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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

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Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Weatherley, Hawkins, Dodds and Turnbull.

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Minutes pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting held on 26 June 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

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Implementation of 2018/19 Strategic Priorities - Six Month Progress Update pdf icon PDF 120 KB

Report of Adam Lindridge, Community Safety Manager – Communities and Environment

Minutes:

The Committee received a report to provide an overview of the activities that have been undertaken to address its strategic priorities as set out in the statutory Partnership Plan for 2018/19.

 

From the report the strategic priorities were highlighted which were anti-social behaviour and environmental crime, domestic abuse and restricting supply – drug misuse.

 

Additional workstreams which will be monitored during 2018/19 were also highlighted, these were:

 

·         Hate Crime and Tension Monitoring

·         Preventing Violent Extremism

·         Disruption of Serious and Organised Crime

·         Repeat Victimisation and Vulnerability

·         Reducing Re-offending

 

The Committee were provided with an overview of current performance. From the report it was noted that crime levels have continued to rise with a further 9% increase on last year with increases in violent crime, theft of vehicles and drug offenses. It was further noted that acquisitive crimes such as burglary have also seen increases.

 

The Committee received a breakdown of some highlights of the work undertaken in the last six months on the various priority areas. It was also noted that additional areas for prioritisation are to be developed over the next six months, these were:

 

·         Produce the statutory Strategic Assessment as well as undertake public consultation on the draft priorities.

·         Finalise the Domestic Homicide Review into Adult D and implement recommendations identified.

  • Undertake a systems-thinking review of how we tackle ASB to ensure we have the right approach for supporting victims.
  • Map and explore all meetings which look at complex individuals to assess the impact of actions and levels of duplication.
  • Explore funding opportunities to support projects around youth diversion and engagement.

·         Working with Special Branch to embed the new reporting form within referral processes which will strengthen our internal data collection and identification method to ensure that we are capturing all referrals.

·         Launch the new Gateshead Hate Crime Reporting System making it easier and timelier for professionals to log hate crimes and encourage increases in self-reported or witnesses.

·         Established a Strategic Hate Crime Supporting Victims Task and Finish Group to review referrals to VictimsFirst Northumbria and look at initiatives designed to increase the uptake of support services.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)            The Committee noted the report and agreed to receive six-monthly updates.

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101 Police and Non-Emergency Contact Number and Your Northumbria pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Presentation from Karl Wilson, Chief Inspector (Neighbourhoods), Northumbria Police

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report and presentation to provide context of the 101 non-emergency police contact number which included details of performance around its use as well as exploring the focus around future contact with Northumbria Police.

 

From the presentation the Committee were provided with background information relating to the 101 system, it was noted that the system was established in 2014 with contact centres based at Ponteland and South Shields.

 

An overview of performance trends was presented; it was noted that there has been a significant improvement in performance with a 100% call answer rate and a new IVR system. The Committee were also advised of instances of 101 being called inappropriately, for example parking tickets. It was highlighted that nationally, there has been an increase in demand for 999 calls.

 

A question was asked about the reporting of motorbikes being ridden inappropriately in residential areas, it was noted that this has been reported but no action was taken. It was stated that the police are dealing with significant demand and that there will unfortunately be instances where the public feel let down.

 

A discussion took place regarding meeting the expectations of the public considering service pressures. The Committee were advised that it is important for services to have honest conversations with the public and maintain an open dialogue of feedback.

 

The Committee were then provided with an overview of the Your Northumbria system and ‘Fix My Street’ website for reporting issues to the Police and Local Authority. It was also highlighted that there are plans for electronic reporting to be expanded in future with the potential for a Northumbria Police app.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)            The Committee noted the contents of the report and presentation.

 

 

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Domestic Abuse Review - Progress Update pdf icon PDF 216 KB

Report of Susan Butler, Service Manager, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

Minutes:

The Committee received a report to provide an overview of the latest developments in relation to the recently completed Domestic Abuse Review that has been carried out within Gateshead. From the report a summary of the revised delivery model, an update on some of the activity that has been achieved and details of challenges to overcome was provided.

 

It was highlighted from the report that a dedicated Domestic Abuse Helpline has been established in addition to a centralised e-mail mailbox. It was noted that during the first five months of 2018/19 a total of 684 referrals have been received which is an increase from 549 at the same point last year.

 

It was noted that a launch event is to be organised for internal services and external partners to attend. It was advised that it is hoped this will coincide with White Ribbon Day which is 25 November 2018.

 

From the report it was noted that Operation Encompass has now moved from the MAART to the Specialist Support Team and will be developed further to ensure that schools are made aware of the households where children are living with and witnessing domestic abuse and follow up contact will be made with the schools to understand what intervention will be taken with the child.

 

An overview of the future activities planned was then summarised from the report.

 

It was asked whether it was known what had caused the increase in referrals, it was further asked whether there had been a correlation between the increases and the rollout of Universal Credit. It was advised that the exact reasons are not known but that an analysis of the referrals could be done with results brought back to a future meeting.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)            The Committee noted the contents of the report and agreed to receive further updates at a future meeting.

 

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Preventing Violent Extremism - Overview of Local Profile and Progress Update on Activity pdf icon PDF 116 KB

Report and presentation from Steven Kelly, Safer Communities Co-ordinator, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

The Committee received a report and presentation providing an update of work being done to prevent violent extremism as part of the Government’s Counter Terrorism Strategy.

 

A summary of the Government’s Counter Terrorism Strategy that was refreshed in 2018 was provided. It was highlighted that the strategy actions connected to four areas: Pursue, Protect, Prepare and Prevent.

 

The Committee were provided with detail of actions and activities being carried in Gateshead in relation to the Prevent agenda within the last 12 months, these were:

 

·         Frontline practitioners in key services across the Council continue to receive training in relation to the formal ‘Preventing Violent Extremism’ training.

 

·         To supplement the formal training, a shorter awareness session has been developed and has been delivered to 7 x Team Meetings across the Council with more than 120+ employees attending. These have proven to be well received and further sessions have been planned with Care, Wellbeing and Learning in the coming months.

 

·         Prevent business cards continue to be supplied to those attending training. These include information on the ‘Notice, Check, Share’ principles and the different ways in which to make a Prevent referral in Gateshead and acts as a brief reminder of the vulnerabilities/signs to look for considering Prevent.

 

·         Commissioned voluntary sector organisations to deliver bespoke Prevent Awareness sessions to Governors and Designated Safeguarding Leads in schools across Gateshead. Two sessions for School Governors and six sessions for Designated Safeguarding Leads to take place during 2018/19.

 

·         Worked alongside the Council’s Commissioning Team to arrange training sessions for commissioned providers and to explore ways to include clauses within contracts to mandate training.

 

·         Community Safety has worked with ICT Security and Facilities Management to ensure Gateshead Council’s ICT Security Policy, which references visiting sites which focus on extremism or incite hatred, are robust.

 

·         A Members Seminar took place with Special Branch in April 2018 to share findings of the Counter Terrorism Local Profile (CTLP) and to provide an updated picture of the local/national threat.

 

·         Arranged two Preventing Violent Extremism training sessions for Councillors which will cover the purpose of Prevent, the process of radicalisation, how to identify when someone may be vulnerable to radicalisation and how to raise concerns in Gateshead. 

 

·         Arranged bespoke sessions aimed at Directors across Northumbria to help provide a better understanding and appreciation of the processes involved when dealing with vulnerable people susceptible of radicalisation.

 

From the presentation the Committee were provided with some examples of local incidents and culprits of extremist plots.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)            The Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

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Work Programme 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 59 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 municipal year 2018/19.

 

The appendix tabled to the report sets out the Work Programme as it currently stands.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)            The provisional Work Programme was noted.

(ii)           That future 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.

 

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