Agenda item

Partners noted that the number of specialist purpose meetings continued to change and increase. All partners increasingly appreciated the advantages of access to the knowledge of their inter-agency colleagues and the value of multi-agency working for the sharing of relevant intelligence and the development and implementation of best practice. Partners noted the list of multi-agency meetings and networks that were highlighted in the report.

The update was provided by the LBB Interim Community Safety Manager and he drew the Board’s attention to the Community Impact Days which were accepted as  making a positive difference in communities. Partners were looking to capture  points of learning from these days.

A brief update was provided on the work of the CCTV camera operatives and the number of incidents that they had been involved with. An update was provided on the number of Trading Standards service requests and the significant amount of doorstep scams that the Team had dealt with.

A review was being undertaken of the Domestic Abuse Strategy with colleagues and partner agencies. Reference was made to Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) and the unfortunate lessons to be learnt from them. The DHR reviews would be disseminated in due course. It was noted that a Domestic Abuse Worker was now embedded in the Community Services Safety Team and that the domestic abuse contract and plan going forward were  being reviewed.

The NHS Adult Safeguarding Manager stated that the lack of a full time Bromley MARAC coordinator was causing concern. The Police had notified the Bromley MARAC membership that they no longer had the resources to fulfil the MARAC coordination role going forward and had temporarily combined the functions of Chairman and Coordinator. Whilst the police officers involved had been doing a sterling job, this was not a sustainable situation and had resulted in numerous escalations of concerns from partners, including from members of the Domestic Abuse Health Forum regarding Bromley MARAC. There was concern that a lack of a full-time Coordinator had, and still was, having a serious detrimental effect on the running of Bromley MARAC.

The NHS Adult Safeguarding Manager said that MARAC dealt with only the highest risk Domestic Abuse concerns and  understood that the matter was  the subject of an LBB Risk Register entry. Whilst MARAC members and the Safer Bromley Partnership had been given assurance in the preceding years that the coordination of MARAC  was to  be the subject of a business case--this had not been progressed. In response, the Chairman said that she was happy to meet with  relevant colleagues and to attend MARAC meetings. She was aware that a resolution was required. Work was being undertaken to resolve the situation and funding was being sought for additional resource.

The Board discussed the problems of ‘cuckooing’. Cllr Jeal highlighted a cuckooing situation where a breakdown in communications between a housing association and the police had caused issues. The AD for Housing said that the LBB Housing Department was now more aware and better equipped to deal with cuckooing situations. There was also discussion concerning the use of mobile CCTV cameras in public spaces.

The Chairman of the Public Protection and Enforcement PDS Committee highlighted the fact that there was no mention in the update of the Bromley Mentoring Service which now had 103 mentors. He requested that partner organisations refer into the service, as this was the only way that the service could accept new mentees.

Chief Inspector Ken Loyal explained that the Police were developing and providing training with respect to risk assessments in possible cases of Domestic Abuse. Officers would refer to specialist services if necessary. He also mentioned the ‘Walk and Talk’ strategy where members of the public could walk and talk with police officers in a safe environment. He highlighted two police operations that were currently underway one of which was called ‘Operation Vigilant’ where plain clothes officers were operating in the night time economy.

It was noted that that a  consultation would be held with respect to spiking. The LFB Commander said that training was being provided to fire service officers with respect to vulnerable residents and he felt that Community Impact Days were very effective and had reduced incidences of arson. The London Fire Brigade were also keen to support the Bromley Mentoring Service.

RESOLVED that progress against the current SBP Strategy be noted.