Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms - Bromley Civic Centre

Contact: Steve Wood  020 8313 4316

Items
No. Item

34.

WELCOME/HOUSE-KEEPING/INTRODUCTIONS, APOLOGIES AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Chairman.

Minutes:

 

Apologies were received from Councillor David Cartwright and Councillor Sophie Dunbar attended as substitute.

 

Apologies were also received from Ade Adetosoye (Chief Executive), Chan Farooqui, Jared Nehra, Dean Laws, Chrissie Mason, Vicky West, Dawn Helps, Betty McDonald and Superintendent Andy Brittain. 

 

Apologies were received from Cheryl Baker and Lydia Lewinson.

 

Dina Sahmonovic attended as substitute for Chan Farooqui. 

 

Apologies were received from LFB Commander Chris Line and Station Commander James Cartwright attended as substitute.  

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

 

 

35.

MATTERS ARISING pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Chairman.

Minutes:

It was noted that the matters that had arisen from the previous meeting were being addressed as items on the agenda.   

36.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 17th AUGUST 2022 pdf icon PDF 255 KB

Minutes:

It was agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 17th August 2022 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

37.

QUESTIONS RECEIVED FROM COUNCILLORS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions that are not specific to reports on the agenda must have been received in writing 10 working days before the date of the meeting. 

 

Questions specifically concerning reports on the agenda should be received within two working days of the publication date of the agenda.  Please ensure that questions specifically regarding reports on the agenda are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm, Friday, 20th October

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

38.

SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION PROGRESS AGAINST THE SAFER BROMLEY PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY

38a

PRIORITY 1: SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS pdf icon PDF 533 KB

Minutes:

The Head Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation provided the Priority 1 update.

 

It was noted that the Violence and Vulnerability Action Plan would be shared with partners shortly and would require updating. Some gang nominal mapping had been undertaken with respect to young people.  The LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation said that there had been 2017 CCTV incidences leading to seventy three arrests. Eighty three evidence packs had been prepared by the CCTV team and one of the officers in the CCTV control room had received a commendation.

 

It was reported that Trading Standards officers had responded to 60 cases of financial abuse (scams and doorstep crime) in Q2, with a total consumer detriment of £100,000. One investigation required an immediate response to an elderly resident resulting in the disruption of overpriced gardening work and saving the resident £3,000.

 

The LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation reiterated the problems that had been caused by police abstractions and subsequent rest days.

 

The VAWG lead was moving to LBB Community Safety and a new Team Leader for Community Safety would be required.

 

RESOLVED that the Priority 1 update with respect to Safer Neighbourhoods be noted.

38b

PRIORITY 2: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS. pdf icon PDF 643 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Service for Early Intervention and Family Support attended to provide the Priority 2 update which was concerning violence against women and girls.

 

Target dates had been altered and some actions had been deferred. This was because the service had lacked a Domestic Abuse Strategic Lead Officer. Now Jamie O’ Malley was back in post and appointed to this position from the 10th of October. She would be keeping an eye on data work and data sets. Co-operation in providing feedback of relevant data to the service was requested. The Council needed good data to have a better understanding of domestic abuse in Bromley.

 

The issue regarding the lack of a MARAC coordinator would be resolved in November thanks to the work of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The ‘Drive’ Service would cease in March due to lack of funding and an alternative prevention programme would be required. The Victim Survival Programme had gone out to tender.

 

RESOLVED that the VAWG update be noted.

 

 

 

39.

PRIORITY 3: KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE pdf icon PDF 484 KB

Sarah Newman to present & relevant partners to update at meeting from written updates provided for minutes

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Partners were informed that there had been 40 new young people entering the youth justice system in quarter 2. This was 18% lower than the rest of London and 15% lower than the rest of the UK. Out of these 40 new entrants, 59% of the offences committed involved the possession of knives or other weapons. There had been a significant fall in the possession of drugs which was encouraging.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Enforcement asked for an update on the knife amnesty bins and she was informed by Sandra Campbell that there were some nuances in the situation. The charity concerned wanted the amnesty knife bins to be more widely publicised before being opened. They felt that there had not been enough awareness and that more publicity was required. The Partners were informed that youth workers in Penge had asked for more detail concerning the knife amnesty bins.

 

The AD for Children’s Social Care said that he had met with DS Daniel Smith to discuss how information could be shared via MACE and MEGA Panels on an ongoing basis. This was because LBB Children’s Social Care possessed much data and soft intelligence. Concern was expressed that 7 young people had been stabbed in a short space of time during the summertime and within a concentrated area. The Vice Chairman said that the Police had a small team that were dedicated to investigating County Lines and gang violence. It was felt that more work needed to be done in schools (such as Knife Crime Workshops). It was acknowledged that the issues were complex and were impacted by various environmental factors like poverty. 

 

The Head of the National Probation Service (Bromley & Lewisham), raised the issue of ‘transference’. In this case the issue was concerning the complexities involved when individuals on probation were being transferred to and from different boroughs. There was a similar problem with housing. The difficulty was in keeping track of where individuals were located and who should be the intelligence owners. The Vice Chairman said that the MET’s IT system needed improving and he agreed on the need for more joined up working and integrated IT solutions for information sharing. There was general agreement across the Partnership that relevant technology was required. The Vice Chairman informed partners that Westminster Borough ran a ‘pacesetter’ meeting. This was a daily operational meeting where partners(councils) were invited to attend as part of an information protocol, to discuss specific live policing incidents and other agenda items with a view to problem solving and managing deployments. The Chairman said that there was a pan London communications group that were trying to resolve these issues.

 

It was noted that LBB officers attended Daily Partnership Violence Assessment Meetings that were similar in nature to Pace-setter meetings held in the higher crime boroughs.

 

 

RESOLVED that the Priority 3 update regarding Keeping Young People Safe be noted.

 

 

 

 

39a

PRIORITY 4: STANDING TOGETHER AGAINST HATE CRIME AND EXTREMISM pdf icon PDF 604 KB

Minutes:

The LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation updated partners with respect to hate crime and extremism. She said that she was compiling a list of community leaders which she would share with other partners. She had contacted various organisations including churches and other religious groups. She said that a community leader contact was needed from the Gypsy & Traveller community. The AD for Public Health responded and said that their nurses had been working with community leaders, including those for Gypsy & Travellers, through the pandemic and she would report back on the Public Health contact for the Gypsy and Traveller community. 

 

RESOLVED that the Priority 4 update regarding Standing Together Against Hate Crime and Extremism be noted and that the AD for Public Health report back on the LBB Public Health Department contacts for the Gypsy and Traveller Community. 

 

40.

KEY AND EMERGING ISSUES FROM PARTNERS

Chairman

Minutes:

There were no matters raised regarding Key or Emerging Issues.

41.

DEVELOPING THE SBP STRATEGY 2024 - 2027 pdf icon PDF 190 KB

Minutes:

The LBB Head Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation provided the update concerning developing the Safer Bromley Strategy 2024-2027.

 

A discussion paper was presented concerning the setting up of task and finish groups to develop the new Safer Bromley Partnership Strategy. The proposal was in draft form and required further discussion and developing before implementation.

 

The proposal was to set up six task and finish groups as follows:

 

1)  Steering Group

2)  Data Group

3)  Safer Neighbourhoods Group

4)  VAWG

5)  Keeping Young People Safe.

6)  Hate Crime and Extremism

 

The LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation asked for comments in terms of the areas of work and if any other groups may be required. Was there anything on the horizon that the SBP needed to be prepared for?  She requested that partners volunteer for the groups.

 

The Assistant Director for Public Health referenced the Combating Drugs Group which was also looking at data. She suggested that the Combating Drugs Group could therefore link with the SBP task and finish group that was dealing with data. The Chairman stressed the critical nature of Information Sharing Agreements.

 

A discussion took place concerning the time scales for the steering groups. Partners would need to know when the groups would need to commence work and when they would need to finish and present their findings. The LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental and Domestic Regulation said that she would present the timetable for this at the next meeting.

 

The representative from Clarion Housing stated that she would like to sit on the group related to ‘Keeping Young People Safe’. The Vice Chairman said that he would consider sitting within the Combating Drugs Group. He expressed a concern that the work of the Combating Drugs Group may overlap or interfere with police work regarding serious organised crime and high level crime and he would need to take advice on this. 

 

RESOLVED that the update concerning developing the Safer Bromley Strategy and the task and finish groups be noted and that that the LBB Head of Service for Community Safety, Environmental, and Domestic Regulation present a time scale for the work of the steering groups at the next meeting.

42.

VIOLENCE REDUCTION PLAN VERBAL UPDATE

Anthony Powell

Minutes:

The relevant officer was not in attendance to provide an update on the Violence and Vulnerability Action Plan. Partners were informed the latest Plan would be shared shortly for updating.

 

RESOLVED that the Violence and Vulnerability Action Plan would be shared with partners shortly.

43.

DHR AND PREVENT UPDATE

Rob Vale

Minutes:

The LBB Head of Service for Trading Standards and Commercial Regulation updated the Partnership with respect to Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) and the ‘Prevent’ programme.

 

Prevent:

 

With respect to ‘Prevent’ there was nothing new to report. The long-awaited review of ‘Prevent’ by William Shawcross had not been published, but was due for release by the end of this year.

 

DHRs

 

A DHR, with case name ‘NAJARA’, continued to sit with the Home Office Quality Panel many months after submission by the Chairman of the Partnership. The Council was chasing the Home Office for a completion date. Another DHR, ‘P’, was pending until the judicial process had been completed. This was likely to be in January 2023.

 

In July this year, referrals were received from the police concerning two suicides. The decision at the time was that one case was appropriate for a DHR, (‘J’) and the other (‘M’) was suitable for a Safeguarding Adult Review. These decisions were shared with the Home Office who had requested that the Council reconsider the decision for ‘M’.

 

The Home Office Quality Assurance Panel took the view that the case was suitable for a DHR and had referred the matter back to the Council for consideration. The matter would be referred to the Home Secretary for a final decision should the Council choose not to commission a DHR. The original panel had been consulted and a decision would be made by the Chair of this group in due course.

 

RESOLVED that the Prevent and DHR update be noted.

 

 

44.

UPDATE ON THE COMBATTING DRUGS PARTNERSHIP

Mimi Morris-Cotterill

Minutes:

The update regarding the CDP (Combatting Drugs Partnership) was provided by the LBB Assistant Director for Public Health. A meeting of the CDP had already been convened and it was decided that the remit of the CDP should extend not just to drugs, but would also include alcohol, hence the partnership should be referred to as the CDAP (Combatting Drugs and Alcohol Partnership). The terms of reference had been agreed and these could be shared with the SBP if required. The Assistant Director said that the CDAP agreed, as part of its governance arrangement, that the Partnership would work closely together with the Safer Bromley Partnership and other existing Partnerships in the Borough. It was the intention of the CDAP to focus on adults first and young people later. The CDAP had already undertaken work to identify local needs. The Assistant Director said that it was important that the CDAP make good use of the grant funding that had been provided centrally and to ensure the successful achievement of required outcomes. 

 

A decision was required as to what the relevant KPIs should be and how they should be monitored. It was the intention of the CDAP to focus on the implementation of the National Strategy and its three main priorities.

 

Partners were informed that the senior officer for the CDAP was Dr Nada Lemic (LBB Director of Public Health. There were two vice chairmen which were Lucien Spencer (Probation Service) and Mimi Morris-Cotterill, Assistant Director for Public Health.

 

RESOLVED that the Combatting Drugs and Alcohol Partnership update be noted.

 

 

Post Meeting Note: The Terms of Reference were disseminated on 3rd November 2022

45.

CRIME PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD

Ken Loyal & Stuart Baker – present Q1 and Q2 reported crime data

 

Minutes:

Members were briefed concerning the data that had been supplied for various offences. It was observed that many of the crime types were rag rated as red. In the rolling years between 2021 and 2022 there had been percentage increases in the total number of notifiable offences, an increase in the number of offences of non-domestic violence with injury, an increase in burglary offences, an increase in the number of theft of motor vehicles offences, an increase in the number of sexual offences and a significant increase was noticed in the number of hate crime offences which had increased by 44%.

 

Percentage decreases were observed for knife crime offences, domestic abuse offences and ASB calls. It was commented that the reduction in the volume of ASB calls may be because the number was returning to pre-covid levels. The rise in the volume of hate crime offences was highlighted, it was mentioned that one reason for the rise could be that people felt more confident now to report these particular crimes.

 

The Vice Chairman (Chief Inspector Ken Loyal) said that the police had observed a greater demand for resources to manage the night-time economy. Response officers had abstracted to various other duties and these factors had an impact in terms of policing.

 

The Vice Chairman informed partners of two police operations that were currently underway, one of these was ‘Operation Nightingale’ which looked at violent crime, its drivers, and ‘hexagons’ which were essentially crime hotspots. Part of this involved working with Street Pastors and LBB Licensing with respect to pubs that may be a hot-spot for crime or ASB. The other was ‘Operation Autumn Nights’ which focused on street patrols and on repeat offenders.

 

The Vice Chairman said the issue of police abstractions was a problem and he had raised this issue at a high level.

 

RESOLVED that the police update concerning the Crime Performance Dashboard be noted.

46.

AOB

Minutes:

Mr Spencer informed partners that his Probation Delivery Unit (PDU) had been inspected by HMIP during August. The resultant report was due for publication on the 21st of November. Mr Spencer said the report did not make for great reading. He said that 6 out of 18 PDUs had been inspected and three reports had been published, including the report on his unit. The report had concluded that his PDU was inadequate. He said that he would be happy to present a  summary report to partners at the next meeting. The main area of weakness identified was regarding the operational delivery of work. Mr Spencer said that he would disseminate the report to partners for reading. The Chairman said the Partnership would be happy to support Mr Spencer in whatever way they could.

 

The Head of Trading Standards and Commercial Regulation highlighted the cost of living crisis together with ‘get rich quick’ scams which were particularly targeting young professionals. It was hoped that information with respect to scams could be sent out to all LBB staff, but permission would be required for that. The Head of Trading Standards and Commercial Regulation said he would take this away as an action. He also expressed concern over possible fire risks associated with the sale of second hand electrical goods. He planned to draft some guidance on this which could be disseminated to the Partnership and would link up with LFB regarding this.

 

The Assistant Director for Children’s Social Care said that LBB were having a problem recruiting social workers because they could not afford to live in the area.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1) The Head of Service (PDU) Bromley & Lewisham would disseminate the HMIP report to Partners and provide a summary report to be presented at the next meeting.

 

2) The LBB Head of Service for Trading Standards and Commercial Regulation would investigate if scam alerts could be disseminated to all LBB staff.

 

3) The LBB Head of Service for Trading Standards and Commercial Regulation would link with LFB in drafting guidance related to the possible fire risks of second hand electrical goods. 

 

 

 

47.

DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING

The Safer Bromley Partnership will meet next on 4th January 2023 at 10.30am

Minutes:

It was agreed that as the next meeting was scheduled for the first week of January 2023, this should be changed and a date agreed for the second week of January instead. This date would be confirmed in due course.