Councillor Rofique U. Ahmed declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8.1 “Crime and Drugs Reduction Partnership Plan 2008-11”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that Councillor Ahmed was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of the Olympic Development Agency.

Resolved:

That the Crime and Drugs Reduction Partnership Plan 2008-11, attached at Appendix 1 to the report (CAB 041/089), be endorsed and that Full Council be recommended to approve the plan.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR COMMUNITIES, LOCALITIES & CULTURE

(S. HALSEY)

Service Head Community Safety, Communities, Localities & Culture (A. Bamber)

Partnership & Performance Manager, Communities, Localities & Culture (J. Underwood)

Councillor Rofique U. Ahmed declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8.1 “Crime and Drugs Reduction Partnership Plan 2008-11”. The declaration of interest was made on the basis that Councillor Ahmed was a Board Member - Olympic Delivery Authority - Planning Decision Team.

Mr Halsey, Corporate Director Communities, Localities and Culture, at the request of the Chair in introducing the report:

·                    Briefly summarised the salient points contained therein:-

o                    Informing members of the Cabinet that the Plan before them for endorsement and onward recommendation to full Council,, was a statutory document, which the Authority was now required to update annually, reflecting priorities facing the Borough and targets agreed by the Living Safely Community Plan Action Group, following extensive consultation with partners and local residents

o                    Drawing the attention of members of the Cabinet to:

¨                   The developmental process for the Plan set out at paragraph 4.2 of the report.

¨                   The types of crime prioritised in 2008/09 following a strategic assessment of available data.

¨                   A Home Office review over the coming 6 months of Tower Hamlets Partnership governance arrangements and other matters which it was hoped would result in the Authority achieving exemplar status in this area.

·                    Addressing the matters raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, held on 9^th September 2008, in relation to the report; as set out in the tabled sheet of Budget and Policy Framework advice and comments presented by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee earlier in the proceedings.

A discussion followed, during which the proposed Crime and Drugs Reduction Partnership Plan was broadly welcomed, and which included the following points:-

·                    With reference to page 20 of the Plan “Our Priorities 2008/09 and Delivery Plan – Violent Crime” whilst the prominence give to domestic violence was welcome, additional clarity and detail was required in relation to the work to be undertaken with the perpetrators of such violence as well as that with the victims.

·                    Anecdotal evidence was relayed which appeared to indicate that information explaining how to establish a Neighbourhood Watch had not been forthcoming, from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team, to residents wishing to participate in such a scheme. It was considered that the Authority should facilitate the establishment and participation in such schemes and Chief Officers should ensure such information was readily available.

·                    With reference to Appendix 2 to the Plan “Our Performance 2005-2008” weak performance in relation to concern about crime was noted:

o                   The target of reducing the proportion of residents that cited crime as a concern to 35% had an outturn of 55%.

o                   The target of reducing the proportion of residents that felt unsafe in their area at night to 25% had an outturn of 45%.

It was considered that the indicators revealed a serious level of anti social behaviour bordering on crime, which was affecting resident perceptions of Tower Hamlets as a place, and that this phenomenon required examination and the development of options for mitigating measures.  The Corporate Director Communities, Localities and Culture acknowledged the performance issues highlighted, commenting that he was acutely aware of public perceptions in relation to the maintenance of the Public Realm, and was intending to address these in a report that would shortly be presented to Cabinet. It was intended that these measures could be linked to localised services provided out of core hours.

·                    With reference to page 23 of the Plan “Our Priorities 2008/09 and Delivery Plan – Resilience and Counter Terrorism” consideration that Police activities necessary in this sphere should be carried out in a manner which did not divide the Community nor create a sense of victimisation or resentment and clarification was sought as to how the Police were working with the Community to address such concerns.

·                    Consideration that the Corporate Director Communities Localities and Culture was slow to respond to the identification, by Ward Councillors, of issues in the public realm impacting on public safety such as overgrown trees and undergrowth and poor lighting, with clarification sought as to whether this could be addressed as part of the Plan.

·                    The Council’s activities in custodial institutions to give support to former offenders, with particular reference to prevention of homelessness, was commended, and the award of Beacon Council status in this area was noted.

·                    The Lead Member Cleaner Safer Greener commented that although the direction of travel in relation to crime was good, the Authority still needed to address the perceptions of residents.  He informed members of the Cabinet that the Home Secretary had expressed a keen interest in the development in Tower Hamlets of a community safety award for residents contributing in this area.  With regard to anti social behaviour such as littering he considered the way forward to be a uniformed presence on the part of the Authority alongside the police and Safer neighbourhood officers.

The Chair Moved the recommendations as set out in the report and it was:-

Resolved:

That the Crime and Drugs Reduction Partnership Plan 2008-11, attached at Appendix 1 to the report (CAB 041/089), be endorsed and that Full Council be recommended to approve the plan.