Agenda item

Gary Goose, Community Safety Strategic Manager introduced the report and went through the details of the Safer Peterborough Partnership Plan for 2011 – 2014.  He advised Members that the plan set out the direction of travel for making Peterborough Safer over the next three years.  The plan would be flexible and adaptive to the changing political landscape.  The most significant change to the plan would be the introduction of the new Policing and Crime Commissioners who would be elected next year and would bring about changes to funding arrangements.  The removal of central reporting via the Local Area Agreement and National Indicator set would free the partnership to determine what was important locally and decide on local priorities.

In 2010 there had been a 9% overall reduction in crime and the priority area of serious acquisitive crime had fallen by 26% which had equated to more than 280 fewer offences.  This had equated to savings of £5.2M.  The three priorities for the coming year would be:

·         Reducing Crime which would be delivered by reducing re-offending by the development of Integrated Offender Management.

·         Tackling Anti-Social behaviour and Hate Crime which would be delivered by the creation of a single city-wide anti-social behaviour system.

·         Building Stronger and more supportive communities which would be delivered by embedding the neighbourhood management process into core Safer Peterborough Partnership work.

Work would take place to embed the ‘broken window theory’ enabling people to feel confident in reporting problems when they happen and know that action would be taken.

Observations and questions were raised around the following areas:

·         Members felt that most people did not feel that crime was being reduced.  It was a difficult social issue and this might be because people saw more of the minor crime like graffiti, damage and anti social behaviour.  Therefore a focus that tackled those issues would help people to understand that crime was being reduced.

·         What have been your key successes and have you done any research on what impact the possible reduction in police officers on the front line would have. Successes had been a reduction of 26% in crime which in real terms had meant 343 fewer house burglaries. This had equated to nearly £900,000 in economic costs.  There had also been a reduction in serious violence and fewer victims of serious violence.  The integrated offender management programme had made a positive effect on the reduction in crime.  The reductions in police numbers would be mitigated by the restructuring of police forces but would not affect front line policing in Peterborough.

·         How up to date is the data in the report on vulnerable neighbourhoods.  The data shows East Ward as a very vulnerable area but it is not.  The data in the report was still relevant but the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment was still being completed and once complete may change the data.

Adrian Chapman advised the Committee that a workshop would be held for Community Safety Partnership members to update them on the significant changes concerning Community Safety.  This would include the role of the new Policing and Crime Commissioner, changes around anti social behaviour powers and the role of public health. He felt that it would be useful for members of the committee to attend and that it would take place early in the new municipal year.  The Chair agreed that this would be useful and asked that members be invited once arrangements had been confirmed.

RECOMMENDATION

The Committee:

(i)                                     Endorsed the Safer Peterborough Partnership Plan 2011-14; and

(ii)                                   Recommended the approval of the Safer Peterborough Partnership Plan to   Cabinet.

ACTION AGREED

That the Committee receive an invitation in the new Municipal Year to attend a workshop on the significant changes taking place in Community Safety.