Community Safety Partnership Plan
By the Head of Community Protection & Enforcement, RBWM (Craig Miller).
Minutes:
The Head of Community Protection & Enforcement, Craig Miller, informed the Panel that the Community Safety Partnership was looking at how the Community Safety Partnership Plan was shaping up. Members were informed that the plan used to be a very definitive plan and that the Community Safety Partnership had been looking at how they could shape the plan so it reflected how partners reported and to get it aligned with everyone’s direction of travel. It was noted that the plan was a ‘work in progress’ which would be circulated to the Panel in due course.
Members were informed that the Community Safety Partnership established its priorities in a number of ways - Police data was used to identify crime trends, while the borough also conducted an annual survey which highlighted public concerns around community safety; national and regional emerging issues such as child sexual exploitation were taken into account along with issues identified by local neighbourhood action group surveys and police Have Your Say Meetings. It was noted that account was taken of related issues and plans including those of the Adults and Children’s Safeguarding Boards. The Head of Community Protection & Enforcement explained that the priorities often fell across two or more themes and were delivered within the theme framework. Members were informed that the 2015/16 Strategic Assessment identified 5 main priority areas:
· Violent Crime
· Sexual Assault
· Safeguarding (Crime related)
· Burglary
· Business As Usual (including all types of Anti-social Behaviour, speeding, parking issues etc)
Members were informed that the priorities established in the Annual Strategic Assessment were agreed at the December 2015 Community Safety Partnership Meeting. The priorities were categorised under the themes below:
o Theme 1 – Prevention (Supporting our communities)
o Theme 2 – Protection (Supporting victims of crime & anti-social behaviour)
o Theme 3 – Inclusion (Assisting troubled families and rehabilitating offenders)
o Theme 4 – Maintaining Public Confidence (Resident reassurance & confidence initiatives)
It was noted that each theme was overseen by a theme lead from the partnership that provided progress reports on delivery to each CSP meeting.
The Head of Community Protection & Enforcement explained that the identified priorities had been reviewed and analysed more closely and broken down into more specific sub-priorities:
1. Violent Crime: Why is this a priority for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead?
· Violent crime is violent offences where the offender has used, or threatened to use force, whether or not there is an injury.
· The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has a buoyant Night Time Economy (NTE). As such, assaults and violent crime within or arising from the night time economy remains an area of focus. Incidents increase or decrease?
2. Sexual Assault: Why is this a priority for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead?
· Sexual assault is a crime of power and control. Sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behaviour that occurs without explicit consent of the victim.
3. Safeguarding (Crime related) : Why is this a priority for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead?
· The partnership recognises the importance of implementing measures to protect the health, well-being and human rights of individuals, which allow people — especially children, young people and vulnerable adults — to live free from abuse, harm and neglect.
4. Burglary: Why is this a priority for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead?
· Burglary and in particular burglary dwelling can have a significant impact on victims, families and the wider community. Crime is low within the Royal Borough however the CSP recognises the importance of sustained effort to maintain these levels.
5. Business as Usual: Why is this a priority for the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead?
· ASB deals with incidents where individuals and groups have an impact on other groups or individuals or their surroundings including natural, built and social environments. It is a priority for the CSP because it is about protecting various individuals and/or groups quality of life and protecting environments to enable people to enjoy private and public spaces.
The Head of Community Protection & Enforcement requested the Panels thoughts on the format and style of the new Community Safety Partnership Plan.
In the ensuing discussion the following points were noted:
Ø The Chairman stated that the improved Community Safety Partnership Plan operated at a strategic level. It was noted that the Chairman hoped to see crime information that related to the Nighttime Economy captured in the plan so that the Nighttime Economy could be better managed in conjunction with the Nighttime Economy premises. The Head of Community Protection & Enforcement explained that he was in the process of going through a problem solving programme with the Thames Valley Police at present which he would report the finding back to the Panel.
Ø The Chairman informed the Panel that he believed the new Acting Inspector at the Thames Valley Police had a fresh view of the world and that he believed he would make significant change.
Ø The Chairman stated that he believed it was how the Thames valley police managed the egress from Windsor Town Centre which was the more difficult problem to solve.
Ø Councillor Beer informed the Panel that Reading Council ran a late night bus service to transport Nighttime Economy revellers back to where they lived. The Chairman stated that this was a charity service which helped get revellers get into a ‘better state’.
Ø The Chairman informed everyone present that he believed the work the Council did with ‘Street Angels’ was very positive and a valuable volunteering resource. It was noted that the Council was looking to expand ‘Street Angels’ to pub locations. It was suggested that the ‘Street Angels’ could be provided with radios to help them.