Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and all members of the Board introduced themselves.

Apologies were received from Tina McElligott, Director of Childrens Social Care and the Borough Commander London Fire Brigade, Peter Johnson who sent representative Ryan Kerby, Station Commander, London Fire Brigade.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24^th November 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

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The Metropolitan police gave an overview on performance from October up to and including December 2023 which included highlights:

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 488 cases of Residential Burglary in Barnet

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 182 cases of Non-Residential Burglary in Barnet

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 251 cases of Robbery of Personal Property in Barnet

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 597 cases of Violence with Injury in Barnet

·         There were 2368 cases of Violence with Injury in Barnet in the 12 months up to December 2023. In the 12 months prior there were 2326. This is an increase of 1.8%

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 25 cases of Knife Crime with Injury in Barnet

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 0 cases of Gun Crime Lethal Barrelled Discharged in Barnet

·         In the 3 months of October up to and including December 2023 there were 195 cases of Domestic Abuse VWI in Barnet

The Chair thanked those who contributed, and the Board noted the contents of the report.

Chief Inspector Marc Cash and Superintendent Lorraine Busby McVey gave a verbal update to the Board.

The Police reported that the Sarah Everard Report (Angiolini Inquiry) had been released and an update will be provided on the impact at the next meeting.

Clair Green, Executive Director of Assurance informed the Board that the BCU Commander offered a briefing on the report (Sarah Everard Report - Angiolini Inquiry) which The London Borough of Barnet accepted.

Inspector Andy LeGeyt, Metropolitan Police, provided an update on Stop and Search to the Board following a request from the Chair. Inspector Andy LeGeyt highlighted some key statistics to the Board. There had been a decline in Stop and Searches across the MPS and the NW. 21% of people searched under the age of 18 are majority male and 5.3% are female. The majority reason for stop and searches was due to suspecting possession of drugs. More information can be found here: Stats and data | Metropolitan Police

Inspector LeGeyt informed the Board that the New Met for London Plan committed to develop a Stop and Search Charter setting out how and when stop and search should be used and provide greater transparency on the tactic. The charter is being developed in partnership with Londoners as part of the work to rebuild trust and confidence.

Inspector LeGeyt further informed the Board that over the last six months the Met have carried out significant community engagement, asking Londoners for their views on how stop and search should be carried out, audited, scrutinised, and governed and how they should work with communities going forward to ensure views are heard. The Met have focused consultation on those groups most likely to be affected by stop and search, including young people and those from a minority background, through a combination of locally run events from each borough and thematic events at New Scotland Yard and online.

Key themes from the events have included:

-       Focusing on the quality of the encounter

-       Improved supervision

-       Improved training

-       Improved complaints handling

-       Better use of technology

-       Enhanced independent governance and scrutiny

-       Community involvement in where, when and why S+S is being used

-       Better public understanding of S+S

In addition the Met have completed two quantitative surveys

·         A YouGov survey, focusing on a representative sample of London

·         A survey carried out by Zen-City, which surveys a wide range of people who have highlighted an interest in stop and search.

Inspector LeGeyt outlined to the Board that the Met are seeking support to both complete and publicise the next and final stage of their research programme, which is open to everybody who lives and works in London. This will test the themes already identified by those interested in stop and search with the wider public. 

Findings from the survey and consultation will be used to co-create the Stop and Search Charter, putting community voices front and centre. The Charter will be pivotal to improving trust, transparency and accountability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Christopher Kelly, Strategic Lead for Tackling Violence and Exploitation, Safeguarding Division, Children's Service presented the report on behalf of Tina McElligott, Director of Childrens Social Care to the Safer Communities Partnership Board. The report provided an overview on the work which had been undertaken to support victims of crime and the development of restorative approaches.

Victim Care Hub

Barnet Family Services developed a Victim Coordinator role with London Crime Prevention Funding (LCPF). The service supports the aims of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims' Code) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and is funded until March 2025. Further opportunities for funding continuation may become available via MOPAC’s London Crime Prevention Fund or other funding opportunities that will allow for continuation and further evolution of the service.

Barnet’s Victim Care Hub (BVCH) provides support for victims of reported and unreported crime, providing them with information on the rights and services available to them, based on their individual needs following an incident.

The Victim Hub has three outcomes which it aims to achieve:

• To improve victim satisfaction and feelings of safety across the borough.
• To ensure victims receive better support from the Police and CJS including in online interaction.
• Increase of the use of the Victims Code of Practice which seeks to ensure that all victims: are treated with respect, dignity, sensitivity, compassion, and courtesy; make informed choices; have their privacy respected by service providers and have access to additional services to assist with understanding and engaging with the criminal justice process.

There have been 64 referrals to the Victim Care Hub since April 2023, which is 8 referrals below the intended target of 72 in the period Q1 to Q3 2023/24.

Restorative Justice

A Restorative Justice Coordinator (RJCo) post was established in December 2022, it is funded with three-year London Crime Prevention Funding 2022 – 2025. The aim of the post is to provide training in conflict resolution skills to schools and community-based providers and build a network of Restorative Justice Champions that can support a sustained and embedded approach to early conflict resolution across the borough.

The Restorative Justice Programme has two outcomes which it aims to achieve with an optional third:

• Victims receive better support from the police and CJS (Criminal Justice System), including online interaction.
• Community safety partners respond to the crime and anti-social behaviour which most concerns Londoners. Better Criminal Justice response and outcomes for victims.
• Increase of the use of the Code of Practice for Victims (revised 2021).

The Chair thanked Christopher Kelly for the report. The Board noted the progress made against the delivery of the Victim Care Hub, Restorative Justice projects and the actions planned for Year 3 of the programme delivery 2024/25.

Christopher Kelly, Strategic Lead for Tackling Violence and Exploitation, Safeguarding Division, Children's Serviceintroduced the Serious Strategy produced on behalf of Barnet’s Community Safety Partnership to support organisations and authorities exercising functions in relation to the Serious Violence Duty 2023, to formulate a Serious Violence Strategy (Serious Violence Strategy 2024-2027).

Through the development of the Violence Reduction Action Plan, the Partnership will drive effective and outcome-focused activities which prevent incidences of serious violence in the community with progress monitored through the Safer Communities Partnership Board.

The Serious Violence Strategy had been developed using information collated from a comprehensive strategic needs assessment (SNA) completed in October 2023 which provided an evidence-based analysis of the local profile, causes and contributing factors of serious violence. It had been informed by data and feedback collated from specified authorities, local communities and organisations which provided support in Barnet, the guidance set out in the Serious Violence Duty 2023 and national research. The SNA sets out priorities for the Safer Communities Partnership to prevent and reduce serious violence. The Violence Reduction Action Plan is intended to reduce incidences of serious violence in the community with progress monitored through the Safer Communities Partnership Board.

The Chair thanked Christopher Kelly.

Amanda Quinn, Barnet Homes, introduced the report and provided an overview of the Annual Update to the Board. Amanda Quinn updated the Board on the current team overview, reviewed the year and the success Barnet Homes has had, regulatory change, partnership working and what the priorities for the year ahead are.

The Chair thanked Amanda Quinn for the report and the report was noted.

Latoya Ridge, Victim Support, presented the report and provided an overview to the Board.

She informed the Board that Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity that provides free, independent and confidential support to anyone affected by crime and traumatic events in England and Wales regardless of a report being made to the police.

Latoya outlined how Victim Support aligned to Barnet’s Community Safety Strategy:

Priority 1: Tackling and reducing anti-social behaviour.

Although Victim Support (VS) are not commissioned within Barnet to deliver an anti-social behaviour project, residents are able to access their ‘SilverCloud’ online self-help app, with modules for victims experiencing Stress, Depression and Anxiety, issues with Sleep, and Resilience.

Priority 2: Early intervention and prevention of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.

The London Victim & Witness Service (LVWS) delivers specialist IDVA support co-located in Barnet Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital for victims and survivors of domestic abuse (16+), which includes the delivery of Pre-trial, Outreach support, and support at court. The iMatter Programme is also available.

Priority 3: Reducing offending including violence, vulnerability and exploitation, with a focus on acquisitive crime.

The LVWS continue to support victims of violent crimes, exploitation, and acquisitive crimes. In addition, VS ran a series of webinars with organisations such as Which? Money Advice Helpline, the Financial Ombudsman Service and the City of London Police. They gave evidence at three different Select Committees on fraud, police transparency and accountability and the once-in-a-generation Victims Bill.

Priority 4: Safeguard and support those vulnerable to radicalisation.

During National Adult Safeguarding Week, Victim Support (VS) ran a forum to share good practice, webinars, blogs, and open question sessions. All staff undertook PREVENT training, and VS also delivered safeguarding webinars focusing on subjects such as Modern Slavery and Exploitation.

Priority 5: Access to justice for those affected by hate crime.

Victim Support (VS) have supported research by academics at Royal Holloway, University of London exploring the relationship between hate crime and domestic abuse and have undertaken research about service needs of victims. Victim Support (VS) have published “It’s who I am” – a report looking at the impact of hate crime and hate incidents, barriers to reporting, engagement with the support service and improving understanding of support needs.

Useful links:

Victim Support or sign up yourself SilverCloud

https://vs.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/

My Support Space (MSS) – about MSS

https://youtu.be/MdgxxCJtsf4

MSS sign up

mysupportspace.org.uk 

For people going to court – Virtual Court room

https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/virtual-courtroom-iframe/

The Chair thanked Latoya Ridge for the report and noted the contents.

Ryan Kerby, Station Commander, London Fire Brigade, introduced the report and provided an overview to the Board on behalf of Borough Commander, London Fire Brigade, Peter Johnson.

The Station Commander outlined to the Board that the LFB are focused on prevention, protection, and response. It was highlighted that the threat to the community changes daily alongside the impact of the Middle East situation on the Borough. Some key points were reported to the Board.

The 4 Stations attended over 3,000 incidents over the year, ranging from a small bin fire to large fires that had both huge social and economic impact on the local community.

Latest opinion polling results revealed more members of the public feel positively about LFB than at any time since we began regular surveys in 2019.

The LFB rolled out new equipment to allow the LFB to better respond to a marauding terrorist incident. LLB are being trained so that should LLB be called upon they can assist London Ambulance service and the Metropolitan Police Service during an operational incident. Two sets of Ballistic PPE are provided per appliance, allowing crews to support blue light colleagues during events.

The Chair thanked the Station Commander, London Fire Brigade, for the annual update and the report content was noted.

Fiona Bateman Independent Chair, Adults Safeguarding Board introduced the report and provided an overview. The report set out the what the Safeguarding Adults Board had done to achieve the objectives within the strategic plan and the steps taken to implement learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews undertaken during the period.

The Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB) is a partnership of voluntary, statutory and community organisations. The BSAB’s purpose is to enable partner agencies to review practice across the entire health, social care and criminal justice system to provide positive cross agency challenge, to encourage accountability and strengthen a culture of continuous improvement.

The vision is for all ‘adults at risk’, in Barnet to be safeguarded from abuse and neglect in a way that supports them to make choices and have control about how they want to live safely. There are three key priority areas, namely:

• Establish consistent practice across partnership agencies which reflect the ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ principles.
• Ensure ‘adults at risk’ are heard and understood and their experiences and views shape continuous improvement.
• Advance equality of opportunity, including access to justice for ‘adults at risk’.

Safeguarding activity in Barnet 2022-23

The data is informed by the London Borough of Barnet Council’s 2022-23 Safeguarding Adults Collection (SAC) which recorded details about safeguarding activity for adults aged 18 and over in England, reported to, or identified by, Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities.

The report highlighted data on individuals, activity, safeguarding enquiries by source of risk, safeguarding enquires by location, risk assessment outcomes, risk outcomes, mental capacity for concluded S42 safeguarding enquiries, making safeguarding person, and SARS.

The BSAB had agreed they needed to draw on the expertise and established network within our diverse communities to better understand how different types of risk affect diverse communities and what BSAB partners need to do differently to improve awareness, identification, reporting of safeguarding concerns and access to support within those communities.

The Chair thanked Fiona Bateman for the report and the Safer Communities Partnership Board noted the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2022-23.

Ramisa Yazdani Biouki, Strategy Officer, introduced the report and provided an overview of the report. The report provided an update on the development of the London Borough of Barnet’s Modern Slavery strategy in response to a Council motion that was passed in October 2023. The report included a high-level breakdown of what the strategy covered and the next steps.

It was noted that the Modern Slavery Strategy was a draft over-arching vision of how the Council combat modern slavery in the London Borough of Barnet. Most of the work outlined in this strategy already existed, but the aim was to create a better synergy between internal service areas and external partners focused on this work.

The Modern Slavery Strategy proposed the following:

• Focus on three priorities: prevention, protection, and prosecution.
• Training to senior managers, front-line social workers, and partners
• Dedicated email address for reporting modern slavery.
• Modern slavery referral mechanism pathway
• Annual statement to be published on the website.

The Modern Slavery Strategy was a draft strategy and whilst these additional interventions had been built on initial conversations with stakeholders, the council are still in the process of engaging and co-producing the document and further activity. It was reported to the Board that the final draft would be reported in June.

The Independent Chair, Adults Safeguarding Board invited the Strategy Officer the offer to Consult with others at a Lunch and Learn.

The Chair thanked the Strategy Officer for the report. The Safer Communities Partnership Board noted the progress made in the development of the Modern Slavery approach at LBB.

Cassie Bridger, Assistant Director Greenspaces & Leisure introduced the Safety in Parks document.

In 2023, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee identified safety in parks and greenspaces as a topic for further exploration at the task and finish group. Safety in Parks and Green Spaces was a common theme which had been raised on several Community Safety Ward Walks.

It was reported to the Board that emerging research had shown that particular groups of people felt less safe when visiting parks. The Assistant Director Greenspaces & Leisure outlined to the Board that a study on the safety in parks and greenspaces, under three principles of ‘Design, Management and Maintenance’, would inform the council to explore what makes a park feel safe or unsafe. Typically, there are a range of factors that influence this e.g. park reputation, users, familiarity, security, personal experiences etc.

Craig Miller, Director of Street Scene outlined to the Board that a specific commitment was made in the Serious Violence Strategy to introduce better lighting in certain parks and that the issue of lighting in all other parks would be looked at through area committees which would contribute to the Safety in Parks work.

An update on the Safety in Parks will be brought to the Safer Communities Partnership Board (SCPB) in June.

Executive Director of Assurance suggested that the specific parks with Cafes, venues and avenues of entertainment need to be considered and reviewed.

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director Greenspaces & Leisure for the report.

The Board discussed the Forward Plan programme and were urged to notify the relevant officer of any items they wished to be included on the Forward Plan.

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