Agenda item

Scrutiny Committee is to note the progress that the South and Vale Community Safety Partnership (CSP) made in 2023-24 in delivering its priorities and statutory functions and;

to consider whether the committee supports the CSP’s view that the 2022-25 plan will continue to deliver core priorities and statutory functions and focus on these four key priorities:

• domestic abuse
• modern slavery/exploitation
• serious violence
• rural crime

Cabinet member for Community Health and Wellbeing (Vale) introduced the report. South Oxfordshire’s Council Leader was present online, in place of South’s Cabinet member for Communities who could not attend the meeting. The Council Leader had previously held the portfolio for community safety.

Officers supporting the item were the Licensing and Community Safety Manager and the Community Safety Team Leader. Members of the committee asked questions and commented on the report.

·       A member of committee raised the issue of people employed to help domestic violence victims having bias, and an officer assured that all organisations in the partnership would run their own checks.

·       An officer explained that an increase in Ring doorbells had reduced requests for covert cameras.

·       The committee discussed the level of referrals, and trends were variable and small in number, and in the context of Covid (where people were confined to their homes), there was a distortion in the number of referrals.

·       Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) – a member enquired about the length of time it takes to review. The Cabinet member explained that a board would be created and a chair nominated. Evidence would be gathered and learnings for agencies involved. A report and an action plan would be produced from the review and would be given to the Community Safety Partnership who will review this. Officers added that some time was also needed to await the completion of legal proceedings and to give consideration to the family of the victim. It could take around 18 months.

·       Strategic Needs Assessment – a member suggested that some of the graphs were not helpful and needed review. Officers would feedback to Oxfordshire County Council. It was an interactive report on the website so was easier to navigate there.

·       A member raised the quoting of “Berkshire West” in the report (page 61 of the report pack) – this was likely a typographical error.

·       Page 123/124: A member discussed early intervention for youth drug offences and crime. The Cabinet member and officers explained that early intervention projects were being delivered particularly in schools.

·       Officers explained that “Ask for Angela” and “Safe Spaces” schemes were hard to quantify in how they help. There was annual reviewing and training for staff at premises. A member suggested putting a list of premises online. Officer added that more will be added to the council’s CSP webpage in due course.

·       The CSP will be looking at the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC’s) Police Crime Plan report for 2024-29 and checking whether priorities align. Officers do not expect significant differences and will look at how to continue to apply for and secure funding from the PCC’s Partnership Fund.

·       Some members considered that the Partnership was good value for money.

Recommendation:

Joint Scrutiny Committee

(a) noted the progress that the South and Vale Community Safety Partnership (CSP) made in 2023-24 in delivering its priorities and statutory functions and thanked all those involved in this work and;

(b) supported the CSP’s view that the 2022-25 plan will continue to deliver core priorities and statutory functions and focus on these four key priorities:

• domestic abuse

• modern slavery/exploitation

• serious violence

• rural crime