Agenda item

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships/Assistant Director, Partnerships)

The Chair welcomed the Assistant Director, Partnerships, Jo Sands, Chief Inspector Rob Neeson before handing over to the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships to introduce the report to consider the 2024 annual refresh of the Tamworth Community Safety Partnership Plan 2023-2026, priorities, and action plan.

The Officers highlighted:

Ø  That the priorities highlighted within the report for 2023-2026 are not expected to change for the next couple of years.

Ø  There is still £61394 for community safety projects per year until March 2025.

Ø  Anti-Social Behaviour – the neighbourhood impact team is in place; an environmental crime officer is also in post and there have been some successes with deployable cameras. Data is showing a steady decline in ASB over 3 years. The Town Centre is showing as a hot spot for ASB, but this is due to the night-time economy, however this is decreasing.

Ø  Community Cohesion – work is ongoing including, a strategic approach to working with asylum seekers through Government funding. The Armed Forces Covenant is in place and Holocaust Memorial events are planned.

Ø  Domestic Abuse – work continues with New Era Victim Service and attending multi agency meetings (MARAC). There has been a small increase in reports of domestic abuse.

Ø  Drug Related Crime and Harm – the Council have a process in place within the housing for dealing with any issue. There are support services in place and Officers continue to attend multi-agency meetings.

Ø  Public Place and Serious Violence – support for Street Angels and Safer nights, along with promoting Ask Angela with our licensing premises. Pubwatch and knife awareness schemes are in place.

Ø  Vehicle Crime – motorbikes continue to be an issue on cycleways; community safety promotional items in place; nuisance vehicle PSPO was renewed.

Ø  Vulnerable Persons – the Officer gave an update on the Tamworth Vulnerability Partnership; there are a number of services in place including the Wellbeing Partnership; support for Betterway Recovery; Dementia Friends and continuing debt and generalist advice. We are now supporting a new charity, ‘Dilemma’ who support family and friend of people suffering from addiction.

Ø  Future plans are highlighted in the Community Safety Plan.

Ø  The Chief Inspector highlighted that a problem-solving approach was always taken and led by dedicated problems solvers to try to establish the root cause of issues and deal with them proactively.

Ø  Data shows where there is a spike in an area it usual stays for a while and then starts to decrease due to it being effectively tackled.

Ø  The Portfolio Holder highlighted the good work that was being done in the Borough and thanked the Police for the work  they were doing.

The Chief Executive highlighted the strength of relationships and the success of the Community Safety Partnership.

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

1.     Acknowledged the hard work done by the police force in and around Tamworth.

2.     Could an explanation be given for why we do not need a town centre police hub?

The Chief Inspector confirmed that whilst this is out of their hands, there is a police station within Tamworth. With regards to the Town Centre, data suggests that the town centre is no more dangerous at night than it is within the day. However, concerns are recognised, therefore they have looked at their neighbourhood teams and there is a dedicated PC for the town centre and a reinvigorated safer nights scheme in place for the night time economy, more specials have been introduced, alongside the completing of licensing checks. There are further plans for more proactive work ad for increasing visibility to keep people safe.

It was highlighted whilst they understood the reassurance of having a town centre location that a review of the closure of the front offices showed that it was not being used other than for calls to answer bail and MCI appointments.

3.     Whether the lack of a police station came down to cost?

The Chief Inspector confirmed that whilst cost is a factor, geography is also important and that the force can get anywhere within really good time, which is backed up by grade one and two responses to emergencies where they perform better than the rest of the force.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the importance of making everyone aware that there is a police station within Tamworth and that from experience the town centre is well looked after in the evening and any trouble is dealt with promptly by the police supported by the door staff.

4.     Clarification as to whether the figure of 1392 people supported is a figure just for Tamworth?

Officers confirmed that this is Tamworths figure for the first three years of the service. The level of support can vary, from advice/guidance to repeat service users.

The Committee acknowledged that the data shows how essential the service is.

5.     Do all landlords buy in to Pubwatch?

Whilst not all licensing premises are signed up, the majority of town centre establishments are part of the scheme.

6.     Was the knife crime awareness ran across all of the high schools and whether this can be fed in to primary schools?

Officers confirmed that this was rolled out across all of the high schools and that they have had some further money come through that they are considering how to use to support this. The Community Safety partnership plays an important role in this and that there is a commissioned PHSE officer looking to do that work across primary schools.