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Agenda item

Community Safety Partnership Update

Purpose

To update Overview and Scrutiny on Community Safety Activity and provide RAG rating against the ‘Cotswold Community Safety Partnership’ Plan for the period of November 2024 to November 2025.

 

Cabinet Member

Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Culture and Visitor Experience

 

Lead Officer

Joseph Walker, Head of Economic Development and Communities

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to update Overview and Scrutiny on community safety activity and the ‘Cotswold Community Safety Partnership Plan for the period of November 2024 to November 2025.

 

The report was introduced by Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Health, Culture and Visitor Experience, and Joseph Walker, Head of Economic Development and Communities, and the following points were made:

  • The Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Strategy had been ratified, with a reminder that domestic abuse now represented around 20% of crime in the county.
  • Antisocial behaviour, particularly in Cirencester had since reduced.
  • Rural crime remained a concern, including hare-coursing and theft, whilst road safety was a priority with increased use of Community Speed Watch.
  • Work to support children and young people was highlighted, and the statutory requirement for the Community Safety Partnership to meet quarterly was noted.

 

In questioning and discussion, the following points were noted:

  • The Door, a charitable youth organisation, played a key role in the Community Safety Partnership by working directly with young people to reduce issues before they required police involvement.
  • There was a reduction in external funding due to national policing budget pressures and the end of national schemes. Some targeted funding, such as anti-social behaviour (ASB) hotspot funding, still existed although opportunities were now limited.
  • Perceptions of crime could be skewed by small fluctuations in reported incidents. Sharing up-to-date statistics could help to address misconceptions.
  • Police attendance at parish meetings was limited, highlighting the important role PCSOs played in maintaining visible engagement. Police updates could be provided virtually.
  • The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office held six-monthly online sessions for town and parish councils, which offered direct access to staff and an opportunity for local issues to be raised.
  • Funding decisions for schemes like Safer Streets and ASB Hotspot funding were driven by strict Home Office criteria. The partnership did not receive justification for the funding decisions, but officers agreed to speak with Cllr Brassington (police and crime panel representative) to monitor the reasoning behind funding allocations.
  • The Council had a statutory responsibility to convene the Community Safety Partnership, with its role reflected in the Council’s breadth of service delivery related to community safety. Additional activities beyond that were discretionary.
  • Regular, smaller-scale community activities were needed to complement one-off events, with ongoing support from initiatives like The Door, though staffing and resourcing constraints remained a challenge.
  • The Chipping Campden Youth Club was being restarted, with the Cotswold Youth Network providing coverage across the whole district. World Jungle helped support the Cotswold Youth Network.
  • Operation Solace was a joint project between environmental health officers and the police addressing ASB. Previously staffed by PCSOs in each district, it was now covered by a single police officer.
  • The Road Safety Partnership, a joint initiative between the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office and Gloucestershire County Council, monitored accident “hot spots” across the county and directed interventions to locations with the highest incidence of accidents and fatalities.
  • The 20mph speed limit rollout involved town and parish councils submitting expressions of interest, which were being reviewed and grouped into areas to implement through Traffic Regulation Orders.

The Committee noted the overall progress of the Cotswold Community Safety Partnership.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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