Agenda item

Crime and Community Safety Performance

Minutes:

DONCASTER LIVING AND CARING THEME

 

A presentation was made to the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel relating to the Following Areas:

 

Complex Lives;

Community Safety Strategy Update;

Domestic Abuse – update from Scrutiny Review recommendations;

Modern Slavery;

Child Exploitation;  and

CCTV - impact from the CCTV Strategy.

 

COMPLEX LIVES

 

It was reported that the Doncaster Complex Lives Alliance, mobilised in late 2017 was an integrated care approach to supporting rough sleepers with complex needs.  The Panel was reminded that during mid to late 2016 there was growing homelessness and rough sleeping, drug misuse, crime and anti-social behaviour like many towns across the country.

 

Through a partnership focused approach on prevention and early intervention, Members were informed of the accommodation offer, links that have been strengthened with prisons and criminal justice agencies and how vulnerable individuals receive support through assertive outreach.

 

The Panel noted the Complex Lives basic process and how the wrap around method worked and supported the numbers that require help.

 

The following areas were addressed by the Panel:

 

Future Funding – In response to the Panel’s concern with regard to future funding to continue work already undertaken, it was explained that the Flexible Homeless Support Grant was predicted to be maintained in the coming years but additional support was also being sought form the Better Care Fund.  There was however a note of caution that these were limited pots of funding.  It was stressed that the plan was to utilise external grants where possible and that several funding bids had been made to the Government’s rough sleeper team.

 

Members were delighted to learn that the Government’s Rough Sleeper Team,  had recently announced that Doncaster had been adopted as one of 42 local authorities to take a rough sleeper programme forward.  Information on the finer details were awaited.

 

Stabilisation of people who receive support and a wrap around service – it was confirmed that once people’s lives began to improve, the existing support would continue for people who required assistance including, routine access to drug and alcohol standard services.

 

Partnership working – It was confirmed that this was working well, with the Local Authority having close relationships with all partners.  Without everyones hard work and commitment it would not have been possible to achieve the success to date.  Mainstream statutory services include St Leger Homes of Doncaster, RDaSh, Clinical Commissioning Group, Primary Care Trust, South Yorkshire Police and the Children’s Trust were committed.  It was noted that the next phase of partnership working would focus on private sector housing landlords and the faith sector.

 

Resettlement of prisoners – concern was expressed due to the prison population in and around the Doncaster area, particularly relating to a person’s resettlement when released.  It was noted that this was a national issue and a Doncaster rehabilitation company had been established, with work due to commence in Spring 2019.  It was noted that some prisoners return to their home town if not from Doncaster but some do stay and start a new life in the town.  It was recognised however, that the nature of lifestyle can be transient and all partners could do more to help 

 

Displacement of people with complex lives – in response to a Member’s query, the following information was provided:

·         115 people were case managed by the team, all were originally rough sleeping;

·         Nearly 90 were now in accommodation and receiving support;

·         67 - rough sleepers in the summer – with partners not just planning for winter need;

·         16 – current number of rough sleepers who were being supported;

·         4 – was the average number of new rough sleepers per week, for example, prison release, evictions and newcomers to the area;

·         54 – known to be at risk of rough sleeping (sofa surfers, unstable housing situations, hospital and planned evictions);  and

·         2 were now in employment.

Displacement was monitored closely on a weekly basis and it was acknowledged that a small number of people were creating an issue throughout the borough.  People were not provided with inappropriate housing that could potentially worsen their situation.

 

People begging in the street – it was recognised that there were people across the borough that were not homeless but chose to beg in the town centre.  It was acknowledged that kindness and generosity was found on the street but it was not the answer to poverty.  It was stressed that once people were stable they tended to see a brighter future and no longer have the wish to beg.

 


 

COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY 2018-2021

 

A presentation was provided on the Community Safety Strategy 2018-2021, delivered by the Community Safety Partnership, highlighting the ambitions for Doncaster’s community safety over the coming four years.

 

The Committee received information on the following priorities:

 

·         Reducing crime and reoffending;

·         Tackling  anti-social behaviour;

·         Tackling serious and organised crime;  and

·         Reducing substance and alcohol misuse.

In response to Members queries the following areas were addressed in detail:

 

County Lines – It was acknowledged this was a very serious national phenomenon where criminal gangs set up a drug dealing operation in a place outside their usual operating area.  Gangs would move their drug dealing from big cities, for example, London, Manchester and Liverpool, to smaller towns in order to make more money.  This has a devastating impact on small communities and brings with it serious criminal behaviour.   Within Doncaster, this was being addressed both strategically and tactically.  It was noted that nationally people were now working together and sharing good practice to stop this criminal behaviour.  A lot of work was required to safeguard the young people who were being enticed into the lifestyle.

 

Neighbourhood Policing - It was stressed that when this was reintroduced provision would never be the same as had been originally, but placed in areas that needed it most.  Some areas would have more support than others and officers may not be seen as regularly as in previous years. Reassurance was provided that cover was addressed on a daily and weekly basis, responding to developing problems. 

 

Crime reporting using telephone number 101 – it was acknowledged that communities were frustrated with the length of time it was taking to report crime on the 101 telephone system.  It was noted that investment had been made to improve the telephony system with waiting times reducing and recognised that there would clearly be peak periods of demand.  Performance had improved and it was hoped that this would continue.

 

The Committee was reminded that if a crime was being committed then the 999 emergency response number must be used.

 

With regard to staffing the 101 telephone line, it was confirmed that there was a separate team answering calls to the 999 team.  It was highlighted however, staff were interchangeable, and if there was a significant emergency situation then staff would be deployed appropriately to respond.

 

The same IT telephony system was being used by a number of Forces around the UK and if there was a technical fault then calls would be transferred, if required.  South Yorkshire had recently had to take calls for the Metropolitan Police Force.

 

Drug and methodone use – it was acknowledged that a support programme was in place to reduce drug habits however, there was a small cohort that would always find this difficult.

 

Off-road motor cycle nuisance – In response to a Member’s query it was noted that that criminality had reduced by 16% and clarified that it was not just motor cycles that were involved in crime but all vehicles.  Specifically relating to motor cycle nuisance, issues raised regularly included noise nuisance and actions that were creating anti-social behaviour.   South Yorkshire Police stressed that motor cycle safety was a priority but criminal use of motor vehicles was addressed separately.

 

It was explained with regard to the use of off road bikes being driven across green space and parks, that there was a degree of frustration when trying to catch offenders.  Motor cycles can be passed around a number of users, so there was the need to catch both the bike and person at the same time to ensure a criminal charge could be made.  The feelings of the Panel and stories of community annoyance were noted and would be taken into account by South Yorkshire Police when addressing this nuisance.

 

GDPR – it was noted that a data sharing policy was in place to assist working across the partnership.

 

Safeguarding – It was confirmed that every person working for South Yorkshire Police is either CRB checked or was subject to a more vigorous check, depending of the work being undertaken, as the safety of all citizens was paramount.

 

PROTECTING VULNERABLE PEOPLE

 

Following the Scrutiny Committee’s review on Domestic Abuse, Members received and update on their recommendations and achievements made since the review, and included:

 

i.              Commissioned services were based on qualitative outcomes as well as services being value for money;

ii.            A single point of contact for partner organisations and victims of domestic abuse was being introduced in 2019;

iii.           A new multi-agency Domestic Abuse Protocol was being produced to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic abuse were responded to consistently by all professionals;

iv.           The provision of support for standards and medium risk victims had been reviewed and factored into the commissioning of new services and the creation of the Domestic Abuse Hub;

v.            Domestic Abuse Caseworkers were now providing more therapeutic support;

vi.           Networking and training opportunities had increased.  By 31st March, 2019 the Workforce Development Officer would have delivered training to approximately 1,000 people in this financial year.  A monthly newsletter has been introduced to keep professionals up to date;

vii.          The Safeguarding Boards have delivered partnership events to raise awareness of domestic abuse;

viii.         A presentation to Team Doncaster would identify long term financial concerns affecting provision of services going forward and seek further partnership buy-in; and

ix.           £98,000 had been sourced from MHCLG to support victims from marginalised and isolated members of communities.

 

The Committee was grateful for the update to their review and raised a number of issues relating to keeping people safe with regard to female genital mutilation and initiation ceremonies to join the gang culture.  It was confirmed that there were a number of campaigns to help children, young people and adults (both male and female) to help victims with such crimes.

 

Members requested that a Seminar be provided to keep up to date with how they respond if they feel they have identified domestic abuse.

 

MODERN SLAVERY

 

The Committee was provided with a presentation on how the issue of modern slavery was addressed through the Organised Crime Partnership Theme Group.  It was noted that the Local Authority linked closely with South Yorkshire Police modern slavery and human trafficking team and other statutory partners including Immigration, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, providing support with Adult and Children’s Safeguarding issues.  Quarterly meetings focus on intelligence/trends/ victim identification and care/prevention/awareness raising and training.  The training for staff has led to an increase in referrals with a 255% increase in reported incidents in Doncaster.

 

CHILD EXPLOITATION

 

The Committee noted that Doncaster was forward thinking with regard to Child Criminal Exploitation with a Strategic Group and Operations Group addressing the position.  The Operations Group met monthly and was currently dealing with between 6 to 8 cases.

 

Moving forward South Yorkshire Police had appointed a Force Lead and was developing strategies and policies that would be shared with partners and other Boroughs.

 

All front line staff were receiving Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) awareness training.

 

CCTV AND IMPACT FROM THE STRATEGY

 

The Panel was provided with an update on the impacts arising from the CCTV strategy and how the infrastructure across Doncaster Town Centre upgrade was helping to address anti-social behaviour within communities.

 

In response to Members’ questions the following areas were addressed:

 

Securing a CCTV camera – It was noted that there was no additional capacity to provide new CCTV cameras, however there was the capability for them to be moved from somewhere else in the borough if the Safer Neighbourhood Team agreed it was required.  The unfortunate issue with this, was neighbourhoods would not want them removed once installed.

 

CCTV technical installation – It was recognised that there could be difficulties and cost implication with siting CCTV on certain lamp columns therefore work was currently being undertaken by Street lighting to address the technical issues.  It was noted that the new lamp columns at the train station development were pre-stress tested.

 

Taxi driver assistance with reporting suspicious incidents – following the recent training for taxi drivers, when they were asked to report suspicious behaviour, it was noted that any small piece of information could help solve a crime.  It was explained that the same training had been extended to other groups, for example, Enforcement Officers.

 

To conclude the Chair thanked the Officers and partners in attendance for the information provided.

 

RESOLVED That:

 

a)          a members seminar on Domestic Abuse, be provided; and

b)         the presentations and discussion be noted.

 

Supporting documents: