Agenda item

1.    Ms S Brinson (Community Safety Team Leader, KCC) gave an overview of the eight priorities within the Community Safety Agreement (CSA) and highlighted that the action plan has been refreshed. The action plan includes the key pieces of work that are being delivered by community safety partners across the county linking in with other multi-agency groups and strategies where possible and includes projects being funded through the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) Crime Reduction Grant. It is a living document meaning that it can be updated and amended in-year should the need arise.

2.    One priority within the CSA is tackling domestic abuse and includes actions to deliver and coordinate Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) as well as the DHR lessons identified seminars; improve the functionality of the Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Services website; and produce bitesize videos about the signs of domestic abuse and safety planning. The other priorities are Road Safety; Substance Misuse; Preventing Neighbourhood Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour; Serious Violence and Organised Crime; Safeguarding Vulnerable People; Preventing Extremism and Hate and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) have had their actions refreshed. There was also a miscellaneous category which includes improving the strategic assessment process, producing videos from training sessions, and delivering training on other aspects of the KCSPs work.

3.    Mr S Peerbux (Head of Community Safety, KCC) added that following comments from the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee last year, the action plan regarding safeguarding vulnerable people was also being developed to include a focus on scams.

4.    The Chair thanked officers for the comprehensive report.

5.    A Partnership Member raised a concern regarding the work of the Violence Reduction Unit and the governance aspect over the specified authorities who cover the county, highlighted on page five of the appendix. It was confirmed that the PCC had oversight of the Violence Reduction Unit and the word governance could be replaced with the word oversight.

6.    A Partnership Member commented that the substance misuse priority needed to link in with partners who worked to tackle these crimes, particularly regarding the issue of supply. The Partnership Member asked if the safeguarding vulnerable people priority could liaise with Kent Police regarding the Local Drug Information System (LDIS).

7.    A Partnership Member noted that Kent was the only PREVENT priority area in the Southeast of England, so PREVENT needed to remain a priority for the KCSP and needed to work closely with partners.

8.    The Chair raised the issue of illegal vapes and asked if this would be included within the action plan. Ms Brinson confirmed that illegal vapes were being tackled from a trading standards and public health viewpoint, and the KCSP would continue to share information regarding the new duties surrounding illegal vapes. Ms Mookherjee (Public Health, KCC) added that illegal vaping was an emerging issue in public health and was being linked to the smoking cessation team. Mr Wilkinson (Assistant Director Contest and Serious Organised Crime, KCC) confirmed that illegal vaping also had the potential to be linked to serious organised crime, and therefore linked to many different partners.

9.    Mr Peerbux confirmed that the report to the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee had been published and outlined the work that the KCSP and partners had undertaken on the priorities since 2022, but the Committee meeting would have a specific focus on preventing anti-social behaviour; serious violence and organised crime; substance misuse; and domestic abuse.

RESOLVED that the Kent Community Safety Partnership (KCSP):

1.    Noted the refreshed action plan which supports delivery of the Community Safety Agreement 2023/24.

2.    Agreed to provide feedback on the content of the draft action plan via email to kentcommunitysafetyteam@kent.gov.uk (KCST) by the end of July 2023, or at any time in-year if new actions emerge.