The Committee received short presentation from the Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Lead for Community Safety, Faith and Equalities Councillor Sirajul Islam; Ann Corbett Divisional Director for Community Safety; the Safer Neighbourhood Board Chair Chris Weaver; and Inspector Clare Thomas from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Safer Neighbourhood Teams were in attendance to discuss the progress so far in delivering the challenge session recommendations. It was noted that in 2019, the Committees Vice Chair Councillor Bex White had presided at a scrutiny challenge session on how the Police, Council and Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel Groups work in partnership with seldom-heard residents on improving community safety. The main points raised as part of the discussion are summarised below:

The Committee

v  Noted that the challenge session had focussed especially on the issues that seldom-heard groups faced on engagement and participation. It also examined how the partnership could help to improve the engagement and participation of seldom-heard residents on safer neighbourhood ward panels.

v  Noted that the challenge session had made eleven recommendations for consideration and six out of the eleven actions have now been completed. Members welcomed the introduction of the Ward Panel Handbook which promoted best practice and supported ward panels improvement.

v  Was pleased to note that despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic, ward panels had still continued to operate, and new opportunities have been identified to engage ward members with a long-term view to holding a mixture of physical and virtual meetings.

v  Challenged the Ward Panels to hold six meetings per year to ensure better continuity in collecting resident feedback.

v  Questioned whether adequate support had been provided by the Council and was pleased to note that each ward panel is now supported by an ASB officer who acts as their point of contact and can facilitate attendance from the public realm as and when required.

v  Agreed that Safer Neighbourhoods Panels should continue to discuss with police and council officers how to develop opportunities either through outreach, social media or other means as identified to seek wider community views so that the work of the Panels can be demonstrated to be locally representative in content. Whilst consultation should also be used as a means of identifying potential panel members so that they can be sufficiently diverse and truly representative of all within the community that they seek to serve.

v  Expressed concern that there are still issues of resourcing the 101 service with many local resident’s still complaining that they are left on hold for over an hour without a response. However, this is being looked at and that other means of contact are being developed so that residents can get in touch online and through social media. The Committee emphasised the need for further work in this area and requested a copy of the letter the Mayor sent to the Home Office to lobby for further resources to 101 service (Subsequent to the meeting this had been received and circulated to Committee Members).  Accordingly, as a result of discussions on progress on delivery of the eleven recommendations the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that:

1.    Overall, it was satisfied that this action plan is progressing well given the restrictions imposed by the pandemic but requested that Councillor Sirajul Islam ensures the remainder of the actions are completed.