Meeting documents

 

Agenda Item No: 8

19th February 2015

                  

 

 

Corporate Report Format

 

 

To the Chair and Members of the

 

COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT (CRIME AND DISORDER COMMITTEE) OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PANEL

 

COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY REFRESH

 

Relevant Cabinet Member(s)	Wards Affected	Key Decision
Cllr Joe Blackham	All	No

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

1.      This report provides an update on the 2015 refresh of the 2014/2017 Community Safety Strategy. The Strategy is a statutory plan, and to meet the requirements of the council’s budget and policy framework, there is a requirement for this document to be presented to the Crime and Disorder Committee for comment on the emerging findings.

 

EXEMPT REPORT

 

2.         This is not an exempt report.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3.         The Crime and Disorder Committee Members are asked to comment upon the emerging findings of the Community Safety Strategy review and to feed in their views into the final strategy refresh.

 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CITIZENS OF DONCASTER?

 

4.         The refreshed content of the Community Safety Strategy has been identified through cross reference of the data captured in the Joint Strategic Intelligence Assessment and through a robust and comprehensive process of community consultation. The priorities which both the data and community consultations have previously identified are:

 

a.    Protecting vulnerable people;

b.    Reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and re-offending;  and

c.    Reduce substance and alcohol misuse and the associated effects on crime.

 

5.       Crime and Community Safety are a key priority for the Citizens of Doncaster and some members of the Community (often those affected by protected characteristics) are disproportionately affected by some crimes. An example would include Domestic Abuse, where 9 out of 10 victims reporting incidents are women. We are also aware that some geographical areas are more affected than others in terms of particular types of crime, hate crime being more prominent in the urban areas of Hexthorpe and the town centre. Therefore it is essential that we have a strategy which meets the needs of the Borough but also addresses the specific issues within neighbourhoods and for certain groups.

 

6.         Given the importance of these issues there has been a significant consultation exercise. The final results are still being analysed and will feed into the final version of the refreshed strategy.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

7.         The agencies which form the Community Safety Partnership are under a legal duty under the Crime and Disorder Act (1998) to work together to: reduce reoffending; tackle crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour, alcohol and substance misuse and address any other behaviour which has a negative effect on the local environment.  Last year the partnership published a 3 year plan outlining how this will be achieved, which was approved by full Council.  This plan is now being refreshed and as part of this process we are consulting with the public, partners and scrutiny.

 

8.        This report is to provide the presentation of some of the emerging findings and seek Scrutiny’s views to feed into the Strategy refresh. It is our intention to circulate the draft version of the Strategy for final comments before adoption of the amended Strategy.

 

OPTIONS CONSIDERED

 

9.         To review the content of the Community Safety Strategy, not to do so would mean not complying with legal requirements.

 

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDED OPTION

 

10.       Supporting the recommended option would enable full compliance with our legal requirement.

 

IMPACT ON THE COUNCIL’S KEY PRIORITIES

 

11.      

 

 

RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS

 

12.       Good quality performance management arrangements ensure that priorities are achieved and good quality services are delivered to the residents of Doncaster

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

13.       The Council is under a legal obligation to produce a three year strategy and review this on an annual basis, this meets our legal requirement.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

14.       No financial implications identified at this stage.

 

HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS

 

15.       No human resource implications.

 

 

TECHNOLOGY IMPLICATIONS

 

16.       There are no technology implications.

 

EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS

 

17.       We are aware that crime can affect some groups disproportionately and it is important that a due regard is taken of how this impacts upon particular groups or individuals. To evidence how the Authority responds to these issues, a due regard statement has been completed and this has been updated as the consultation process has evolved.

 

CONSULTATION

 

18.       The consultation commenced on the 5^th January 2015 and will conclude on the 15^th February 2015. It has been a wide ranging consultation with face to face engagement, attendance at community groups and a great deal of support from key partners. There has also been analysis of key data to help us understand vulnerabilities and what may affect an individual’s ability to report crimes or access our services. Thus far over 1000 questionnaires have been received a sharp rise on previous consultations.

 

This report has significant implications in terms of the following:

 

Procurement		Crime & Disorder	x
Human Resources		Human Rights & Equalities	x
Buildings, Land and Occupiers		Environment & Sustainability
ICT		Capital Programme

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

19.       Presentation of emerging findings.

 

REPORT AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTORS

 

Name Bill Hotchkiss Head of Service Community Safety

01302 737831    bill.hotchkiss@doncaster.gov.uk

 

 

 

David Hamilton

Director Adults, Health and Wellbeing