Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ. View directions

Contact: Tracy Scollin 020 8359 2315 Email: tracy.scollin@barnet.gov.uk 

Note: Please note that due to a technical fault audio live stream and recording will not be available for this meeting. 

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Introductions

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting.

 

 

2.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 533 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 23rd July 2021 were approved as a correct record.

 

3.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from:

 

·         Dr Tamara Djuretic – Director of Public Health, LB Barnet

·         Tina McElligot – Director Early Help and Children’s Social Care Services, LB Barnet

 

4.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

None.

 

5.

Safer Communities Strategy 2021 - 2025 pdf icon PDF 112 KB

Including Strategic Crime Needs Assessment Update

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received a report from the Community Safety Manager, LB Barnet, Matt Leng which provided an update on the development of Barnet’s Community Safety Strategy 2022 – 2027.  The Board was requested to note the update and comment on the findings of the Community Safety Strategic Crime Needs Assessment. 

 

The Board noted the next steps in the finalisation of the Strategy and the co-dependency with the Mayors’ Policing and Crime Plan (2017 – 2021) refresh which could have an impact on the adoption timetable.  It was reported that it was expected that consultation on the draft Strategy would in early January 2022 with implementation from 1st April 2022. 

 

The Board noted the update on the development of Barnet’s Community Safety Strategy for 2022 – 2027.

 

 

6.

Performance Update (Q2 2021/22) pdf icon PDF 145 KB

Minutes:

The Board received a performance update covering the period June to August 2021 which included data showing trends pre-Covid.  The Assistant Director, Counter Fraud, Community Safety & Protection, LB Barnet, Declan Khan, and Acting Chief Inspector for Partnership, Metropolitan Police, Ed Baildon, presented the report.

 

Chief Inspector Baildon reported that partners were currently planning for the seasonal increase in residential burglary associated with longer nights.  It was agreed that a review of offending rates should take place in 6 months’ time to review whether interventions had reduced rates in children and adults.

Action: Richard Norfolk

 

The Board was informed that the current data would show a large percentage increase in crime figures across most areas.  However, it was noted that this would be against a much lower baseline due to the impact of Covid on crime rates.  The Chairman queried whether ward level data was available.  Mr Leng advised that it was but suggested that the Board needed to decide how detailed the reporting data should be.  He agreed to discuss with the Chairman how information could be reported in the future. 

Action: Matt Leng

 

Chief Inspector Baildon advised the Board the during the Covid lockdown Anti-Social Behaviour had increased and residential burglaries had decreased.  In terms of comparative data, it was suggested that 2019 should be used as a baseline. 

 

Judi Dumont-Barter, VCFS Representation Lead, Inclusion Barnet, asked whether any diversionary work had been taking place with young black males.  Mr Leng reported that there was but agreed that this could be reported back with more information.

Action: Matt Leng/Tina McElligot/Cezar Tan

 

The Board noted the Q2 2021/22 Performance Update as set out in the report and above.

 

 

 

 

 

7.

Update on the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) London Crime Prevention Fund (LCPF) Projects

To follow

Minutes:

Matt Leng updated the Board on the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) London Crime Prevention Fund (LCPF) Projects funding allocation for Barnet.  He reported that the total grant award had been £344,000 with an additional £10,000 to fund safeguarding boards.  Hate crime projects had been allocated £30,000 and anti-social behaviour projects £139,000. 

 

The Chairman queried whether there would be any additional police officers allocated to Barnet.  Chief Inspector Baildon reported that there had been an increase of 150 across the North West Basic Command Unit (BCU) covering Barnet, Brent, and Harrow.  He reported that there were an additional two officers covering Colindale and noted that there may be some reconfiguration when the new ward boundaries came into effect in May 2022.  The BCU were working on the specific details. The Board was informed that there would be an increased in town centre teams across the BCU.  The initial focus would be on Wembley and Harlesden as these were areas with the highest levels of harm and violence.  At present, there would two Inspectors, six Sergeants and 48 Police Constables across the BCU.  It was noted that Harrow would not see any increase in police numbers.

 

The Board noted the MPOAC LCPF Projects update as detailed above.

 

8.

Family Services - Youth Justice Board Update pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board considered the Family Services Update as set out in the agenda.

 

Youth Justice Board Update

 

The Youth Justice Service Manager, LB Barnet, Cesar Tan, provided an update on Youth Offending:

 

·         In terms of First Time Entrants (FTEs) Barnet had outperformed London and nationally. 

·         The young people in custody rate had decreased from 0.27 > 0.05 from April 2017/18 to June 2020/21. 

·         A second Youth Offending Service (YOS) Residential Programme had been completed and one of the 2019 cohort had become a mentor. 

·         A Criminal Behaviour and Knife Crime Prevention Order Protocol had been developed in response to changes in law to promote joint working and engagement in support for young people who carry knives.

·         Eight new Community Panel Volunteers had completed 12-week training on Referral Order Panel Meetings and Restorative Justice Conferences.

·         Reparation partnerships had been developed with Barnet Libraries, Town Centre Regeneration Teams, Flower Bank and Finchley Central Ink Project.

·         A second Whiteboard Project has been completed focusing on Restorative Justice and Reparation.

·         Parents and young people have been attending Barnet’s statutory Youth Offending Team Management Board meetings sharing lived experience to support service development. 

 

The Board agreed that there should be a dip sample of two youth offending cases to understand if interventions had successfully prevented custody. 

Action: Cezar Tan

 

 

Adolescents and Young Adults at Risk of Exploitation and Violence

 

The Partnerships and Engagement Lead, Children’s Social Care, LB Barnet, Chris Kelly, provided an update on child exploitation, serious youth and adult violence.  He reported that there had been a reduction in child sexual exploitation concerns, but an increase in gang-related activity (e.g. county lines).  Exploitative relationships were also an area of focus for the team.  It was reported that there had been two serious offences in public open spaces and the team was reviewing the community engagement approach in the light of those incidents.  The Board noted that there was a high proportion on ethnic minority involvement in these incidents. 

 

The Chair of the Adults Safeguarding Board, Fiona Bateman, noted that the Violence and Vulnerability Action Plan covered high-risk adults and children.  She added that an area of focus should be children abusing parents which had been increasing in prevalence and was a complex area involving the Community Safety Team, Police, Adult Social Care, and the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. Matt Leng advised the Board that identifying data sources could be challenging but agreed that a report would be brought to the next meeting on this issue.

Action: Tina McElligot/Radlamah Canakiah

 

Fiona Bateman suggested that a joint ‘Lunch and Learn’ workshop on the increase in child parent abuse should take place which should be open to all Board Members. 

 

The Chief Executive, Mencap Barnet, Ray Booth, questioned whether risk factors include disability.  Mr Tan advised that special educational needs were considered as part of work with young people.

 

Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls

 

The Board was informed that domestic abuse rates per 1,000 population up to the end of May 2021 were the second  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Draft VAWG Strategy and DA and VAWG Action Plan pdf icon PDF 114 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Domestic Abuse Consultant, Family Services, Karen Lingwood, provided an update on the development of the Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy 2021 – 2024.

 

Fiona Bateman requested that the role of the Adults Safeguarding Board be expanded in the Strategy. She added that more data were needed on adults with care and support needs.  Karen Lingwood advised the Board that Family Services employed a data analyst who used data from multiple sources.  Fiona Bateman suggested that there should be a task and finish group on financial and economic concerns.

Action: TBC

 

The Board approved the draft Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy 2021 – 2024 and Action Plan the next steps as outlined in the report. 

 

 

10.

North West BCU Police Update

Verbal update

Minutes:

Chief Inspector Baildon provided a verbal update on the North West Borough Command Unit (BCU).  He reported that the police had increased tactical work around VAWG in response to the Sarah Everard murder.  Work in this area would increase around Wayne Cozens’ trial date as there was expected to be more focus on this issue.

 

The police had been working with licensed premises on rolling out the ‘Ask for Angela’ initiative for women who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened.  Fiona Bateman asked how data was being used across the partnership locally to keep women safe. The Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy Manager, Radlamah Canakiah, reported that this was part of the VAWG Strategy and Action Plan.  She added that the partners were piloting the Street Safe initiative. It was noted that some more proactive work was required in this area to improve awareness.

Action: TBC 

 

It was noted that the A5 corridor was a focus of police work for the BCU as it cut across the three boroughs of Barnet, Brent, and Harrow. 

 

The Board noted that there was expected to be an increase in activity over Halloween and Bonfire Night. 

 

As referred to at item 7 above, police recruitment had been ongoing. The BCU were approaching their capacity of additional officers. It was noted a recent change to the police recruitment policy meant that it had been closed to those who lived outside the M25 to make the force more representative of the communities it served.  The Board was informed that there the force had some aspirational targets relating to the recruitment of women and black and ethnic minorities.  

 

The Chairman questioned whether enhanced vetting checks were being considered following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer.  Chief Inspector Baildon reported that this was currently an area of focus for the police. 

 

Judi Dumont-Barter commented that there had been an increase in the normalisation of sexual behaviours in young people.  Chief Inspector Baildon advised the Board that the Safer Schools Officer attended schools to speak about sexting and noted that there was a general trend towards a more sexualised society.

 

The Board noted the North West BCU update as set out above.

 

 

 

11.

Substance Misuse, Rough Sleeping and Drugs and Alcohol Services Performance Report pdf icon PDF 274 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Public Health Commissioning, LB Barnet, Luke Kwamya, provided an update on performance in relation to substance misuse, rough sleeping, and drug and alcohol services. He reported that there had been an increase in the number of self-referrals, but fewer from criminal justice.  It was noted additional funding had been received from the public health grant for rough sleeping, drug and alcohol treatment, and crime and harm reduction. 

 

Judi Dumont-Barter commented that it was her experience in other boroughs that there had been an increase in rough sleeping.  Matt Leng commented that during lockdown there had been an effort to keep rough sleepers off the street and this had been supported by proactive patrols.  Luke Kwamya reported that there was a team who targeted vaccines for homeless people.   

 

The Board noted the update on performance in relation to substance misuse, rough sleeping, and drug and alcohol services as set out in the report and above.

 

 

12.

Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 591 KB

Minutes:

Noted.

13.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

None.

14.

Date of Next Meeting

Minutes:

21st January 2022, 10:00 hrs.