Agenda item

1.    Mr Peerbux explained that whilst the office premises where the Kent Community Safety Team (KCST) had been co-located since September 2015 was now closed; the KCST continue to work collaboratively and are making use of available office spaces to work alongside each other on a frequent basis (weekly).

2.    The KCST delivered a Community Safety Information Session (CSIS) on 17th May 2022 via Microsoft Teams. This consisted of presentations on the Ashford Streetwise App, Amparo Suicide Bereavement Service, an ASB app, the Counter Terrorism Local Profile, and police updates on events such as the World Cup and the Jubilee. The next Community Safety Information Sessions are scheduled for 14th September 2022 and 1st December 2022. Mr Peerbux indicated that, if colleagues had any suggestions of speakers/topics that would be relevant for the information session, or if they wished to attend, they could contact the KCST: kentcommunitysafetyteam@kent.gov.uk.

3.    The KCST, on behalf of the KCSP, delivered two DHR webinars, on the themes of Domestic Abuse and Children and Young People. The next one with a theme of n Domestic Abuse and Suicide was taking place on 15th July 2022.

4.    In terms of sharing good practice and facilitating joint working, the team continue to produce and circulate monthly E-Bulletins with the latest community safety updates and any relevant news, publications and legislation.

5.    Ms Brinson provided an update of the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) Crime Reduction Grant (CRG) funding that is allocated to the KCSP. She indicated that there was a small additional underspend in the previous year because there was an outstanding project and it was not possible to access all the funding at that point in time, but that the books were now balanced.

6.    Ms Brinson explained that four of the five proposed projects for the current financial year had been agreed by the Office of the PCC (OPCC), and that the projects receiving the funding included: ‘Best Bar None’ promotional material (stickers for windows), the Community Safety Conference, the Trauma Awareness Project and the promotional materials for awareness campaigns. She clarified that the Bystander Approach Training was not approved by the OPCC because the VRU are already funding the programme and it would be duplicate funding, however the training will still go ahead via the VRU. In total, the PCC approved £21,440.

7.    Mr Powell (Improvement Manager, KCC) advised that, in terms of Trauma Awareness, there was a multi-agency group that he chaired - ‘Space Matters’ - which was about implementing a trauma-informed approach across the county involving different organisations. The group invited KCSP representatives to join their meetings. Mr Peerbux clarified that he was aware of the group and that he had attended.

8.    A Partnership Member clarified that, with regards to the multi-agency group, there were two strands; one was the training of the workforce about being trauma-informed, but also trauma-informed leadership.

RESOLVED that the KCSP note the progress and actions undertaken by the Working Group and the work of the KCST.