Agenda and minutes

The Chairman of the Safer Communities Partnership Board, Councillor David Longstaff welcomed all attendants to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Tim Harris, Roger Kemp, Adrian Usher, Bridget O’Dwyer, Duncan Tessier, Nicola Francis, Sam Rosengard, Caroline Birkett and Matthew Kendall who was substituted by James Mass.

RESOLVED- That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 29 January 2016 be approved as a correct record subject to one correction in item 7. The last sentence should read ‘That the Members of the Board agreed that any actions arising from the DHR will need to be monitored and implemented’.

Peter Clifton provided an update on the action log from the previous minutes.

• Action 1:A link to the MOPAC list of pan-London projects with details of their location per borough has been circulated to all the Board Members.
• Action 2: There has been a nomination from Victim Support for the communications sub group.
• Action 3: The action has not yet been arranged but will be scheduled under the 2016-17 revised delivery plan.
• Action 4: The MOPAC gang-exit pilot programme is now live and as of 20 April 2016 Barnet has made four enquiries, and referrals have been made into the programme for Barnet.
• Action 5: Peter has circulated information around the mobile application.
• Action 6: Initial contact has been made between the Chairman and Ben Taylor regarding Communities Together Network.
• Action 7: Paula Light mentioned that a target has been set to deliver 13,000 kits and that 12 996 kits have been delivered. There has been a reduction in burglaries and figures show that this initiative is working. 
• Action 8: Nothing has been received but there will be a discussion at the end of the agenda.

Peter Clifton presented the community safety strategic assessment. He stated that Barnet is one of London’s safest boroughs and has achieved long-term reductions. The MOPAC target was 20% and Barnet has missed this target due to increased levels of reporting in violent crime.

Overall crime rates in Barnet are significantly lower than the London average. Residential and non-residential burglary is higher than the London average. Some of the key focus areas will centre around how the partnership will work with the police to deter and tackle burglary and focus on repeat victims.

In regards to violent crime there has been an increase since 2014 and that is part of a London trend. Overall, violent crime in Barnet is low compared to other areas. However, there are some small but significant issues associated with gang activity. Barnet has the 11^th lowest level in London for serious youth violence out of 32 boroughs.

In relation to domestic violence and abuse there has been an upward trend in the last five years (coinciding with local and national efforts to encourage reporting due to the acknowledged underreporting of this issue) and in the last 12 months there has been a lower rate of increase. Key work will be undertaken for domestic violence and violence with injury strategy.

Hate Crime has increased in London. However the increase in Barnet has been greater than that in London. There is significant underreporting in hate crime. The Safeguarding Adults Board will focus on hate crime and the subgroup will work to encourage reporting, including through a refresh of the Hate Crime reporting process.

Key work around re-offending will involve the Community Rehabilitation Company and National Probation Service taking a co-ordinated approach towards Integrated Offender Management and the mental health referral pathway.

The Community Safety Team will work to establish partnership agreements for consistent reporting of Anti-Social Behaviour, recording and risk assessment processes for dealing with ASB.

Kiran Vagarwal referred to page 10 of the agenda pack and asked partners whether they felt that counter-terrorism should be listed as a separate outcome and to requested to receive comments in relation to the priorities and outcomes.

Dr Simon Harding suggested that the debates and discussions will need to be held as early as possible and get people to recognise whether they are being groomed.

Julie Pal stated the need to define and share good practise in carrying out the public duty places on public bodies under legislation, so that progress can be monitored.  It was agreed that Julie Pal would send Kiran Vagarwal or the Governance Service an update of the progress of an independent school which received Prevent money from the Home Office. (Action)

All Board Members agreed to add Prevent as the 7^th objective.

Julie Pal and Superintendent Paula Light asked whether the cost of crime figures could be interrogated because there is significant difference between the cost of crime figures and underreporting figures.

It was agreed that Mr Clifton would provide details of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Ms Vagarwal outlined that 2016-17 is the last year for funding. The report also shows how different projects have been funded. At a later meeting the exit plans for the different initiatives will be explained. All Board members noted the MOPAC projects update.

Molly Blackburn and Mansoor Mir from Victim Support introduced the Barnet ASB and Restorative Justice Project. The Barnet ASB project provides specialist, practical and emotional support. They also use vulnerability risk assessment tools. Data suggests that people have moved from higher risk to a lower risk level following the interventions of the project. Mediation and restorative justice are used and Victim Support have also worked with a Pan-London ASB Advisory group to develop and share best practice.

They supported 135 clients in 2015-16. Victim Support have worked closely with the Community Safety team and they use the ‘cope and recover’ model to work with people in a holistic way.

Dr Harding raised the issue of determining what constitutes a serious issue. Some authorities and partnerships have a triage set of criteria.

Ms Blackburn mentioned that they have established a risk assessment which is implemented before intervention.

Peter Clifton noted the positive impact the project has had on the overall effectiveness of the CS MARAC by helping to increase engagement with victims and identifying victim-related risks earlier.

Ms Vagarwal mentioned that the Community Safety MARAC is chaired by the police and council. Through this commissioned project Victim Support have acted as the voice of the victims in the CS MARAC process. 

This has been a big volunteering element to this project, and this has fulfilled the CS MARAC objective in relation to the way the community safety team engages with the volunteering sector.

Superintendent Paula Light stated that currently an update is not available because the crime figures are being held back due to the Mayoral elections.

In the year ahead, the focus will be on burglary and violent crime alongside a focus on prevention.

Councillor Longstaff queried whether the Metropolitan Police website includes up to date contact information on local offices.

Superintendent Paula Light responded by stating that she will provide a list of officers for each area in Barnet (Action).

 Manju Lukhman introduced an update on DVA and VAWG by outlining that the DVA and VAWG Strategy and Action Plan has come to an end (March 2016) and that the team is working towards developing a new plan with the DVA and VAWG Delivery sub-group. In the future a DVA and VAWG performance monitoring dashboard will be established. There is going to be a stronger emphasis to provide more support to victims and raise awareness in the community. Ms Lukhman also stated that there is also going to be a public event in July and that further effort will be made to engage better with community groups.

Ms Lukhman also mentioned that a domestic homicide task and finish group has been set to complete the two homicide action plans

The increase of complex cases presented at the MARAC have led to the establishment of a sub group, to address DVA, mental health and substance misuse; which will work on developing a protocol for victims and perpetrators.

There has been financial support to commission an IRIS project which is a specific DVA support for GPS. The work of the NHS England, Public Health and CCG was commended for their contributions. Manju informed that two successful DCLG Bids have been made, a new refuge and a DVA One Stop shop has opened for one year. The 2^nd bid will be to provide training on mental health issues within a refuge setting.

The team is working closely with the Adults team and they have commissioned 4 DVA services including for refugees, and an advocacy support service for men and women. The Board also heard that a perpetrator service has been launched and that the MARAC service has also been commissioned.

The team is hoping to launch all services on the 14^th of June and invitations will be sent to the Members of the Board. There are also plans to launch a communications strategy.

Ms Vagarwal outlined the key points for the Board to endorse.

The new strategy is going to be a 2016-2020 strategy. The council is keen to engage with partners to shape the strategy and the annual action plans. It was agreed that Members of the Board would contribute and that the strategy would be updated in 2016.

Ms Vagarwal agreed to email Board Members the link to the Community Leadership Committee report regarding what has been commissioned for DVA and VAWG (Action).

It was agreed that Duncan Tessier would provide Board Members with updated information (Action).

It was agreed that Board Members would submit any proposals for future items to Ms Vagarwal for the next meeting (Action).

Ms Pal asked the Board whether it would be worth bringing an update from the Communities Together Network. The Chairman responded that it would be more useful after his discussion with CTN. The Chairman and Ms Pal agreed to meet as Ms Pal is Co-Chair of CTN (Action).

Ms Vagarwal agreed to draft the forward work plan for this financial year and move items around if needed (Action).

The Chairman gave a vote of thanks for the work that the Borough Commander, (Barnet Police) Adrian Usher has undertaken for Barnet in the last four years. Mr Usher will no longer be a Member of the SCPB.

Dr Harding enquired whether the work of the partnership can be promoted through the annual report.

Following approval from the Chairman it was agreed that the  main achievements and work of the Board would be included in the strategic needs assessment (Action).