Councillor Hayden (Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Events, Cemeteries and Crematoria) introduced the Safer Plymouth Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Toolkit and highlighted:

 

a) The purpose of the toolkit in supporting Council staff and partner organisations to better understand modern slavery, recognising warning signs and taking appropriate action when concerns arose;

 

 

b) Modern slavery was affecting people across all communities and including labour, sexual and criminal exploitation, as well as situations involving control, coercion and abuse;

 

 

c) Evidence confirming modern slavery occurred nationally and locally, including within Plymouth, reinforcing the importance of a coordinated local response;

 

 

d) Adoption of a public health and community focused approach, prioritising prevention, early intervention and improved awareness rather than solely reacting once cases had escalated;

 

 

e) The toolkit supporting earlier identification of victims and improving reporting pathways across communities and services;

 

 

f) Clear and accessible guidance within the toolkit for frontline workers and partners, including responsibilities under the Modern Slavery Act and the National Referral Mechanism, and expectations placed on first responders;

 

 

g) Inclusion of local Plymouth specific information to ensure guidance reflected local risks, patterns of exploitation and reporting arrangements;

 

 

h) The intention for the toolkit to be actively used across Council services and partnership networks, rather than existing as a static reference document;

 

 

i) Thanks expressed to officers involved in developing the toolkit and strengthening Plymouth’s response to modern slavery.

 

 

Matt Lawrence (Technical Lead for Safer Communities)reported:

 

 

j) Responsibility for refreshing the toolkit following recent changes in exploitation patterns, emerging risks and evolving vulnerabilities across the city;

 

 

k) The previous toolkit providing a foundation but requiring updating to reflect new forms of exploitation and changes in partnership working;

 

 

l) A deliberate return to core principles, focusing on delivering strong and consistent basics across all organisations

 

 

m) Re-establishment of an Anti-Slavery Partnership within Plymouth, bringing together statutory, voluntary, charitable and community sector organisations;

 

 

n) Development of the Slavery and Exploitation Risk Assessment Conference (SERAC), enabling partner agencies to collectively review risks, share intelligence and coordinate responses;

 

 

o) Engagement of approximately 40 partner agencies, meeting quarterly, to strengthen shared understanding and operational responses;

 

 

p) Emphasis on ensuring staff across organisations understood what to look for, how to respond to concerns and how to escalate issues appropriately;

 

 

q) The toolkit including up-to-date contact details for relevant agencies and Council services;

 

 

r) Recognition of the toolkit as a living document, requiring ongoing review and updates as new risks, vulnerabilities and exploitation methods emerged;

 

 

s) Commitment to adapting and strengthening the toolkit over time rather than treating it as a completed or static piece of work.

 

 

In response to comments, Cabinet noted:

 

 

t) Appreciation for the work undertaken to refresh and strengthen the toolkit, particularly in light of changing risks and knowledge around modern slavery;

 

 

u) Recognition of the toolkit as a key component of the Council’s annual action plan on tackling modern slavery;

 

 

v) The importance of extending awareness beyond Council services to include local supply chains, smaller businesses and public facing enterprises where exploitation risks could be present;

 

 

w) Opportunities to build on existing procurement and commissioning work to support wider understanding across the city;

 

 

x) The value of increasing public awareness, particularly within low-level public-facing businesses, to support earlier identification and reporting of concerns;

 

 

y) The toolkit providing a strong foundation for future work and the development of additional resources for partners, businesses and residents;

 

 

Modern slavery being recognised as a serious and present issue within Plymouth, requiring clear and practical mechanisms for prevention and response.

 

Cabinet agreed:

 

1.      To note the refresh of the Safer Plymouth Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Toolkit;

 

2.      To thank officers and partners for their work in developing and updating the toolkit;

 

3.      To support continued partnership activity to strengthen awareness, prevention and response to modern slavery across Plymouth.