Issue - meetings

The report sets out the current position on the Council’s draft Joint Community Safety Plan for consideration and feedback.

The Council considered a report setting out the current position on the Council’s draft Joint Community Safety Plan.

On a motion from Councillor Alison Born, and seconded by Councillor Vic Pritchard, it was then unanimously

RESOLVED to agree the Joint Plan.

The report sets out the current position on the Council’s draft Joint Community Safety Plan for consideration and feedback.

Cllr Dine Romero introduced the report, moved the officer recommendation and made the following statement:

“Overall B&NES is considered a safe place this is reflected in the feedback Avon & Somerset Police received from local communities. But like much of the country there have been challenges, including directly and indirectly the consequences of the pandemic as well as vicariously of other global events. This is picked up in the work of the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) which is targeting efforts on early trauma informed intervention supporting those children and young people most at risk of being involved in crime.

In 2022 12k recorded crimes which is a 15% increase on the previous year however anti-social behaviour reduced by 11.6% 380 fewer reports. Generally, crime and demand in police is returning to pre pandemic levels.

The Council, Avon & Somerset Police and office of the Police & Crime Commissioner have a clear shared aim which is to take every opportunity to protect and promote safer communities.

This plan focuses on joint working which very much fits with the way we in B&NES fulfil our statutory requirements with one board combining the functions of the local safeguarding children board, the adult board and the responsible authorities group.

The plan identifies key shared priorities and issues and shows how all partners will work together over the next 3 years to protect vulnerable people, prevent crime and build strong resilient communities.

This plan serves as both the community safety plan and local police and crime plan for B&NES. The overarching priorities are to protect vulnerable people from harm and to strengthen local communities and do improve outcomes for local people. “

Cllr Alison Born seconded the motion and made the following statement:

“One of the most striking elements of this report is the recognition of the extent of funding cuts across public services and the impact that has on crime and community safety.

As services have reduced and as crimes have become more complex, the need for agencies to work together and to pool resources and intelligence has never been greater and the B&NES approach to community safety supports that partnership approach. This plan recognises the particular needs of vulnerable people whilst also seeking to prevent crime and to support our communities, helping our residents to feel safe.

I commend the work of the community safety partnership and support the adoption of this report.”

RESOLVED (unanimously):

To agree the Joint Community Safety Plan and to recommend it for adoption at Council.

This report sets out the current position on the Council’s draft Joint Community Safety Plan to the Panel for consideration and feedback.

The Inclusive Communities Manager introduced the report to the Panel and highlighted the following areas.

The Joint Community Safety Plan sets out how all partners will work together to protect vulnerable people, prevent crime and build strong, resilient communities.

It focuses on collective priorities with a shared vision, and actions. The Joint

Community Safety Plan serves as both the Community Safety Plan and the local Police & Crime Plan for Bath & North East Somerset.

It sets out the PCC and Council’s community safety objectives and planned activities for the next three years, identifying the key issues upon which we will focus to tackle crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour in Bath & North East Somerset. The plan utilises the data we hold on crime in Bath and North East Somerset and reflects priorities and concerns raised by local people.

She stated that a decision to approve the Plan was required by Council at their meeting in March.

She offered to provide the Panel with a specific Community Safety Update at a future meeting.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that she knows teams are working hard to keep us safe, but said there has been a rise in violent offences over the past year. She asked would it be possible to compare this year’s offences with last year’s so that we are able to make a comparison as to how successful strategies have been in some areas.

Inspector Ruth Gawler, Avon & Somerset Police replied that although violent crime incidents had gone up in the past 12 months, these numbers were now similar to pre-Pandemic times. She added that they were working on issues relating to the night time economy and violence against women and girls.

Councillor Hardman referred to the Voice Box service and said that the Panel have been supplied four charts with answers to questions asked. She said that they have been given percentages but asked if they could have information about the actual numbers involved. She also asked if only the four questions with related answers were put forward.

The Inclusive Communities Manager acknowledged that the relevant figures need to be inputted into the charts before submitting the report to Council and that they could include their Action Plans as an appendix to the report. She added only four community safety questions were contained within the Voice Box survey. She informed the Panel that the survey was circulated to 3,000 people and an average of 1,083 people responded to those four questions.

The Chair asked how the circulation of the survey was decided.

The Inclusive Communities Manager replied that it was sent randomly and that there was no obligation to reply.

Councillor Hardman said that it is worrying to see that 39% of adults felt not very safe or not safe at all at night in BANES and similarly for children, 37% of children felt not very safe or not safe at all outside the home at night. She asked if there were strategies in place to deal with this.

Inspector Ruth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73