Issue - meetings

The Chief Executive of MBC and Chief Inspector Gardner of Kent Police co-delivered a presentation on Safer Maidstone Partnership’s Strategic Assessment and Priorities for 2017-18.

It was explained that:

·  The focus would be on threat, risk and harm to the vulnerable, and the priorities identified by the Safer Maidstone Partnership were consistent with the Police Crime Commissioner’s priorities.

·  Specialist Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) roles had been formed in order to focus on the issue of vulnerability, and these included a Youth Engagement PCSO, a Vulnerable Adult Intervention PCSO and a Domestic Violence Single Point of Contact (SPOC).

In response to questions the Committee was advised that:

·  The Safer Maidstone Partnership core funding for 2017/18 had been confirmed by the Police and Crime Commissioner as £38,000.

·  Kent Police did not have the capacity to attend all crime reports, but would attend where there was a vulnerable victim.

·  The proposed introduction of the Police and Crime Bill in April 2017 would seek to eliminate the use of police stations as places of safety for children and young people aged under 18, and significantly cut their use for adults detained under S135 or S136 of the Mental Health Act 1983. It was unlikely that all the required agencies would be fully prepared to realise this change from April 2017, however the Bill would eventually ensure that vulnerable people received the correct care.

·  The Safer Maidstone Partnership included a mental health professional. The Council’s Community Safety Unit did not have a trained mental health professional within the team but was engaged with partner organisations with those specialisms.

·  The Domestic Abuse One Stop Shops were attended by solicitors and mental health advisors. The Police were also in attendance however some service users preferred to seek advice rather than criminalise the behaviour by reporting it.

·  Some off-licences had entered into a voluntary agreement whereby they would sell smaller amounts of high strength alcohol to an individual. This would help prevent issues within the night time economy from people who were very intoxicated through ‘pre-loading’ with alcohol before attending on-licensed premises.

·  A domestic abuse social media campaign had been launched to target those aged 18+. Educational programmes regarding domestic abuse were in place in schools in order to reach those aged under 18.

RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to adopt the 2017-18 Strategic Assessment for implementation by the Safer Maidstone Partnership.

For – 9  Against- 0  Abstain – 0