MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

CABINET

14 APRIL 2015

REPORT OF T         HE HEAD OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Report prepared by Sarah Robson 

Date Issued: April 2015

1.           Maidstone Community Safety Partnership Plan 2013 - 2018

1.1        Key Issue for Decision

1.1.1   Cabinet is asked to;

·           Consider the comments of the Communities and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·           Consider and recommend the draft Community Safety Partnership Plan to full Council in April 2015 for final approval.

1.2        Recommendation of the Head of Housing and Community Services

1.2.1   The Community Safety Partnership Plan discharges the council’s statutory requirement to produce a plan for community safety.

1.2.2   The Community Safety Partnership Plan forms part of the Policy Framework and the consultation requires the Cabinet to finalise its proposals for the Council to consider having taken into account any proposals from Overview and Scrutiny.

1.3        Reasons for Recommendation

1.3.1   In adherence with the Borough Council’s Constitution, the Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy, ‘Maidstone Community Safety Partnership Plan 2013 – 2018 Plan’ needs to be put before Full Council for approval.

1.3.2   Feedback from the public consultation undertaken between December 2014 to February 2015 and recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Communities Committee in March 2015 will be incorporated into the Maidstone Community Safety Partnership Plan 2013 – 2018 Plan to provide a strategic framework to deliver the priorities, which have been reviewed and determined using evidenced based information, including comparative county-wide performance, through the annual Strategic Assessment. Feedback from Overview and Scrutiny Committee requested more detailed Foreword and Background and Context sections explaining the purpose of the Community Safety Plan and a brief profile of the Maidstone borough and clarity that the Town Centre is part of the wider High Street ward.

1.4        Alternative Action and why not Recommended

1.4.1   The partnership plan contributes towards the Council’s statutory requirement to reduce crime under Section 17 Crime & Disorder Act. It is a statutory legal requirement for the plan to be approved by full Council.

1.5        Impact on Corporate Objectives

1.5.1   The Community Safety Partnership Plan will contribute to the delivery of the Strategic Plan priorities; For Maidstone to be a decent place to live and Corporate and Customer Excellence. In addition, the Community Safety Partnership Plan supports the delivery of two out of three cross cutting objectives within the Borough Council’s Community Development Strategy; Tackling Disadvantage and Building Stronger Communities.

1.6        Risk Management

1.6.1   Risks associated with delivery against the strategic priorities within the Plan will be managed by the Safer Maidstone Partnership and the individual agencies that make up the partnership.

1.7        Other Implications

1.7.1    

1.7.2   Financial – Maidstone received its last Community Safety Grant allocation directly from the Home Office in early 2012/13, this reduced amount of £45,000, was more than half of its previous allocation, and has been allocated by the Safety Maidstone Partnership to identified areas of need. From 2013/14, all Community Safety Grant funding will be allocated directly to the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) who will be able to use this money to target their identified priorities and support the ongoing delivery of the Crime Plans. Maidstone has prepared for the arrival of the new PCC by evidencing and demonstrating its ongoing successes in order to attract PCC funding and support, it is unknown at this time how successful this will be and the level of funding that will be allocated. However, the plans and strategies detailed within the plan cover a wide range of services provided by the Council and partner agencies with the majority of activity being either mainstream funded or funded via other grants or allocations not directly allocated to community safety. As such even in the uncertain world created by the arrival of the PCC, delivery against the plan can still continue albeit this may be more challenging in the future. It is also important to note that this plan will be refreshed again next year and will reflect any changes following the introduction of the PCC.

1.7.3   Staffing – The priorities within the Plan cross cut the agencies that make up the Safer Maidstone Partnership. Delivery against the priorities will be via mainstream activity and any grant funding that the borough is able to secure, including this year’s Community Safety Grant allocation.

1.7.4   Legal – Sections 5 to 7 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (the 1998 Act), headed “Crime and Disorder Strategies”, require “responsible authorities” to comply with section 6 of the 1998 Act which stages that “responsible authorities” shall formulate and implement;

a)   A strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder in the area; and

b)   A strategy for combating the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in the area; and

c)   A strategy for the reduction of re-offending in the area.

By virtue of section 5(1)(a) of the 1998 Act, the Council is the “responsible authority”.

By completing an annually refreshed its Community Safety Plan based on the findings of a comprehensive Strategic Assessment, Maidstone is fulfilling its statutory requirement.

1.7.5   Equality implications – The benefits of delivery against the plan will apply across the Maidstone borough, although by adopting an evidence based approach more benefit should be felt in areas where identified problems are greatest.

1.7.6   Community Safety – The Community Safety team has been brought under the reporting line of the Community Partnerships unit, with reduced number of staff. The focus will be strongly on preventative work while continuing to be co-located and working closely in partnership with the police and other community safety related partners.

1.8        Conclusions

1.8.1   The plan has been subject to widespread consultation with the agencies that make up the Safer Maidstone Partnership. The Plan was approved by the Safer Maidstone Partnership in June 2012. As a result of the public consultation undertaken between September to October 2012, no feedback was received. The Overview and Scrutiny Communities Committee recommended for the Plan to be updated with a section reflecting the appointment of the PCC and the inclusion of the Strategic Assessment.

1.9        Relevant Documents

1.9.1   Appendices 

Appendix A – Community Safety Partnership Plan 2013-18
Appendix B – Strategic Assessment 2015-16

1.9.2   Background Documents

Strategic Assessment 2014-15

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? x     Yes                                         No   If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan?   ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..   This is a Key Decision because:   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….   Wards/Parishes affected: …All wards and parishes……………………………………..   ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..