Issue - meetings

Members noted the report.

Cabinet considered the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Panel on suggestions from the Community Safety Partnership Working Party regarding the provision of appropriate services for victims of violent crime in the district.

Councillor Campbell and Councillor Game spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Lin Fairbrass proposed, Councillor Wells seconded and Cabinet approved the following recommendations that:

1)  Thanet District Council approach town councils in Thanet to request funding of £188 to finance one day per week, of EK Rape Crisis Centre counselling services if Thanet District Council will provide a room for the counselling sessions on a match funding basis;

2)  Approaches are made to the ‘Place2Be’ to provide their free children services to schools in Thanet;

3)  A letter be written to the Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) to raise concern about the changes to policing in the area and write a letter advising the PCC that approaches were being made to town councils in Thanet to support the EK Rape Crisis Centre and inquire if the Commissioner was willing to work with town councils in this effort.

And the following recommendation from Officers:

4)  Authorise officers to submit an application on behalf of council for funding from the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) victims specialist service grant. If successful, organise the funding arrangements for the counselling services with the other sub district councils.

Councillor Campbell gave an update regarding the recommendations from the Community Safety Partnership Working Party. He said that Ramsgate Town Council proposed at their Finance & General Purpose Committee meeting on 25 January 2017 to fund in full the EK Rape Crisis Centre counselling services, (the £10,000 per year). If other town/parish councils wanted to access this service they would be required to contribute to the £10,000 annual funding budget.

Nick Hughes advised that all the recommendations in the report would be forwarded to Cabinet once agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor Dexter advised that the Charter Trustees of Margate did not have the legal authority to contribute any funding to the proposed counselling service for the area. Members and officers concurred with the observation. The Panel noted that the recommendation to approach town councils was also meant to refer to parish councils as well.

The Panel agreed the following recommendations which they referred to Cabinet for approval:

1.  To note the report;

2.  To forward to Cabinet the following recommendations from the Community Safety Partnership Working Party that:

a)  Thanet District Council approach town councils in Thanet to request funding of £188 to finance one day per week, of EK Rape Crisis Centre counselling services if Thanet District Council will provide a room for the counselling sessions on a match funding basis;

b)  Approaches are made to the ‘Place To Be’ to provide their free children services to schools in Thanet;

c)  A letter be written to the PCC to raise concern about the changes to policing in the area and write a letter advising the PCC that approaches were being made to town councils in Thanet to support the EK Rape Crisis Centre and inquire if the Commissioner was willing to work with town councils in this effort.