Agenda item

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance, which would also be considered by Cabinet on 9 July, 2024, and which sought approval to commence a citywide 12 week consultation on the creation of a Community Safety Partnership Plan.

The report indicated that Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) are the statutory body that bring together local partners to solve shared issues around Crime and Disorder, Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Drug and Alcohol misuse and Reoffending. The CSP in Coventry meets as the Police and Crime Board (PCB) and is chaired by the Local Authority. CSPs are required to develop an overarching Community Safety Partnership Plan under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The Plan provides an overview of the work and priority areas that fall under the responsibility of the CSP.

The Plan is intended to focus upon those issues of most concern to residents, that cause the most harm to communities, and require a coordinated approach to deliver lasting change.

The Community Safety Plan will be informed by:

•  The views of residents, including those who have been affected by crime and/or accessing services;

•  Analysis of the problem, drawing on data and information from a breadth of partners;

•  Evidence of “what works” in tackling crime and disorder; and

•  The views of professionals and stakeholders working locally.

To help inform the Plan it is proposed that a public consultation exercise will be undertaken and the information together with data from West Midlands Police will be reviewed in workshops by the sub-groups of the PCB. This will be used to develop a Community Safety Partnership Plan which will identify how these priorities will be delivered.

When complete, the draft Plan will be submitted to Cabinet for approval on 7th January 2025.

The Committee asked questions, sought assurances and made comments on a number of issues including:-

·  That the list of stakeholders was not exhaustive and that other social housing providers and external partners such as faith groups and Severn Trent would be included in the consultation

·  The timescales for the consultation and how participants will get feedback as to how their responses will be used

·  Whether there should be a target number for responses and if this would be useful to identify

·  The lack of resource to be able to offer a financial incentives to participate

·  The fact that fly-tipping, dog fouling and off-road e-bikes were raised as concerns by residents to their Councillors but weren’t included in the options available as priorities

·  That requiring the public to have to log into a Council account to participate in the on-line survey could be a disincentive but could also provide a route to be able to provide feedback

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee:-

1)  Note the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the need to create a Community Safety Partnership Plan

2)  Agree to receive a future report setting out the responses received and the proposed Community Safety Partnership Plan 2024-2027.

3)  Identify the following additional Recommendations for Cabinet:

a)  That Cabinet request officers to use all of the Council’s partners’ communication channels, including faith groups and housing providers, to ensure as wide consultation as possible.

b)  That additional bullet points be added to Question 5 of the questionnaire (relating to main priorities for the Community Safety Partnership to focus on) identifying:-

i) environmental ASB – e.g. fly-tipping and dog fouling, and

ii) off-road e-bikes