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Report Of The Senior Community Development Officer To Cabinet
4 March 2002
COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY 2002 - 2005
1. Purpose of Report
To approve an outline strategy for reducing crime and the fear of crime in the community, which has been agreed in partnership with West Mercia Police and Shropshire County Council in accordance with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
2. Policy; Capital and Revenue Budget – Background
a) This is a new three-year strategy to take the place of the existing Community Safety Strategy that ends, statutorily, on March 31 2002. Under legislation (Crime and Disorder Act 1998) the new strategy has to take effect from April 1 2002. The Community Safety Strategy is part of the Council’s policy framework.
b) This is within the Council’s capital budget. Currently £7,000 a year is allocated to the delivery of the Community Safety Strategy and its initiatives will qualify for consideration for funding from the £5 million capital monies allocated for community initiatives.
c) This is a key decision.
3. Consultations
The Council is required to consult with stakeholders on the content of its Community Safety Strategy. Stakeholders are identified as members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership, key personnel from SABC and members of the public.
To this effect a number of methods have been employed:
1. Paper-based consultation for members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership proposing key priorities for the strategy
2. Partnership Development Day for members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership to address issues of ownership, commitment and resources.
3. Strategy Planning day for members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership and key personnel from SABC to agree actions and targets to meet key priorities.
4. Local media coverage of priorities agreed.
4. General Background/Information
See enclosed Annex A
5. Options Considered
1. That the outline Community Safety Strategy is approved.
2. That the outline Community Safety Strategy is not approved.
6. Officer Recommendation
It is recommended that the outline Community Safety Strategy is approved by Cabinet and put into effect from 1 April 2002.
Reasons
The priorities contained within the outline Community Safety Strategy have come out of an audit of crime in the borough, and have been agreed in partnership with those agencies working with the Borough Council to address them.
The outline Community Safety Strategy is an evolving document under Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act: "while implementing a strategy, the responsible authorities shall keep it under review with a view to monitoring its effectiveness and making any changes to it that appear necessary or expedient".
It is a strategic document for the Borough Council and part of its policy framework. This strategy is for the community and the involvement of stakeholders has been central to its development.
If the outline strategy is not approved the Borough Council puts itself in breach of Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 that states: "the responsible authorities for a local government area shall, in accordance with the provisions (of sections 5 and 6) formulate and implement for each relevant period (three years) a strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder in the area".
7. Portfolio Holder(s) Recommendations/Views
7.1 The Portfolio Holder Councillor M. Kenny supports the recommendation and wishes to submit the following comment.
8. Background Papers
Crime Profile of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough (Annex B)
Members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership (Annex C)
Outline Community Safety Strategy (Annex D)
9. Decisions of the Cabinet with reasons.
10. Declarations of interest and any dispensations granted. (Cabinet)
11. Scrutiny Committee’s views with reasons for not agreeing with the Cabinet decision.
12. Declarations of Interests and any Dispensations Granted. Declarations of Party Whip (Overview and Scrutiny Committee)
13. Council’s views/decision also reasons, if not agreeing with Cabinet’s decision
14. Declarations of interests and any dispensations granted. (Council)
15. Cabinet’s final decision on any matter referred back to it by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Council.
16. Declarations of Interests and any dispensations granted. (Cabinet)
For more information this report, please contact Andy Goldsmith 281017 or andy.goldsmith@shrewsbury.gov.uk
Annex A
Background/relevant information to the report of the Senior Community Development Officer to the Cabinet on 4 March 2002.
COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY
1. Background
1.1 The Council is required by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to produce a Community Safety Strategy every three years, based on research carried out to identify the local crime levels and trends and to formulate a crime profile of the borough. (See Annex B)
1.2 The existing Community Safety Strategy 1998 – 2002 ends on March 31 2002 and has to be replaced by a new strategy. This strategy has to be agreed in partnership with the Council’s statutory partners, West Mercia Police and Shropshire County Council and other agencies essential to its delivery. (See Annex C.)
1.3 A framework for agreeing the strategy was agreed with Government Office for West Midlands which sponsored two strategy planning events delivered by the Senior Community Development Officer in partnership with the crime agency, NACRO.
1.4 The outline strategy is attached and includes a performance management framework to regularly monitor and review the strategy and to include new targets and actions as necessary, and in compliance with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. (See Annex E.)
2. Staffing Implications
2.1 The administration and management of the Community Safety Strategy can be undertaken within existing human resources.
2.2 The delivery of Borough Council led initiatives within the Community Safety Strategy can be undertaken within existing human resources in compliance with Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act: "Without prejudice to any other obligation imposed upon it, it shall be the duty of each authority to which this section applies to exercise its various functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent, crime and disorder it its area".
3. Community/Performance Plan Implications
3.1 This funding if effectively targeted will help significantly towards the delivery of the Community Strategy. A Community Initiatives Grant Scheme will encourage ‘grass roots’ action to deliver the Community Strategy and more active community involvement in its evolution.
3.2 The development of a Community Initiatives Grant is contained within the draft 2002/2003 P.I.P.
3.3 It is unlikely that all Capital Schemes approved under a Community based initiatives Capital Fund will be contained within the 2002/2003 P.I.P.
4. Sustainable Development Implications
4.1The sustainability of any project forms part of the evaluation and will be reported against a sustainability checklist to the fund approving body (Committee).
5. Community Safety Implications
5.1Community Safety is a sub theme under the community pillar within the Community Strategy. Accordingly initiatives towards addressing Community Safety issues will be eligible for funding (subject to meeting other criteria).
6. Equal Opportunities Implications
6.1 The Council will operate its decision making an awarding funding in accordance with its equal opportunities policy.
6.2 Addressing Equal Opportunities is a funding criteria and will be reported to the fund awarding body.
7. Human Rights Implications
None envisaged.
A T Goldsmith
Housing & Environment Strategy Manager