Agenda item

To evaluate the work undertaken by the Council.

7.1       The Committee received a report outlining the remit, work and achievements of the Westminster’s Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU).

7.2       The Committee heard from Matthew Watson, Service Manager, who discussed with the Committee how the Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU)  and ‘Your Choice’ Programme was initiated following a significant rise in gang related youth violence between 2010 and 2011.  The Committee heard that gangs were complex and operated across age ranges, localities and geographical boundaries and that gang activities could be both public (street fights or ‘You Tube’ taunts) or hidden (drug dealing and witness intimidation).  The Committee noted that the impact of gangs were usually felt beyond their immediate groups and that the best approach to prevent and reduce the number of young people involved was a multi-agency approach, combing enforcement, diversion intervention and prevention.

7.3       The Committee welcomed Chief Inspector David Manning from the Metropolitan Police Force who discussed the police’s work to tackle gangs in the borough and how the work of the IGU and information sharing had been beneficial to Westminster.

7.4       The Committee further welcomed Lilly Harrington, Senior Probation Officer, from the National Probation Service who discussed the probation service and how young people convicted of gang activities were supported through the service. 

7.5       The key issues that emerged from the Committee’s discussion were:

·         the work being carried out by the wide range of agencies working together to deter young people getting involved in gangs and the difficulty but important work of building up trusting relationships and mentoring gang members.

·         the number of influential gangs in Westminster and the changing pattern,  practice and focus of gangs.  Westminster gangs were currently focusing on business deals and drug dealing.

·         the reduction in serious youth violence in Westminster compared to other London Boroughs and whether the reduction would have occurred naturally and without the existence of the Integrated Gangs Unit.  The Committee noted that in 2011 Westminster had a very high level of serious youth violence compared to other London Boroughs but since the introduction of the IGU the reduction of serious youth violence had been significant in Westminster and significant compared to other London Boroughs. 

·         the impact on the Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU) on offending levels and that further analysis should be carried out on the impact of the IGU on rates of recorded incidents of serious youth violence and gang related offences. 

·         the work being carried out in schools to prevent serious youth crime and the many reasons why young people joined gangs such as opportunity, no aspiration and no choice, family and respect.

·         the age range of gang members, (ranging from 10-25 years of age), and education opportunities. The Committee noted that some gang members had obtained good GCSE results and that successful gang members could present themselves well in many different environments and were usually the most influential gang members.

·         the importance of not allowing gang members to return home after being released from custody so as to prevent them from influencing younger members of their families and continuing to cause problems in the area.

·         the importance of data sharing with different agencies and local boroughs using digital technology and compatible data systems.

·         the benefits Westminster would gain being part of MOPAC led Shield which was the London pilot of the Group Violence Intervention (GVI ) Model developed in the USA.

7.6       The Committee further discussed that mental health disorders were commonly found in gang members, the sexual violence and grooming of girls and the work carried out by family services with the families of gang members.

7.7       RESOLVED: That the following recommendations be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People for consideration:

1.    That the Committee welcomed the report and noted the positive aspects of the integrated multi-agency approach to the gang problem in Westminster.

2.    That the Committee noted the fall in serious youth violence but that a greater analysis of youth crime be undertaken to further reduce the overall numbers of serious youth crime and gang membership.

3.    That further analysis be carried out on the impact of the Integrated Gangs Unit on rates of recorded incidents of serious youth violence and gang related offences.

4.    That the Council explore creative ways to share information with difference agencies and local boroughs using digital technology and compatible data systems.

5.    That the Integrated Gangs Unit explores and considers practical ways of sharing their work, knowledge and practices with other London Boroughs.