Agenda item

Ian Kershaw, Commissioning and Client Manager introduced the report on the Community Safety Strategy, knife crime and MOPAC co-commissioning to the partnership as set out (pages 15-19 of the agenda pack). In response to the discussion of the report the following points were noted:

a.    Assurances were sought that the extensive work done by the partnership around violence, exploitation and vulnerability would be reflected in the Borough Plan. In response, officers reassured the partnership that all of the existing work done with partners on this subject would feed into the borough plan process. The partnership were advised that there would be significant continuity from one Community Safety Strategy to the next, including the work around violence, exploitation and vulnerability. It was suggested that a key forum for engagement with partners was through the task and finish groups and that the development of robust action plans, sitting underneath the Borough Plan, would ensure that key work streams were captured. Officers acknowledged that a  key task going forwards was how best to communicate those messages.

b.    The partnership was advised that the Community Safety Strategy and Borough Plan would be launched around the same time.

c.    The partnership noted concerns from members of the community around knife crime and the availability of knives. In response, the Borough Commander highlighted the fact that behaviour change, education and learning were a key facet of the knife crime strategy. Officers also commented that the Council regularly undertook test purchases on age restricted products and would welcome any intelligence on vendors who were not acting in occurrence with the law.

d.    The Borough Commander advised that the Safer Neighbourhood Board (SNB) had a small pot of money to put on a parental engagement event around knife crime.

e.    The Commissioning and Client manager advised that he would bring back the knife crime action plan to the December meeting of the CSP. (Action: Ian Kershaw/Clerk).

f.     The Co-Chair suggested that that the Commissioning and Client Manager link in with the Bridge Renewal Trust and the SNB around the knife crime action plan. (Action: Ian Kershaw).

g.    The partnership sought assurances around early intervention models and also sought to highlight that an approach around knife crime should not be overly focused on  young people. In response, officers acknowledged that it was a complex issue and that a one-size-fits-all approach was unhelpful. The Partnership were advised that a co-commissioning model would be used for the knife crime action plan and that partners, stakeholders and the wider community would all be involved in its development.

h.    The Cabinet Member for Children and Families suggested that schools should be a key agency in terms of coordinating responses on knife crime and also suggested that school reps should be invited to attend future Community Safety Partnership meetings.

i.     The partnership raised concerns around a rise in acid attacks across London and questioned why the purchase of acid and the constituent chemicals were not subject to stringent restrictions.  The partnership agreed to have a discussion around noxious substances, acid and other incapacitant attacks at a future meeting. (Action: Helen Millichap/Clerk).

RESOLVED

     I.        That the Partnership agreed to extend the current Community Strategy until 2018 and to align the emerging strategy with the new Borough Plan;

    II.        That Board Members agreed the approach to a knife crime action plan for the borough;

  III.        That the partnership noted the progress of bids to MOPAC’s co-commissioning fund.