Agenda item

1. Mr S Peerbux (Head of Community Safety, KCC) introduced the update.

2. Ms S Brinson (Community Safety Team Leader, KCC) gave an overview of updates made to the Community Safety Agreement (CSA) advising that some, but not all chapters of the CSA had been updated; with all changes recorded in the version control.

3. In the previous year’s refresh, new priorities had been added to reflect both national and local issues and saw the inclusion of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) priority was extended to include Neighbourhood Crime and the cross-cutting theme Response and Recovery from Covid-19 Pandemic priority was renamed to Response and Recovery from Significant Community Events.

4. It was noted that there had been a change to the legislation section of the CSA, with a reference to the sharing of information to support the work of Community Safety Partnerships (CSP), and a reference to the Police Crime Sentencing and Court Act 2022 which had added a new duty for CSP’s regarding reducing serious violence. It was said that this was the first piece of legislation that had directly amended the Crime and Disorder Act and the primary focus of CSPs for a number of years. It was also noted some of the future considerations including the New Protect Duty, known as Martin’s Law, and references to other bills and legislation going through Parliament.

5. An overview of further changes and amendments was given including the war in Ukraine, the Cost-of-Living Crisis, exit from the European Union and migration and resettlement.
   
   
6. It was noted that there was limited need to change the chapter on governance aside from the inclusion of the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board which was now a responsible authority within the CSPs.

7. Ms Brinson confirmed that following the latest review, the current priorities and cross-cutting themes appropriately reflect the key issues for community safety partners and as recommended that they are retained.

8. A Partnership Member noted the Serious Violence Duty required authorities in Kent to agree on a definition of serious violence. Representatives from each authority had been brought together to agree on a definition and make a partnership arrangement. Work was ongoing but much progress had been made.  

9. A Partnership Member raised a concern that there needed to be both local and county-wide strategic needs assessments and strategies in relation to serious violence. 

10. The Chair raised that there needed to be a focus on the cost of living, vulnerable people and the rise of scams within the document due to a large degree of public concern.  Ms Brinson noted that these sections could be strengthened in the CSA.

11. Mr Peerbux noted that there may be a review of the remit of CSPs as part of a National PCC review but no timescale was given for when the review was expected to take place.  

RESOLVED that the Kent Community Safety Partnership (KCSP) considered and commented on the refreshed Kent Community Safety Agreement.  Agreed to the priorities and cross-cutting themes for 2023/24; noted the duty for partners to attend the upcoming Scrutiny Committee arrangements.