Agenda item

(To receive a report from Sara Barry, Head of Safer Communities and Dianne Coulson, Assistant Director – Public Protection, which provides the Committee with an update on the activity of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership as well as summarising the next steps and future areas of focus for the partnership)

SITTING AS THE CRIME AND DISORDER SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

The Chairman invited Claire Seabourne, Safer Lincolnshire Partnership Business Manager-Safer Communities, to present the item, which provided the Committee with an update on the activity of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership and advised of future areas of focus for the partnership.

In guiding the Committee through the report, reference was made to the legislative background to the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership and its statutory duties; progress made over the last year relating to anti-social behaviour; domestic abuse; fraud; modern day slavery; and reducing offending, details of which were contained within the report presented.

It was reported that the current strategy was due to end in March 2022 and that a new strategic assessment had been produced, from which future areas of focus had been identified, and from which a revised strategy would be developed. Details of the strategic assessment was shown on pages 59 and 59 of the report pack.

The Committee was advised that running in parallel with the strategic assessment, a health check of the partnership had been conducted to ensure compliance with statutory duties and governance and to understand the efficiency and effectiveness of the current operating and delivery model.  It was highlighted that the review had found the partnership to be compliant with statutory duties and to operating well. 

In conclusion, it was highlighted that the partnership had made significant progress against the strategy during the year, and that the work on both the Strategic Assessment and Health Check had put the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership in a strong position moving forward.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised the following points:

·       One member enquired as to how many times the community trigger had been requested in the last 12 months.  The Committee noted that the Community Trigger process was being refreshed; and that a significant project had also taken place to ensure a smooth customer journey.   Some concern was raised regarding some members of the public fear of approaching the police.  Officers reassured the Committee that they were not aware that this was an issue.  It was highlighted that not approaching the police was likely to be because there was a lack of awareness regarding the community trigger process.  It was noted that lots of work was being done by all agencies involved in anti-social behaviour, to ensure that people were able to get to the right place first time rather than being passed from one agency to another; and that this was an area of focus for the Core Priority Group.   A request was also made for further consideration of the community trigger process by the Committee.  Officers advised that this information would be included in the reports the Committee would receiving later in the year regarding priorities. Officers agreed to circulate community trigger information to all members of Committee after the meeting;

·       The impact of anti-social behavior on victims, and a request was made as to how many incidents were currently under investigation.  Unfortunately, officers were unable to provide details of the specific numbers involved, as different recording mechanisms were involved.  The Committee was advised that a piece of work had been undertaken supporting victims to engage with the right agency to get the right support.  It was highlighted that the Committee would be receiving a more detailed report relating to each of the priorities later in the year, which would address the issues raised;

·       The new Domestic Abuse Strategy.  The Committee was advised that the strategy had been drafted and published and would be covered in more specific detail in future reports to the Committee; and

·       Modern-day slavery training programme.  One member enquired whether the training programme raising the awareness of modern-day slavery would be repeated and whether the social media pack mentioned in the report had been developed.   It was confirmed that there were no plans to repeat the training at this moment in time, as modern-day slavery had not been identified as an area of focus from April 2022.  Officers agreed to look into the query regarding the social media pack.

RESOLVED

1.      That the report presented be received and noted.

2.      That the Safter Lincolnshire Partnership Plan to reduce crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour in the county be endorsed and that updates on the progression of the delivery plan be received by the Committee at a future meeting.