Issue - items at meetings - Safe In The City Delivery Unit

Report of the Strategic Director: Communities (copy attached).

RESOLVED:

(1)               That the proposals set out in the report for the joint integrated delivery of neighbourhood policing and those community safety services currently delivered by the Council, including those listed under paragraph 3.3 of the report be agreed;

(2)               That the Chief Executive and the Strategic Director, Communities be authorised to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the proposals in this report; and

(3)               That the Head of Law be authorised to make any necessary consequential amendments to the scheme of delegations to Officers or, if he considers it more appropriate, bring proposals to the Governance Committee and Cabinet for approval.

194.1    Councillor Duncan introduced the report which outlined the proposed merger of neighbourhood policing and relevant council services under one delivery unit.  It was intended that this would reduce duplication and help to improve service delivery and had been fully supported by all the agencies concerned.  He also noted that Brighton & Hove was the first authority in Sussex to move to this model and it was likely that others would now follow suit.

194.2    Councillor Mitchell welcomed the report and stated that it was a logical step but queried whether there would be direct links with the Youth Offending Service and if the integration would lead to savings for the police and the council.

194.3    Councillor Duncan stated that whilst there may be some savings resulting from the integration it was difficult to identify the level at this point as the primary objective was to improve service provision and develop working relations within the delivery unit and with other service areas.

194.4    The Strategic Director, Communities noted that the integration should make more resources available and lead to improvements which could then result in savings in future years, but initially there was a need to develop working arrangements and prepare for the forthcoming changes which would follow from the appointment of the Police & crime Commissioner.

194.5    Councillor G. Theobald welcomed the report and the approach to joining up services and queried whether the police would be working from their existing location or would be moving into Hove Town Hall.

194.6    Councillor Duncan stated that the intention was to work from existing locations initially, but opportunities for co-locations and other sites would be explored.  He believed that the transfer of police staff into Hove Town Hall was a separate team.

194.7    RESOLVED:

(1)         That the proposals set out in the report for the joint integrated delivery of neighbourhood policing and those community safety services currently delivered by the Council, including those listed under paragraph 3.3 of the report be agreed;

(2)         That the Chief Executive and the Strategic Director, Communities be authorised to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the proposals in this report; and

(3)         That the Head of Law be authorised to make any necessary consequential amendments to the scheme of delegations to Officers or, if he considers it more appropriate, bring proposals to the Governance Committee and Cabinet for approval.