Contact your Parish Council
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Overview and Scrutiny for Crime and Disorder |
12 June 2024 |
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Strategic Assessment 2024/25 and Partnership Plan Update |
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Will this be a Key Decision?
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No
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Urgency |
Not Applicable |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Overview and Scrutiny for Crime and Disorder |
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Lead Director |
Angela Woodhouse, Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance. |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Martyn Jeynes, Communities and Strategic Partnerships Manager |
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Classification |
Public
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Wards affected |
All |
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Executive Summary |
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This report introduces the Strategic Assessment produced for SMP for the period 2023-24. The assessment looks at the efforts of the partnership in relation to the second year of the current CSP Plan 2022-2025. It ensures the work of the partnership remains relevant to the priorities and planned activities for 2023-24. The Strategic Assessment checks for any emerging concerns, trends and or shifts relating to crime, ASB and wider determinants of Community Safety, such as health data. Additionally, the Strategic Assessment provides an update on the work undertaken in delivering the current priorities and cross cutting themes. For the four existing priorities, three are on track and one is exceeding expectation.
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Purpose of Report Noting
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This report makes the following recommendation to the Committee: |
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The progress made in year 2 of the Community Safety Plan against the priorities and cross cutting themes, which remain in place for 2024/25, be noted. |
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Strategic Assessment 2024/25 and Partnership Plan Update |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
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Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The four Strategic Plan objectives are: • Embracing Growth and Enabling • Infrastructure • Safe, Clean and Green • Homes and Communities • A Thriving Place Accepting the recommendations will materially improve the Council’s ability to achieve the corporate priority of a ‘safe, clean & green place’. |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Cross Cutting Objectives |
The four cross-cutting objectives are: • Heritage is Respected • Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced • Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved • Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected The report recommendation supports the achievement of the cross-cutting objectives. |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Risk Management |
Approving the recommendation in the report minimises the risk of the Council and the Maidstone Community Safety Partnership not having an up-to-date Community Safety Plan and ensures compliance with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Financial |
Delivery of the proposed Community Safety Plan can be undertaken within existing resources. The Community Safety Plan 2022- 25 will provide the foundation for the Community Safety Partnership to prioritise and apply partner resources and bid for additional resources to achieve the outcomes identified |
Finance Manager |
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Staffing |
We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing. |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Legal |
Accepting the recommendations will fulfil the Council’s duties under Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The Council has a duty under Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to formulate and implement strategies for the reduction of crime and disorder in the area (including antisocial and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment); and for combatting the misuse of drugs, alcohol, and other substances in the area and for the reduction of reoffending in the area. |
Deputy Head of Legal |
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Information Governance |
The recommendations do not impact personal information (as defined in UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) the Council processes. |
Information Governance Team |
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Equalities |
The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment. |
Equalities and Communities Officer |
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Public Health
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We recognise that the recommendations will have a positive impact on population health or that of individuals.
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Community and Strategic Partnerships Manager |
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Crime and Disorder |
Continuation of the Community Safety Plan will have a continued positive impact on Crime and Disorder. |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Procurement |
None |
Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance |
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Biodiversity and Climate Change |
There are no implications on biodiversity and climate change. |
Biodiversity and Climate Change Manger |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 The Maidstone Community Safety Partnership, known locally as the Safer Maidstone Partnership (SMP), has a duty to produce an annual crime and disorder audit, through consultation with key agencies and the wider community with the findings used to identify strategic priorities and set targets and performance measure.
2.2 These measures are used to create priorities and themes for the partnership’s Community Safety Plan. Maidstone’s current Community Safety Partnership Plan 2022-2025, provided as a background document, was adopted in 2022.
2.3 Appendix 1 contains the Strategic Assessment 2023/24 and Partnership Plan update. The Strategic Assessment checks for any emerging concerns, trends and or shifts relating to crime, ASB and wider determinants of Community Safety, such as health, through analysis of quantitative and qualitative data collected from across the partnership.
2.4 Additionally, the Strategic Assessment provides an update on the work undertaken in delivering the current priorities and cross cutting themes.
2.5 The format of the report has been designed to provide a lot of information in a readable format. Reading the left most column provides the reader with the local narrative that has informed the assessments in 2.6. The right-hand column provides the reader with more detail, should they require it. The paragraphs are labelled for easy referencing. Further guidance on the format is provided on page 3 of Appendix 1.
2.6 Based on analysis of relevant data and updates from the appropriate working groups, the assessment provides the following in relation to current priorities:
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Protecting our communities against serious, violent, and organised crime (including modern-day slavery) |
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Priority status:
On track
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The SMP remains well placed to continue to deliver work which will prevent and reduce serious violent and organised crime as this area continues to pose a significant risk. The operational frameworks in Maidstone, that promote collaborative working and early intervention are aligned with both County and National models of best practice.
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Reducing the harm caused by domestic abuse |
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Priority status:
On track
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Domestic Abuse remains a national priority. Locally, Domestic Abuse makes up nearly a fifth of all crime and over 80% of all crimes involving violence against a person. The MDAF is well placed to continue to support the SMP’s Domestic Abuse duty, continuing to support victims and raise awareness through a growing array of new and improving services. Reductions in reported crimes, particularly disproportionate reductions in reports of coercion and control requires further investigation to understand the cause, as this remains an under reported crime. |
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Provide a safe town centre |
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Priority status:
Exceeding expectations
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The TCTF has built on their 2022 achievements, enhancing the collaboration with the wider SMP for a more comprehensive public health response to challenges. This has led to further reductions in crime and ASB. The delivery of Safer Streets 4 (SS4) accelerated the delivery of services that might have taken years to fund or may not been delivered at all, enhancing our effectiveness and community impact. Collaboration remains key to these advancements.
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Keeping children and young people safe |
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Priority status:
On track |
Alignment to the LCPGs action plan has ensured that, alongside other children services’ priorities, adverse childhood experiences, their impact on decision making and risk taking, continues to be considered when protecting young people across the priorities. It also ensures that services are designed that create spaces where young people feel safe, have a sense of belonging and know that they matter. There are many societal factors that are beyond the control of the partnership, but DCSM continues to work to protect young people in locations where their behaviour, or the behaviour of others, puts them or others at risk. The new Family Hub model will require close monitoring to ensure young people are not impacted by changes. |
2.7 During 2024 the SMP will start its consultation and preparations for the 2025/28 Community Safety Partnership Plan. Public and Youth Community Safety Surveys will be undertaken in the summer and the fall respectively. Stakeholder engagement events will be undertaken to determine the priorities going forward from April 2025.
2.8 Analysis of the relevant data and consultation with the Partnership confirms the current priorities remain relevant for the final year of this plan.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 The committee could decide to approve the recommendations made in this report. This will allow for the SMP to continue to deliver the current Community Safety Partnership Plan through the existing subgroups and action plans
3.2 The committee could decide not to approve the recommendations. This is not recommended as the assessment and analysis therein indicates that the current priorities remain relevant and that the direction of travel for the SMP and its subgroups is positive, accepting that there is still work to be done as part of a three-year plan and that a new plan will be developed during 2024 for the next three years.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 The option set out in paragraphs 3.1 is the preferred option, as it will enable the Council, as part of the Safer Maidstone Partnership, to implement a robust and focussed CSP Plan and to fulfil its statutory duties in relation to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
5. RISK
5.1 The recommendation, if adopted, will reduce the risk of the Council not being compliant with its statutory duties and will assist in reducing crime and disorder within the Borough.
6. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
6.1 Details of previous consultations are provided in Appendix 1 of the report. Details of pending consultations are provided in 2.7.
7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 As part of a three-year plan, the SMP will continue to adapt and evolve to meet the challenges of each priority area and the associated cross cutting themes.
7.2 Work will begin to develop the new Community Safety Plan for 2025-2028, including the public surveys outlined in 2.7 and a focus on “public-friendly” versions of reporting documents, like the strategic assessment, to ensure the direction of travel for our priorities is shared with our community.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:
· Appendix 1: Strategic Assessment 2024/25 and Partnership Plan Update
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Maidstone Community Safety Partnership Plan 2022-2025 - Maidstone Borough Council