·         Rob Sowden for Item 4

Apologies

·         John Ward

·         Claire Oldfield (Kate Ellis to sub-)

The Chair welcomed all parties and asked everyone to introduce themselves.

8 May and 10 July 2014*

Agreed the minutes of the meetings held on 8 May and 10 July 2014.

Sarah Hopkins, Community Safety and Partnership Manager, reported that she and Superintendent Chris Singer had met with the officers leading on the Plymouth Plan to discuss how the Safer Plymouth priorities could be fed in and aligned to the topic papers and taken forward.  Partners were encouraged to look at the topic papers and participate in the consultation.

Susan Moores reported that the Voluntary and Community Sector were holding a number of workshop sessions for a round-up of final thoughts on the Plymouth Plan in the Council House on 22 October 2014 between 11 am and 1 pm and 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm.  Any of the Safer Plymouth Partnership Board members would be welcome to attend.

The Chair drew the Board’s attention to the fact that the Plymouth Plan would be the City’s guiding document for the Council through to 2031 and it was important to get it right – he encouraged members to look at the topic and geographical papers and to challenge their assessment where appropriate.

In the absence of Rob Sowden, Performance and Research Officer, Sarah Hopkins provided a brief introduction to the Draft Safer Plymouth Partnership Strategic Assessment of Crime and Disorder 2015.  The production of an annual strategic assessment is a statutory requirement under the Home Office National Standards.  Its purpose is to provide an overview of the current picture of crime, look at what things will impact on crime and community safety in the future and set out the partnership’s priorities.

In summary, the findings of the assessment were as follows –

·         overall crime levels rose last year driven by increases in Violent Crime, Public Order and lower level acquisitive crime

·         other areas contributing to the overall increase include crimes that we are actively trying to improve recording in – for example Domestic abuse and sexual abuse

·         Violent crime continues to rise this year across the board, however other crime types that increased last year but are falling this year include Shoplifting, low level theft and public order

·         overall at the end of August all crime this year is showing a reduction of 3.17%

The report set out the current situation with regard to the priorities and members were advised that with regard to the gaps –

·         sections were to be included on drug use and Preventing Violent Extremism following a meeting with Public Health and the Head of Safer Communities;

·         the Reducing Re-offending section would be strengthened following a meeting with Probation;

·         the strategic recommendations needed to be written and these would be subject to sign off in the new year

The partnership was advised that the assessment was still a working draft and that, subsequent to this meeting, there would be a period of 3 weeks consultation where additional feedback could be given.  This would then be incorporated, where appropriate, into future drafts.

Initial feedback on the assessment provided by members included –

·         it was good on crime and disorder but failed to reflect issues relating to community safety;

·         there was no mention of the work of the blue-light services;

·         that the ‘systems leadership’ approach needed to be adopted;

·         stronger multi-agency analytical capabilities focusing on dealing with the partnership’s priorities were required;

·         caution was required with regard to relying on re-offending turn-around

·         data analysis on child exploitation and trafficking was missing

The draft assessment was noted and members were advised to submit any further comments direct to Rob Sowden (e-mail to be circulated by Sarah Hopkins after the meeting).

Georgia Webb and Anne Proctor provided a brief update on developments within the National Probation Service (NPS) and the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) since the last meeting.  Partners were informed that –

·         Nationally discussions around the estates strategy as a whole were ongoing although in Plymouth co-location with the Police was working really well and it was possible that this approach would be adopted elsewhere;

·         the Government was committed to train 1,000 new probation officers over the forthcoming year in order to support both the NPS and the CRC moving forward;

·         with regard to the CRC, the preferred bidder announcement would be made on 1 November 2014;

·         one of the biggest changes expected within the CRC was the introduction of post-release supervision to those sentenced to less than 12 months;

·         contracts would combine a 'fee for service' and a 'Payment by Results' (PbR) element.  To receive the full success payment, providers would need to achieve both an agreed reduction in the number of offenders who go on to commit further offences and a reduction in the number of further offences committed by each offender they have worked;

·         there was an ongoing risk around the new payment by results regime which would impact on Integrated Offender Management – Integrated Offender Management (IOM) is an overarching framework that allows local and partner agencies to come together to ensure that the offenders whose crimes cause most damage and harm locally are managed in a co-ordinated way;

·         there would be a contract manager per contract and any contract monitoring would be locally driven/led;

·         with regard to caseload, there were currently a high number of medium risk cases in Plymouth (60%) where substance misuse, safeguarding or mental health issues were involved.

Ian Ansell, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, provided a verbal update to partners on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Commissioning intentions for 2015/16 as follows –

·         the small grants scheme (currently £100,000 per annum) would continue at least for another year although its format may be subject to change.  Lots of up to £5,000 could be applied for and some ring-fencing of the pot may be applied for alcohol based initiatives.  However, the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) had asked if consideration could be given to micro grants of smaller amounts in order to help pump prime other funding streams/opportunities;

·         conversations were ongoing with the Youth Justice Board and teams around whether a formula-led approach could be adopted;

·         the OPCC were committed to children’s and adult’s safeguarding and continued to contribute to both, including contribution to serious sexual violence examination suites in Plymouth and in Exeter;

·         no changes were planned for the funding channelled through the Community Safety Partnerships, however, budget provision for next year was being looked at and each CSP was being asked to produce a costed plan linking into the Police and Crime Plan;

·         it was hoped that further information on the funding allocation for the following year would be available by the end of November 2014.

In response to questions raised, members were further advised that –

·         the issues around SARC funding would be looked at as part of the examination of SARCS which was being led by Jonathon Brook.  A representative from the Octopus Project would be invited to form part of the Community and Voluntary Sector consultation;

·         the current wait for counselling services for victims (whether 12 or six months) was unacceptable and had already been highlighted as an area of concern.

Ian Ansell, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, provided a verbal update to partners on Victim Services Commissioning.  Members were advised that responsibility for Victim Services Commissioning transferred to the Police and Crime Commissioner on 1 April 2015.  Three service areas included –

• establishment of a victim care unit which would be police led;
• a directory of additional service suppliers (35 groups were signed up already);
• Victim and Witnesses Fund – looking at some of the implications and issues but waiting on treasury to confirm budget.

A number of pilots were being run on some of the new arrangements –

• one being looking at the first point of contact on call handling to see how much time was being spent on this part of the process[
• another was being undertaken in North Devon where operation officers were completing victim needs assessments.

Sarah Hopkins presented the update on the Plymouth Project and reported that –

• a co-ordinator was now in place and development of an identity for the Plymouth forum was being discussed in consultation with user groups;
• the forum had signed off its terms of reference and work was underway to establish a clear process upon which self and other agency referrals could be received via the non-reported crime route;
• protocols were being drafted setting out minimum standards;
• a series of awareness raising events were being planned for National RJ Week across the City and talks were taking place with a view to holding small community engagement events within substance misuse, hostel, age concern and victim support services to name a few.

In addition, the forum had identified a number of projects to be undertaken locally, including –

• introduction of peer mediation training for young people in schools in targeted areas;
• Hate Crime;
• recruitment of community champions for RJ through the use of local community engagement events.

The Chair suggested that once the Hate Crime project was up and running the project lead be invited to a future board meeting of the Safer Plymouth Partnership Board.

Members noted the report.

Priority Reports Received:

·         Preventing Violent Extremism – Appendix 1*

·         Reducing Reoffending – Appendix 2*

·         Reducing the Gap in Crime between Neighbourhoods with Highest Crime and City Average**

·         Tackling Emerging Crime at the Earliest Opportunity**

·         Find New and Meaningful Ways to Engage and Interact with Communities/Identity Groups about Crime and Disorder and Community Safety**

Further to members agreement to each take one of the partnership priorities, look at it and report back, the group considered the reports submitted in respect of –

• Preventing Violent Extremism
• Reducing Offending/Re-offending
• Reducing the Gap in Crime between neighbourhoods with the highest crime and city average
• Tackling emerging crime at the earliest opportunity
• Finding new and meaningful ways to engage and interact with communities/identity groups about crime and disorder and community safety

With regard to Preventing Violent Extremism, it was agreed that –

With regard to Reducing Offending/Re-offending it was agreed that –

With regard to Finding new and meaningful ways to engage and interact with communities/identity groups about crime and disorder and community safety it was agreed that –

The remaining reports were noted with thanks.

The performance report was noted.

·         Systems Leadership – Hate Crime

Systems Leadership – Hate Crime

The Chair and Sarah Hopkins reported on the difficulties being encountered in trying to get everyone together and encouraged partners to use their best endeavours to attend the workshops being arranged.

·         23 January 2015

·         16 April 2015

All meetings will commence at 10 am

Venues to be confirmed

·         23 January 2015

·         16 April 2015