Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Jobs and Community Cohesion.

This report seeks approval to consult on a draft Community Safety Strategy and Hate Crime Strategy and their supporting plans.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Jobs and Community Cohesion which sought approval to begin a period of formal engagement on the six key priority areas that will inform the new Community Safety Strategy and the five key objectives that will inform the new Hate Crime Strategy.  Both of the above priorities and objectives were co-designed with the community during a two-week informal pre-engagement period.

Councillor Hakata commented that the report underlined the important role that the administration had towards tackling violence against women and girls, hate crime, crimes against people and increasing community safety.

In response to questions from Councillor Cawley-Harrison, the following was noted:

-           Further information would be provided in relation to the number of drug offences in the Stroud Green ward compared to the rest of the borough.

-           The pre-engagement process took place over a period of two weeks and consisted of online engagement, surveys, discussions with key stakeholders and community groups.  There were also a series of engagement events in libraries.  The team felt that the level of engagement within that time period was very useful and provided some good feedback.

RESOLVED

1.         That Cabinet authorises the necessary engagement process as set out in 6.2- 6.3, which, for both strategies will be for a period of twelve weeks from the date of the Cabinet decision.

2.         That Cabinet notes that the initial development of both Strategies has been informed by:

-           Community Safety Strategic Needs Assessment 2022-23, (Appendix 3)

-           Pre-engagement on the priorities of the strategy which took place between 5^th-18^th December 2022.

-           Feedback from residents, businesses, and stakeholders during the Wood Green Voices engagement that took place in November 2022.

Reasons for decision

Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Council is required to put in place a Community Safety Strategy. As a partnership document listed in the Constitution as part of the Council’s Policy Framework, the Crime and Disorder Reduction (community safety) Strategy (“Community Safety Strategy”) is reserved for final approval by full Council subject to recommendation by Cabinet.

The co-production of a Hate Crime Strategy for Haringey runs in congruence with applying a zero-tolerance approach to any form of hate and discrimination. Alongside this, hate crime is included as a key theme in Haringey’s Corporate Delivery Plan 2023.

The Community Safety Strategy will provide for the overarching Community Safety priorities aligned to key council strategies such as the Corporate Delivery Plan (2023-27) Young People at Risk strategy (2019-29) and the proposed Hate Crime Strategy (2023-27).

Both strategies are likely to be published in the summer of 2023 and in order to make most effective use of the engagement period with the public, both strategies although separate, will be developed at the same time.

Alternative options considered

Not developing a Community Safety Strategy is not an option, as it is a legal requirement as highlighted in 3.1.

With regard to the development of the Hate Crime Strategy, the alternative option would be not to have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12