Toggle menu

Councillors and committees

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Bridges Room - Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Helen Conway 0191 433 3993 Email: helenconway@gateshead.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

CSS54

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Tom Graham, Councillor Sonya Dickie, Councillor Helen Haran and Councillor Anne Wheeler.

CSS55

Minutes pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting held on 27 March 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

CSS56

Constitution pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Minutes:

The Constitution of the Sub-Committee and the appointment of the Chair and Vice Chair as approved by the Council for the 2018/19 municipal year as follows was agreed:-

 

Chair                           N Weatherley (C)

Vice Chair                   T Graham (VC)

 

Councillors                  S Dickie

                                   K Dodds

                                   H Haran

                                   J Turnbull

                                   A Wheeler

                                   S Hawkins

                                   J McClurey

 

RESOLVED -              That the information be noted

CSS57

Role and Remit pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Minutes:

RESOLVED -  that the role and remit and terms of reference of the sub-committee e be noted

CSS58

The Council Plan - Year End Assessment and Performance Delivery 2017/18 (including Five Year Targets) pdf icon PDF 252 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

The sub-committee received a report which set out performance for the year end 2016/17 in line with the Council’s Performance Management Framework.  The report’s focus is those ‘Strategic Outcome Indicators’ (SOIs) that fall within the remit of the OSC Community Safety Sub-Committee.

 

Performance is measured using trend analysis from the date reported last year rather than annual targets, as Strategic Outcome Indicators have 5-year targets set. Where data is not available to report at this time, this is noted and the data will be reported at the six month interval 2018/2019.

 

The report also highlighted the key actions delivered within the last six months against the new Council Plan 2015-2020.

 

With regard to indicator LW28 – Percentage of high risk victims engaged with the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) service the Committee requested that further information be provided and a further breakdown of results on the increase in referrals received be provided.

 

With regard to indicator LW34 – Proportion of people who feel very or fairly safe living in their neighbourhood the Committee requested that a further breakdown of results be provided.

 

RESOLVED -

i)

That the information be noted

 

ii)

That further updates be provided in due course

 

 

CSS59

Partnership Plan 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which provided a copy of the statutory Partnership Plan for Gateshead Community Safety Board, which provides details of the strategic priorities identified for the next 12 months.

 

The Partnership Plan for 2018/19 has identified four strategic priority themes as follows:-

 

·         Anti-Social Behaviour and Environmental Crime

·         Domestic Abuse.

·         Mental Health

·         Restricting Supply – Drug Misuse

 

In addition, the Partnership plan has identified five thematic workstreams/areas which the Board will monitor during 2018/19 and these are:-

 

·         Hate Crime and Tension Monitoring

·         Preventing Violent Extremism (Terrorism)

·         Serious and Organised Crime (Disruption)

·         Repeat Victimisation and Vulnerabiltiy

·         Reducing Re-offending

 

The draft Partnership Plan was appended the main report and provided the Committee with headline details of some activity that has been undertaken over the last twelve months to keep residents safe.

 

It highlights a range of landscape/context issues that has the potential to impact on the Board, details some of the demand on Community Safety services within the Borough as well as setting out how the delivery of the Partnership Plan will be monitored over the next 12 months.

 

The Committee were advised that some of the strategic themes/priorities have strong links to work overseen by other statutory Boards (e.g. the Safeguarding Adults, Local Safeguarding Children and Health and Wellbeing Boards) and will require a co-ordinated approach to ensure actions are delivered collaboratively. The final Partnership Plan will be submitted to these respective Boards for consideration.

 

The Committee were also advised that, when developing the Partnership Plan, every effort, where possible has been made to ensure that similar themes are replicated to those identified within the Northumbria Police and Crime Plan 2017-20, produced by the Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

The Partnership Plan was circulated to Community Safety Board in May 2018 seeking retrospective endorsement at the meeting scheduled for July 2018. It will also be submitted to Gateshead Council Cabinet for approval in July 2018.

 

The Committee were advised that the Partnership Plan will be formally scrutinised through the Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee and regular update reports will be presented to Committee for scrutiny over the next twelve months linked to each of the strategic themes (in line with the OSC workplan 2018/19)

 

RESOLVED-

i)

That the information be noted

 

ii)

The Committee agreed to receive regular updates on actions undertaken in relation to the strategic priorities (as per the OSC Workplan 2018/19)

 

 

CSS60

Crime and Disorder Performance 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 129 KB

Report of Chief Inspector Karl Wilson, Northumbria Police – Central Area Command

Minutes:

The Committee received a report and verbal update from Chief Inspector Karl Wilson, Northumbria Police, Central Area Command, which provided an overview of crime and disorder in Gateshead.

 

The headline figures show that:

 

·         The previous increases in recorded crime in the last 2 years, 2016/17 +33% and 2017/18 +20% are now reducing as predicted. This year’s increase of total recorded crime in Gateshead +10% being similar to the increases across the Force of +10%

·         The increase in Violence against the Person offences +25% are attributable to offences without any injury which are a result of improved recording practices and the majority if these offences are linked to anti-social behaviour.

·         In 2017/18 Gateshead saw a significant increase in recorded sexual offences. During this period there has been a reduction in offences (-4%) well below the Force increase of +24%.

·         There has been a reduction in Residential Burglary Dwelling offences (-21%)

·         There has been a slight increase in ASB incidents (3%)

 

The Committee were advised that over the next three months local policing operations will focus on ASB, Burglary Dwelling and theft from motor vehicles.

 

·         Operation Crimson will be a multi-agency response to the predicted increases in ASB linked to lighter nights and school holidays. This will be a borough wide operation focusing on hotspots, also providing diversionary services and educational inputs.

·         Social Media messaging campaign regarding vehicle crime in Low Fell and Birtley areas.

·         Lighter nights campaign focused in Bensham and Shipcote to prevent burglary by means of entering unlocked properties. Officers developing prevention messages, checking doors and challenging householders.

·         Gateshead Town Centre continues to be a focus around a cohort of people who cause public order issues. Options to address causes if behaviour (drink/drugs) being utilised to prevent further offending.

 

RESOLVED -

i)

That the information be noted

 

ii)

The Committee requested that a Briefing note be produced raising awareness of the 101 form

 

iii)

That contact details for the Police be shared again

 

iv)

That further details on the use of My Streets App be provided and if possible this could be brought to the next meeting of the Committee

 

v)

That the council communications team be asked to promote the use of the 101/re-direction to the 101 reporting form

 

CSS61

Drug Related Deaths - Annual Report and Audit Findings pdf icon PDF 160 KB

Report of Gerald Tompkins, Consultant in Public Health, Gateshead Council

Minutes:

The Committee received a report providing an update on the current position in Gateshead in respect of drug-related deaths and the action being taken to address this.

 

The Committee were advised that deaths involving opioids (such as heroin) account for the majority of drug poisoning deaths. Heroin related deaths in England and Wales have more than doubled since 2012 to the highest number since record began 20 years ago. Deaths also arise from misuse of other illegal substances including cocaine and new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as from the misuse of prescription medication. Alcohol is also mentioned in around a third of drug misuse deaths annually in England.

 

In 2012 there were 6 DRDs in Gateshead. By 2016 this had risen to 19, and in the period 2014-16 Gateshead had the 6th highest rate of drug-related deaths in England. The number fell back to 12 in 2017, but already in 2018 there have been 18 deaths so far this year.

 

The 2016 annual report records that the Gateshead picture follows the national trend in terms of an increase in the number of deaths, gender and primary substance. The report records that:

·         In terms of demographic factors all but one of the 19 deaths were males, and 12 were between 19 and 34 years of age with oldest being 54. Seven people lived with family or friends, and in five of these cases at least one member of the family was in the house when the person died. Nine people lived alone and of these nine, six died alone. Three people were homeless, and all but one were unemployed.

·         Opioids (such as heroin) accounted for the majority of drug deaths (16) or were present in the system. Fifteen deaths involved opioids and diazepam. Prescription medications (Pregabalin and Gabapentin) were present in nine deaths in small amounts, a small number also had traces of over-the-counter medication. NPS accounted for the one female death. Alcohol was present in half of the deaths, which is higher than the national average.

·         14 people were open or known to the adult drug and alcohol service (Evolve), 10 were currently in treatment, four were previously known. Five were not known to the drug and alcohol service, one of whom was prescribed by their GP (not in shared care).

·         13 of the19 cases had some form of mental health condition or had previously attempted suicide (though note deaths from suicide are not included in the DRD figures, even where the deceased is a known user).

 

Similar analysis will be included in the 2017 annual report, which has not yet been published. Overall there were 12 deaths and analysis to date shows that:

There were 8 males and 4 females, with ages ranging from 31-50;

Most were known to treatment services, and most of those were still in treatment at the time of death;

The majority were long term drug users and known to use multiple substances;

Majority were known to multiple services and were known to  ...  view the full minutes text for item CSS61

CSS62

Work Programme 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 126 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report setting out the provisional work programme for the Community Safety Sub OSC for the municipal year 2018/19.

 

The appendix tabled to the report sets out the work programme as it currently stands and highlighted proposed changes to the programme in bold and italics for ease of identification.

 

RESOLVED -

i)

That the provisional work programme be noted.

 

ii)

That further reports on the work programme will be brought to the Committee to identify any additional policy issues, which the Committee may be asked to consider.

 

 

Help us improve this site by giving feedback