Agenda and minutes

Councillor Dixon proposed, Councillor Martin seconded and Members agreed that Councillor Jeffrey Elenor be the chairman of the Community Safety Partnership Working Party.

Councillor Elenor in the Chair.

There were no apologies received at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To approve the Minutes of the Community Safety Partnership Working Party meeting held on 02 July 2015, copy attached.

Councillor Campbell proposed, Councillor Dixon seconded and Members agreed the minutes to be a true record of the proceedings of the meeting that was held on 2 July 2015.

Members to receive a report on performance report on Priority 3 (of the Community Safety Partnership’s Plan for 2015/16) - Tackling the drivers of crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.

Mr Martyn Cassell introduced the item and highlighted the following as key themes of the current Thanet Community Safety Plan for 2015-16:

1.  Safeguarding people vulnerable to committing or being a victim of crime;

2.  Reducing reoffending;

3.  Tackling drivers of crime and anti-social behaviour;

4.  Engaging with Partners and the Community.

Out of these key priorities were twelve emerging issues to focus and thirty action points to implement during 2015/16. In their first meeting the working group agreed to look at one priority at each meeting over the course of the year.

Chief Inspector Sharon Adley then led the first presentation on the ‘Tackling Drivers of Crime and ASB priority’. She said that in the current safety plan the Police were focusing on tackling drivers of crime, particularly alcohol and substance misuse.

Chief Inspector Adley said that partnership working is key to fighting crime. The plan focussed partners on a range of subjects with alcohol and substance misuse being a major one.

•  Police were working on early intervention approaches to reduce anti-social behaviour using new legislation, particularly the Dispersal Orders. Dispersal Orders were effectively used during this summer.

•  Trading Standards and Police have worked together on operations to tackle underage sales and the sale of new psychoactive substances often referred to as “legal” or “lethal highs”.

•  The partnership funded the Community Pastors project which sees volunteers from Thanet churches assisting those who may be vulnerable during the night time economy. A special operation was done as part of folk week festivities.

•  Police officers in Thanet wear body worn cameras which assists them in the prevention and detection of crime and ASB. Licensed premises are also being encouraged to utilise this technology for their door staff.

Members of the working group had also asked Chief Inspector Adley to report on possible increase in gang related activities in the district. It was explained that this subject actually sat in the Safeguarding theme that will be discussed at a future meeting but there was cross over amongst all of the priorities.

A number of initiatives were introduced by Government following the summer of riots in 2011. The Home Office created the Ending Gang and Youth Violence programme (EGYV) that focussed on the areas most in need of support (generally the metropolitan areas and key cities). Learning from this programme showed that this was a national problem and elements of gang culture existed in every town and city. This mainly centres around ‘drug franchises’ and there was growing trend across the country of these moving into areas with high demand.

When the Home Office extended the programme to areas that wanted to benefit from the shared learning, Thanet voluntarily signed up to the scheme in order to proactively plan for any future issues. This means police and TDC take part in monthly teleconferences with the original EGYV areas and share good practice. Inspector Mark Pearson, who works with the Margate Task Force advised Members that a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

The report was considered in conjunction with minute item 94.