Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Fitzroy Andrew, Joanne McCartney, Jeanelle de Gruchy, Marian Morris and Victor Olisa.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March as a correct record.

RESOLVED

·        That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March be agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

Matters arising;

·        The next PMG meeting would be focussed on youth offending including looking to create alignment with the review of youth services. The Chair advised that Linda James, the Strategic Manager for the Youth Offending Service had recently retired and requested that the thanks of the Partnership for her work be recorded.

·        The public consultation event held on the draft fifth London Safety Plan in April had been challenging, with low turnout. Partners were reminded that the consultation remained open for further comments until 17 June.

·        Joint working was progressing on the establishment of a high risk panel focussing on managing fire and other risks for vulnerable people, potentially utilising a model in place in Camden. Improved joint working procedures has also been introduced between LFB and the Council’s Adult Services to identify vulnerable, high risk individuals at an earilier stage to provide a proactive approach to reducing their risks.   

PC Matt Arnold and Natalie Green from the British Transport Police (BTP) introduced themselves to the Partnership as Crime Reduction Officers covering the overground stations in the borough. The BTP produced quarterly crime reports which would potentially be of interest to the CSP in their performance monitoring role. It was agreed that PC Arnold would liaise with Hazel Simmonds to arrange for the BTP crime stats to be included within future performance monitoring reports submitted to the PMG. The BTP officers also offered to provide a short presentation to a future meeting on the Secure Stations Scheme which might be of relevance to the Partnership. The value was also recognised in the BTP contributing to the working group leading on the town centres improvement project and with the ASB focussed work underway in the borough, particularly in recognition of their contacts with Police teams covering the Underground.

To receive an update from the Borough Commander.

Mark Wolski provided an update on implementation of the new local policing model within the borough which was due to go live on 24 June. Key changes included a 20% increase in emergency response, an enhanced vehicle fleet and larger local neighbourhood policing teams working to a new shift pattern to provide greater cover for the late night economy. Changes would also be made to public access arrangements centred on the provision of four main contact points. In response to a question regarding the retention of a contact point in the west of the borough following the closure of Muswell Hill Police Station, confirmation was provided that currently arrangements had been made to share an SNT base in Barnet to provide coverage, with consideration being given to enhancing its hours of operation through the use of volunteers.

Following concerns expressed by the Partnership regarding the time pressures associated with implementation, confirmation was provided that plans were generally on track, although staffing remained a challenge, in particular recruiting to Sergeant and Inspector posts.

Assurances were provided that a MPS communications strategy was in place to accompany implementation of the new model. The Borough Commander had a meeting scheduled with Councillors on 19 June to run through the main changes under the new model. The Chair proffered the Council’s assistance if necessary to further promote the new model, for example through Area Committees or other engagement routes.  

RESOLVED

·        That the update be noted.

The Partnership considered the end of year performance report for 2012/13 and received a short presentation setting out key highlights underpinning the overall headline figure of the 10% reduction achieved against crime in the borough compared to the previous year. It was advised that the PMG had agreed at their last meeting to undertake a benchmarking exercise with other boroughs to allow more detailed performance comparisons in the future. 

Positive performance included a significant reduction in personal robbery and residential burglary rates compared to the previous year and a reduction by a third of the number of first time entrants to the Youth Justice System aged 10-17.

Concerns remained regarding the continued increase in the youth re-offending rate in the borough. Although it was anticipated that the Integrated Offender Management Framework would have a positive impact in this area, it was agreed that youth reoffending needed to be a particular focus for the Partnership going forward. As such, it was agreed that a report should be submitted to the CSP Executive setting out the key issues for discussion. Confirmation was also provided that youth reoffending had additionally been identified as one of the Council’s key corporate priorities going forward. In light of the importance of a focus on youth offending going forward, it was agreed that an officer from YOS should be added to the membership of the CSP.

In relation to reoffending, a working group had been set up to look specifically at the high rates within the Roma community. The Probation Service were also undertaking a piece of work with HAGA to look at alcohol as a factor in reoffending which would be reported back to a future CSP meeting.

In response to a question, confirmation was provided that four IDVAs would be funded in the current year by the Council and MOPAC.

RESOLVED

·        That the 2012-13 final performance be noted.

·        That the final budget outturn against the Community Safety Fund 2012-13 be noted.  

The CSP received an end of year performance report on key outcomes achieved under the gang related funding secured from the Home Office and MOPAC in 2012/13. Outcomes from the Nacro gang exit project, violence reduction programme and Ben Kinsella knife crime exhibition were noted as well as the 30% reduction in gun and knife enabled offences committed by 10-19 year olds in the borough compared to last year.

The Partnership were updated on the recruitment of a additional YOS worker to undertake custody based intervention work, initially with Feltham Young Offenders Institute but with a view to extending to other institutions in the future. It was advised that the Fire Brigade’s LIFE scheme providing courses to 18-24 year olds was also run at Feltham as well as in the borough. A community fire cadets scheme would also be starting within Haringey later in the year.

The importance was recognised of securing sustainable funding in this area going forward to allow the continuation of gang related projects to prevent loosing traction, for example potentially seeking funding contributions from schools etc.

A report was received providing an overview of local partnership activity to address ASB under the ASB Partnership Action Plan and the Community Safety Strategy Delivery Plan and the outcomes achieved at the steer of the ASB multi agency Partnership action group. An update was also provided on legislative changes in this area and the impact going forward. 

Planning was underway for a ASB summer initiative incorporating a co-ordinated multi-agency period of action with the objective of improving public confidence, reduce repeat offenders etc.

The CSP were advised of key aspects of the ASB, Crime and Policing Bill 2013/14 anticipated to receive Royal Assent in spring 2014 including provisions for a new community trigger and remedy to empower victims and communities and the replacement of dispersal orders with direction powers. The importance was emphasised of clear protocols and processes being drafted and embedded prior to the powers coming into force. It was agreed that this should be led by the ASB action group and reported through the CSP Executive and CSP as appropriate.

RESOLVED

·        That the update be noted.

To consider the final draft including the Annual Delivery plan, Governance structure and KPIs.  

The CSP received the final draft of the Community Safety Strategy 2013-2017. The Chair thanked the Partnership for their contributions to the drafting of the Strategy in addition to the considerable work completing the Strategic Assessment and MOPAC bid. The final Strategy document would be submitted for Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny consideration before progressing for adoption at Full Council.

It was agreed that the wording of the last paragraph at point 3.7 on page 28 regarding public access by Police should be rewritten in light of the concerns over the provision of a contact point in the west of the borough. 

The CSP Executive would sign off the annually reviewed delivery plan underpinning the Strategy, review the sub-structure of the CSP and also agree the final set of KPIs in conjunction with the PMG. A series of workshop sessions had been held on the delivery plan and which would be amended to incorporate feedback received. The importance as recognised of ensuring the plan was sufficiently aligned to the Strategy and other strategies.

RESOLVED

·        That the final draft of the Strategy be endorsed.

The CSP received an update on progress delivering PREVENT work within the borough in line with the national Prevent Strategy and priorities set out in the local Prevent Delivery Plan. A Haringey Prevent delivery group was being established to take a lead on this.

Work was underway to establish a panel to receive channel referrals for adults and young people identified as radicalised and to complete a situational analysis exercise to strengthen the evidence base underpinning the programme. A Haringey Muslim Community Safety Forum had been established, with members provided with training utilising Home Office funding, a proportion of which would additionally be used to undertake a piece of research analysing local attitudes to Prevent and which would be circulated to the CSP in due course.

RESOLVED

·        That the update be noted. 

The Partnership received a short presentation outlining planned Ministry of Justice reforms to probation services in response to high national reoffending rates. Key proposed changes included the establishment of a National Probation Service to cover approximately 30% of current probation workload, with marketisation of the remainder of probation services covering low risk offenders. Additional changes included the mandatory post release supervision of offenders receiving less than 12 month sentences and a new contractual payment by results mechanism. Full details of the change programme had yet to be released despite the conclusion of the consultation process.

CSP members raised concern over the potential for the reforms to undermine the Partnership, with private sector companies less likely to engage with partnership working and working well with local authorities as unfortunately witnessed with the Work Programme. There were also concerns over the movement to national, or in this case, London wide service contracts which was likely to result in the loss of local knowledge. Confirmation was provided that London Councils would be raising these issues with the Ministry. It was agreed that a short paper should be drafted for the Leader and Chief Executive of the Council setting out the key risks linked to the reforms to capitalise on any further opportunities for lobbying.

RESOLVED

·        That the update be noted.

·        The Partnership had the potential to contribute to the Council’s High Street project focussed on improving 12 town centres within the borough through a programme of short and long term actions. This could link in with existing short term initiatives underway within the CSP such as the ASB project work etc.

·        The incidence of rough sleepers within the borough using inappropriate sleeping accommodation such as in commercial premises, was increasing, culminating in the serving a number of LFB prohibition notices. It was agreed that this issue required further consideration by the Partnership, particularly in recognition that a collective approach would be required due to the overlap of legislative powers in this area. It was agreed that a report outlining the issue should be submitted to the CSP Executive, with a view to reporting back to the next CSP meeting.  

·        The LFB expressed interest in liaising with the Planning Service to look into the potential for introducing a requirement for the installation of fire sprinkler systems in new social housing developments.

To note the dates of future meetings set out below:

·        19 September

·        12 December

·        13 March 2014

The next meeting was scheduled for 19 September.