Agenda for Community Safety Forum on Monday, 2nd March, 2015, 4.00pm
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Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 219 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Ross Keatley Democratic Services Manager
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Procedural Business (a) Declaration of Substitutes: Where Councillors are unable to attend a meeting, a substitute Member from the same Political Group may attend, speak and vote in their place for that meeting.
(b) Declarations of Interest:
(a) Disclosable pecuniary interests not registered on the register of interests; (b) Any other interests required to be registered under the local code; (c) Any other general interest as a result of which a decision on the matter might reasonably be regarded as affecting you or a partner more than a majority of other people or businesses in the ward/s affected by the decision.
In each case, you need to declare (i) the item on the agenda the interest relates to; (ii) the nature of the interest; and (iii) whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest or some other interest.
If unsure, Members should seek advice from the committee lawyer or administrator preferably before the meeting.
(d) Exclusion of Press and Public: To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading either that it is confidential or the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the categories of exempt information is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 27aa Appointment of Chair
27.1 Councillor Deane was appointed Chair for the meeting.
27a Declaration of Substitutes
27.2 Richard Barabell was present in substitution for Phillip Wells on behalf of the London Road LAT.
27b Declarations of Interest
27.2 Both Councillors Deane and Carden declared interests as members of the Fire Authority.
27c Exclusion of the Press and Public
27.3 In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (‘the Act’), the Community Safety Forum considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business on the grounds that it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press or public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A(3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I of the Act).
27.4 RESOLVED - That the press and public were not excluded from the meeting during. |
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2014 (copy attached). Minutes: 28.1 Mr Francis Tonks noted his name had been omitted from the list of those present at the meeting.
28.2 RESOLVED – That, with the above addition, the minutes of the Community Safety Forum meeting held on 6 October be agreed and signed as a correct record. |
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Chair's Communications Minutes: 29.1 The Chair announced that Item 30 would be taken together with the Performance Report at Item 35. It was also announced that issues around Safety Net and cybercrime would be considered at future meetings of the Forum.
29.2 The Forum also extended its gratitude to Councillors Mac Cafferty and Wakefield who had both served on the Forum for some years. |
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Update on matters arising from the previous meeting (copy attached). Minutes: 30.1 The item was considered at Item 35. |
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Public Involvement To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:
(a) Petitions: to receive any petitions presented by members of the public to the full council or at the meeting itself; (b) Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 23 January 2015; (c) Deputations: to receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 23 January 2015. Minutes: 31.1 There were no public items on the agenda. |
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Member Involvement To consider the following matters raised by councillors:
(a) Petitions: to receive any petitions submitted to the full Council or at the meeting itself; (b) Written Questions: to consider any written questions; (c) Letters: to consider any letters; (d) Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion referred from Council or submitted directly to the Committee. Minutes: 32.1 There were no Member items on the agenda. |
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Report from the Police & Crime Panel Minutes from the meeting of the Sussex Police & Crime Panel held on 10 October 2014 (attached) and 23 January 2015 (to follow). Minutes: 33.1 The Forum considered the report from the Police & Crime Panel. Mr Peacock provided some verbal feedback on the budgetary position for Sussex, and noted there were further meetings to take place on the implications of savings for the city.
33.2 RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted. |
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Report from East Sussex Fire Authority Minutes from the meeting of the East Sussex Fire Authority held on 11 December 2014 (copy attached). Minutes: 34.1 RESOLVED – That the contents of the minutes be noted. |
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Performance Report & Crime Trends: April to December 2014 Report of the Head of Community Safety (copy attached). Minutes: 35.1 The Forum considered a report of the Head of Community Safety in relation to Performance Report & Crime Trends: April to December 2014.
35.2 In response to queries about small motorbikes on the Downs and the associated nuisance this caused it was explained that due to budget savings much of the anti-social behaviour work had to be focused around housing; the Police needed to be made aware of these issues to work towards solutions. It was also suggested that ward councillors could play a role in assisting this reporting.
35.3 In response to Councillor Daniel it was explained that a great deal of scrutiny work already took place, and it was proposed that the areas where detailed scrutiny took place could be reported to the next meeting of the Forum.
35.4 RESOLVED: That the Forum note the contents of the report. |
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Protecting Children & Young People |
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Child Sexual Exploitation Written report from the Head of Safeguarding (copy attached). Minutes: 36.1 The Forum considered a report from Deb Austin, Head of Safeguarding, in relation to Child Sexual Exploitation. By way of introduced information was provided on recent work; local multi-agency working and raising public awareness.
36.2 Councillor Daniel asked a series of questions and the following responses were provided:
· In relation to emotional support there had been a meeting with key partners; whilst there was good provision available further work was needed around the pathways to join this up. · Engagement with communities took place through third sector partners. · There was a pan-Sussex approach in relation to CSE; whilst the authority did place young people out of area there were specialist social workers and information sharing was key. · Nev Kemp explained that work had progressed very quickly, and the Police were much better equipped to deal with this as it had now become one of their main priorities.
36.3 In response to Councillor Mac Cafferty it was explained that the authority had a robust whistleblowing policy already established, and incidents were taken very seriously. In response to further queries it was explained that work had taken place in schools to raise awareness through a play named ‘Chelsea’s Choice’ for year 8 pupils – the play had been taken up nearly all secondary schools in the city. There was also teaching through PHSE lessons; literature distributed in schools and contacts in the MASH.
36.4 In response to queries from reps on the Forum the following responses were given:
· There had been positive feedback from the play in other authorities and this had helped to lead to a number of young people making disclosures. · There were a number of young people identified as ‘high-risk’, the majority were girls and young women.
36.5 In response to Councillor Simson it was explained that in terms of identifying those potentially at risk the authority was considered to be ahead of others; there were currently 14 young people, but this number could fluctuate and there was evidence that the majority of those at risk engaged with services. Some of the challenges related to self-perception as many young people did not see themselves as victims of abuse. It was clarified that those at risk were more commonly around the 15-16 age group; work would be undertaken with the whole family and there were measures in place to monitor if they were missing from education.
36.7 In response to Councillor Wakefield it was acknowledged that there was a potential gap in reaching children of junior school age, and Officers could give this area further consideration.
36.8 RESOLVED: That the Forum note the report. |
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The Work of Safety Net Verbal presentation from Terri Fletcher. Minutes: 36.9 This item would be considered at a future meeting of the Forum. |
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'One Voice' Communities Coming Together to Help keep People Safe Verbal presentation by Fiyaz Mughal: Director of Faith Matters. Minutes: 37.1 Mr Fiyaz Mughal: Director of Faith Matters gave presentation in relation to ‘One Voice’ Communities Coming Together to Help Keep People Safe.
37.2 In response to Dr Yagoub it was explain that influencing the press was difficult as they often sought negative stories to report, it was important that work continue in relation to positive role models in Islamic communities. There was work already underway to report on good news stories, and it was hoped the group ‘One Voice’ could continue to work with the press.
37.3 In response to Councillor Daniel it was explained ‘One Voice’ was a local organisation, as it was new its position in relation to the other BME groups in the city was currently being worked through. There was an opportunity to build a sustainable organisation that was led by the service users and create a proper platform to engage with communities. The Head of Community Safety explained that the group had originated from conversations with communities and grown, it now included the Racial Harassment Forum.
37.4 The Forum discussed the far-right marches that had taken place in the city in recent years, it was noted that there was no event planned this spring; however, in the past the law had not allowed the event to be banned, nor would this prevent people from coming to the city.
37.5 Councillor Mac Cafferty thanked all those that had been involved in the project, and stated it was vital communities and LATs work together to show that Islamophobia was not acceptable. In response Mr Mughal stated that local councillors could help put this message out in their wards through social media and press work and this could help shape how young people saw their own future.
37.6 Councillor Simson noted the role that positive press could make, and that this had been considered as part of the work of the Traveller Scrutiny Panel the previous year, it was also important that work be undertaken locally to try and engage with young people.
37.7 The Chair thanked Mr Mughal for this presentation and facilitating the discussion with the Forum.
37.8 RESOLVED: That the Forum noted the presentation. |
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Dates of Future Meetings
The dates for the 2015/16 municipal year:
Minutes: 38.1 The following agreed dates for the 2015/16 were noted:
8 June 2015 5 October 2015 29 February 2015 |