Agenda item
Community Safety Transformation
- Meeting of Tower Hamlets Transformation and Improvement Board, Monday, 9th December, 2019 6.00 p.m. (Item 5.1)
- View the background to item 5.1
Minutes:
The Board received and noted a report presented by Ann Corbett(Divisional Director, Community Safety), that focused on the progress of seven areas of priority set out in the letter from the Mayor to the Chief Executive on 6th June, 2018 under the heading ‘Safer communities and ASB’. These being (i) Rise in youth violence; (ii) Reassuring the community about wider crime and ASB; (iii) Close working with police; (iv) Violent Crime Summit; (v) Council funded police officers; (vi) Neighbourhood Management Pilot; and (vii) Chairing of a Crime and ASB Board. The main points of the discussion regarding the ongoing work of the community safety priority areas may be summarised as follows:
The Board:
- Was advised that the ASB Blueprint had been produced in March 2017 following a 6 month independent review of how the Borough dealt with ASB. The Blueprint had identified a new, victim centred approach for the Council and partners to adopt in order to better respond to anti-social behaviour and the impact on residents’ quality of life and set out an ambitious programme of change in terms of how the Council would tackle ASB;
- Noted that the report covered the transformation journey that the Council has undergone since then (i) within the community safety service; and (ii) the achievements and the challenges the Council faces in responding to community safety concerns;
- Observed that in response to the rise in knife violence in the Borough, the Knife crime action plan had been produced which reflected a shift from a criminal justice to a public health approach, looking at the long term solutions;
- Noted that the Plan committed the Council and its partners to delivering 65 actions;
- Was informed that since commencement of the knife crime action plan, police crime data has shown a downward trend of offences compared on a rolling year and between 2018-2019 Tower Hamlets experienced the biggest decrease in knife crime injury victims of all London Boroughs;
- Noted that Operation Continuum was launched in December 2017 to promote closer working with the police and in response to ongoing reports of drug dealing, drug use and associated criminality. It involves coordinating Council teams and partners including the Partnership Task Force (PTF) the team of police officers funded by the Council and are tasked to a number of key priorities agreed with the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime, Tower Hamlets Homes, CCTV team, clean and green, Police Safer neighbourhood Teams, Trading Standards and Licencing and the ASB team;
- Was informed about the Rapid Response Team (RRT) that works with young people (both as victims and perpetrators) to reduce knife crime and group violence. This was innovative project funded by the Council had set up in January 2019 with the Royal London Hospital;
- Noted that as part of the RRT a Violent Crime Reduction (VCR) Officer is now based at Royal London Hospital to work with people aged 10-26 who have been victims of weapon enabled violence including knife crime to support them through preventative work either in their position as a perpetrator or a victim;
- Noted that admissions to London's major trauma centres due to personal violence related injuries are the highest in the UK;
- Observed that the Royal London Hospital Major Trauma Centre is a leading specialist centre which treats some of the most seriously injured patients in London e.g. victims of violent crimes such as assault and gun or knife crime. The number of young people admitted is high; the unit is one of only three major trauma centres serving the capital so patients come from anywhere within the M25;
- Was informed that in September 2017 the Mayor in Cabinet had agreed to invest £3m to fund additional police officers for Tower Hamlets under Section 92 of the Police Act 1996. The Section 92 agreement for the PTF included a suite of key performance indicators that reflect the priorities of the Council and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP). They range from the number of drug supply arrests, stop and search for drugs and weapons, knife recoveries, and the measure of public perceptions of crime and ASB;
- Noted that inspite operating at 50% capacity during the full year 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019, this team of officer’s has made 356 arrests, stopped and searched 460 individuals, issued over 350 anti-social behaviour warnings, seized 30 vehicles and confiscated over £25k cash (Proceeds of Crime Act);
- Noted that knife violence is endemic in London, and is concentrating in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. Criminal acts are an issue of law and order, but the reasons why children and young people carry knives and resort to violence is a public health issue. A public health approach to preventing knife violence is a multilevel framework that addresses the root causes of violence as well as those already involved or at risk;
- Noted that women often do not report the violence that is perpetrated against them because of the shame they feel they will bring on the family and community. Therefore, the Council; local schools and its partners are working with communities to inform women of their legal rights and educate them specifically about Domestic and Honour based violence;
- Noted the work of the Second Chance Project in White Chapel that aims to provide people with criminal records with purposeful recovery by securing and supporting their alcohol/drug free life and also in developing personally rewarding structured training, counselling and self-help, which will provide real benefit to them, their families and the community;
- Wanted to know more about what can be done to help people with criminal records obtain appropriate jobs or self-employment e.g. Provide them with the skills they need in the labour market and working with employers to break down the barriers to employment.
Accordingly the Transformation and Improvement Board RESOLVED:
To note the progress that has been made to date in relation to the Mayors community safety priority areas.
Supporting documents: