Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Protection and Licensing.

5.1       The Committee received a report on progress of the Safer Westminster Partnership (‘SWP’) strategy and the key findings of the SWP Strategic Assessment. The item was presented by Sara Sutton, Director of Public Protection and Licensing.  She referred to how the governance arrangements had been developed and how the SWP brought a range of organisations together.  A strategy had been set as part of the new governance arrangements.  An organisation chart within the report depicted the new arrangements and how they linked to the Westminster Health and Wellbeing Board as well as the safeguarding children’s and adults’ boards.  The strategy focussed on delivering the right outcomes for communities.

5.2       Ms Sutton emphasised the multi-agency nature of the SWP.  Metropolitan Police Borough Commander Peter Ayling is the current chair of the SWP.  An executive layer existed within the sub-groups which was the driver for delivery and action planning.  Representation there included Paul Kavanagh, a Borough Commander for the London Fire Brigade.  There had been initial meetings of the four main delivery groups, Victim, Offender, Location and CONTEST.  There was a focus on how the work feeds into the Police’s control strategy for next year.  Ms Sutton informed the Committee that there had been positive feedback from the Police on this point.  

5.3       The Committee asked a number of questions on this topic, including the following:

·           Could more be done to communicate externally the work of the SWP?  Ms Sutton replied that there were potentially areas of the website which could be developed.  A key aspect which had been focussed on to date was progressing the governance structures prior to the SWP being publicised.  Also a number of initiatives were being joined up with the SWP, including the Licensing Charter with the connections between Health, the Police and Public Protection.    

·           Would there be publicity with regard to the recent Street Population Summit (this had been chaired by the Leader on 6 November)?  Ms Sutton advised that the delivery of the integrated street units was being scoped in terms of a multi-agency approach, including with the Police.  Once this was developed there would be a communications plan produced. 

·           Would there be publicity on the recent success of the Halloween / Bonfire Night celebrations, particularly in relation to Bryanston and Dorset Square ward?    Ms Sutton replied that she would be happy to provide a press release on the reduction in firework/anti-social behaviour complaints during Halloween and Bonfire Night following joint work between the Council and Police.      

·           Paragraphs 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 of the report had set out that the proportion of juvenile offenders who reoffend has increased and a small number of offenders are responsible for a considerable volume of crime.  It was unclear if this was due to cross border offenders or foreign national offenders coming into the borough to commit crime.  The volume of resident offenders being dealt with by the criminal justice system had declined dramatically.  Ms Sutton was asked what was being done to address the crime caused by juveniles who reoffend and whether there were the resources to address this problem.  She responded that there was an increase in crime being committed across ‘county lines’ and the work being undertaken in this area was a key strand of what was being taken forward by the Integrated Gangs Unit.  Primarily there was a policing focus to this but where it affected Westminster young children, there was the Integrated Gangs Unit and also Children and Family Services.  It was an evolving piece of work with various studies including the impact of drugs.  Ms Sutton stated that with respect to crime committed by foreign nationals, the Council was working alongside the Police and Home Office immigration enforcement.  There was a range of cross borough issues, including moped enabled crime with criminals coming in from Islington and Camden.  The Council was working with the boroughs, particularly Camden, and keeping an eye on any potential trends of moped enabled crime by Westminster residents.  Ms Sutton also made the point that in terms of resources, the Police took the lead in combating criminal activity.  The Council’s focus was on vulnerability.

·           Paragraph 3.4.5 of the report referred to a pilot commencing in November using Anti-Social Behaviour warning notices to help identify young people on the periphery of serious youth violence or gang activity as victims or offenders.  The pilot would take place in Little Venice, Church Street and Tachbrook wards.  Ms Sutton was asked how success would be measured with regard to the pilot.  She replied that there were a range of anti-social behaviour measures being considered.  Success was measured by reductions in volumes in crime but a key aim was to avoid repeats of incidents both in terms of offenders and victims.   

·           Paragraph 4.2.5 set out that nearly one third of incidents occurred in Westminster between midnight and 06:00 compared with 19% across London.  Had this point been fed through to the Mayor of London’s office, including concerns about the ambition for a 24 hour city of culture and entertainment?  Ms Sutton referred to the need expressed at the Council for a balance between night time activities and the needs of the communities.  The work of the Licensing Charter and the Evening and Night Time Economy Strategy would offer some benefits. Premises were recognising the part they need to play in managing safety and security both inside and outside the venue.  This included preventing intoxication of patrons.  There would continue to be a close working relationship with the Police  

5.4      ACTION: The following action arose:

·           That a press release be provided on the reduction in firework/anti-social behaviour complaints during Halloween and Bonfire Night, particularly in relation to Bryanston and Dorset Square Ward (Sara Sutton, Director of Public Protection and Licensing).

5.5       RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted.