver on each of the thematic areas four subgroups, that are already well established, will lead on delivery of the Plan.

 

2.2     The Serious and Organised Crime Panel (SOCP) is lead by Kent Police and is focused on disrupting identified Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) that are operating in the borough.

 

2.3     The Domestic Abuse Forum will be working to reduce the risks and impacts of Domestic Abuse including improving awareness of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known commonly as ‘Clare’s Law’ and finding ways to intervene earlier, to prevent victims of abuse from becoming at high risk of harm.

 

2.4     Keeping Children and Young People Safe will be delivered by the Community Youth Safety Group, the rebranded Multi-Agency Gangs Group.  Due to the distruptive work which has been effective in tackling the gang in Maidstone the focus is now on preventing young people from becoming victims, being groomed into becoming part of a gang and drawn into anti-social behaviour and criminality whether as part of a gand or not.

2.5     This group will also focus on anti-social behaviour and substance misuse, particularly cannabis, amoungst young people.

 

2.6     Mental Health was identified as a priority in the Strategic Assesment completed in 2017, due to it being a key factor in individuals discussed at the Community Safety Unit Vulnerabilities Group (CSVG) that group will lead on this priority. 

 

2.7     The group holds a weekly multi-agency meeting to case manage people who are either a victim or a cause of crime or anti-social behaviour. Poor mental health is often a causational factor in a person’s anti-social behaviour and a victim of crime whose mental health is affected by their experiences are often placed at increased risk, as was the case with Fiona Pilkington and her daughter.

 

2.8     For substance misuse it has been agreed that whilst the is an area of concern that justifies its status as a priority theme, it is not necessary to have a specific sub-group.  It is felt that the action needed here can be delivered through specific teams within the partnership and, more importantly, through the work of other subgroups, such as Keeping Children and Young People Safe, where substance misuse is identified as a particular area of concern for that cohort. The Community Protection Team will refresh and own the relevant action plan for this theme.  

 

 

 

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1     Option one; Do not approve the adoption of the Communtiy Safety Plan. This is not recommended as the Safety Maidstone Partnership is required to produce a Plan and make it available from the start of the financial year. Without a suitable Plan the Partnership and its subgroups will not be able to operate effectively and will potentially lead to an increase in the number of victims of crime and disorder.

 

3.2     Option two; Approve the Community Safety Plan 2019-22 and the identified priority themes and recommend that it is adopted by Council. This will allow for the plan to be implemented by the SMP and its subgroups.

 

3.3     The Plan will form part of the delivery of the Council’s strategic priority around a ‘Safe, Clean and Green’ borough.

 

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     Option two is recommended. It allows the Safer Maidstone Partnership to move forward and focus on delivery of the plan over the next three years.

 

4.2     The chairs of each of the subgroups will then have a clear mandate to drive forward delivery of the Community Safety Plan.

 

 

 

5.       RISK

 

5.1      The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework. That consideration is shown in this report. We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.

 

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

6.1     Once approved the Partnership Plan will be disseminated to all partners for their information and implementation through the subgroups. 

 

6.2     The Plan will also be shared with the Kent Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC).

 

6.3     The PCC provides the SMP with a grant to enable community safety projects to be undertaken which delivers on both the PCC’s priorities and those of the SMP which forms part of the criteria for bids. 

 

6.4     The applications for projects commissioned using this grant need to submitted, sifted and a report setting out proposals on how the grant is to be spent must be sent to the PCC’s office by the end of March 2019 .  

 

6.5     A report will be presented to this Committee in September that sets out the projects commissioned and the progress made in delivering them.

   

 


 

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The Community Safety

Partnership Plan will contribute

to the delivery of the Strategic

Plan priority of; Clean Safe and Green, where People feel safe and are safe. The Community

Safety Partnership Plan also supports good health and wellbeing, enhancing the  appeal of the borough for everyone.

Community Protection Manager

Risk Management

It is a statutory requirement for Maidstone Borough Council to provide a CSP Plan. 

Community Protection Manager

Financial

The Community Safety Grant

funding is allocated directly by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

Maidstone Borough

Council is due to receive a grant of £40k for 2019-20. This will include a ‘tactical pot’ to be used throughout the year as and when other initiatives or issues are raised outside of this current funding round.

However the plans and strategies detailed within the plan cover a wide range of services provided by the Council and partner agencies with the majority of activity being either mainstream funded or funded via other grants or allocations not

directly allocated to community

safety.

Paul Holland, Senior Finance Manager (Client)

Staffing

The priorities within the Plan cross cut the agencies that  make up the Safer Maidstone Partnership. Delivery against the priorities will be via mainstream activity and any

grant funding that the borough is able to secure.

Community Protection Manager

Legal

Sections 5 to 7 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (the 1998 Act), headed “Crime and Disorder Strategies”, require “responsible authorities” to comply with section 6 of the 1998 Act which states that

“responsible authorities” shall

formulate and implement;

a) A strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder in the area; and

b) A strategy for combating the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in the area; and

c) A strategy for the reduction of reoffending in the area.

By virtue of section 5(1)(a) of the 1998 Act, the Council is the “responsible authority”.

Regulation 4 and Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000 require Full Council to adopt the partnership plan.

The Community Safety Plan is based on the findings of a comprehensive

Strategic Assessment, therefore Maidstone Borough Council is fulfilling its statutory requirement. There are

reputational, environmental,

economic and legal risks to the

Council for not pro-actively pursuing any reductions in crime and disorder levels. The recommendations in this

report recognise the importance of constructive dialogue with the partner organisations comprising the

Community Safety Partnership and also the importance of coordinated and collaborative working.

 Team Leader (Corporate Governace), MKLS

Privacy and Data Protection

No implications.

 Team Leader (Corporate Governace), MKLS

Equalities

The key priority themes are evidence based and developed via the partnership’s strategic assessment. The ongoing monitoring of these priority areas provides an established evidence base to support wider decision making across the Council. An understanding of equalities impacts is essential and would be identified via an EqIA as part of any decision making process.

Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer

Public Health

The Community Protection team is under the reporting line of the Head Housing and Community Services. The focus is strongly on preventative work that is intelligence driven so as to maximise the opportunities to reduces health inequalities in partnership with the police and other community safety related partners.

Community Protection Manager

Crime and Disorder

The Community Protection team is under the reporting line of the Head Housing and Community Services. The focus is strongly on preventative work that is intelligence driven so as to maximise the opportunities to reduce crime and anti-social behahaviour in partnership with the police and other community safety related partners.

Community Protection Manager

Procurement

None

Community Protection Manager

 

 

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

 

·   Appendix 1: Draft Safer Maidstone Partnership Community Safety Plan 2019-22.