City of York Council (Logo)

Meeting:

Executive

Meeting date:

18/07/2024

Report of:

Director Environment Transport and Planning

Portfolio of:

Cllr Pavlovic Executive Member for Housing, Planning, Safer Communities and Community Cohesion

 


Decision Report: Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy


Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy

 

1.           This report introduces the three year Community Safety Strategy for York and asks the Executive to note its content and the role City of York Council has as a key partner in its delivery.

 

 

Benefits and Challenges

 

2.           Community Safety Partnerships were introduced by Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and bring together local partners to formulate and deliver strategies to tackle crime and disorder in their communities as a Statutory Partner, delivery of the strategy is dependent on the contribution of many services across City of York Council as well as partner agencies.

 

Policy Basis for Decision

3.           The Community Safety Strategy links to the Domestic Violence Strategy for York & North Yorkshire, the Serious Violence Strategy for York and North Yorkshire and the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy for York and North Yorkshire. 

 

4.           The Strategy supports the Council Plan 2023-27 in its aim to be One City for All by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to access, live and work in a city which is one of the safest in the country. 

Equalities & Human Rights

5.           In delivering the strategy, partners will ensure that they provide equal opportunity and balance the human rights of everyone to ensure that all residents and visitors feel safe and secure in York. The Strategy links with the work of the Hate Crime Partnership and their delivery plan.

Affordability

6.           Community Safety involves partnership working to support those who are most vulnerable to criminal activity and through early intervention and prevention, partners work with communities to build resilience and confidence.  With very few funding opportunities, the majority of the delivery of the strategy is undertaken through existing resources and utilising the opportunity for partnership work to provide the most cost effective way of tackling issues.

          Climate

7.           Partners ensure that the actions, initiatives and projects that underpin delivery of the strategy do not impact negatively on the environment.  Recognition is also given to the impact of climate change on weather patterns and in turn how this can impact on patterns of criminal and anti-social behaviour.

          Health

8.           Health underpins much of the strategy, with strong links between community safety and individual health and wellbeing as well as the overall health of society through well-connected communities with high levels of trust. There are also strong delivery links between community safety and and public health services such as drugs and alcohol, domestic abuse and sexual health.  The partnership includes representation from both strategic and tactical health provision to ensure that community safety activity is aligned to desired health and wellbeing outcomes.

 

9.           York remaining a safe place is important for it’s economy, the successful application for Purple Flag status shows the city surpassed the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night time economy.

 

 

 

Financial Strategy Implications

 

10.        The only funding aligned to delivery of the Community Safety Strategy is derived from external sources, for example through a bidding process for Government funding or from the Office of the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, now York and North Yorkshire’s deputy mayor for Police, Fire & Crime.  Delivery is largely focused on the mainstream service contribution of the council and its partners.

 

Recommendation and Reasons

 

11.        It is recommended that Executive

a)   Approve the content of the strategy which identifies the key role that City of York Council plays in its delivery.

b)   in accordance with the Council’s Constitution recommend this to Full Council for approval

 

 

Background

 

12.        Community Safety Partnerships were introduced by Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and bring together local partners to formulate and deliver strategies to tackle crime and disorder in their communities. 

 

13.        A further requirement of the Crime and Disorder Act is for each Statutory Community Safety Partnership to produce a three year strategy to reduce Crime and Antisocial Behaviour within each Local Authority area.  This strategy is refreshed annually to enable it to remain flexible to the changes in crime patterns and incorporate any new and emerging community safety issues within the life of the strategy.

 

14.        Safer York Partnership is the Statutory Community Safety Partnership for the City of York.  Once it has been approved by the Partnership, the Strategy is then shared with all statutory partners  to ensure that they are able to support its delivery through their services and activities.

 

15.        Safer York Partnership meets quarterly.  There are links through its membership to other strategic boards in the City eg. Health and Wellbeing Board, Safeguarding Adults Board, City of York Safeguarding Children Board, Youth Justice Management Board and York Domestic Violence Board.  There are also links to strategic boards and working groups that cover both York and North Yorkshire eg. Prevent Partnership Board, Serious Organised Crime Board, Modern Slavery Partnership, Serious Violence Duty Working Group and Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Group.

 

16.        Performance is measured and monitored internally within City of York Council through the KPI Machine but also from performance measures aligned to the other strategic groups outlined above and from partner agencies own performance management systems.

 

Consultation Analysis

 

17.        The Strategy is drafted by the Community Safety Team following a workshop involving all statutory partners involved in Safer York Partnership.  This ensures that all partners contribute to the content and final draft of the strategy.  As a key statutory partner, City of York Council is involved in that process through the membership of its Directors and Executive Member on the partnership.


Options Analysis and Evidential Basis

 

18.        The Executive are asked to note the content of the Strategy and to commit to ensuring that City of York Council will continue to support its delivery through the work of services contributing to each of the Strategic Priorities outlined within the Strategy.


Organisational Impact and Implications

 

19.        The following implications have been considered (see checklist).]

 

·        Financial
There are no specific financial implications in the council adopting the Community Safety Strategy

 

·        Human Resources (HR),

There are no HR implications contained in this report

·        Legal,
Pursuant to Section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 the Council must formulate and implement a strategy for:
(a) Reducing crime and disorder in the area;
(b) Combating the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in the area;
(c) Reducing re-offending in the area; and
(d) Preventing people from becoming involved in serious violence and reducing instances of serious violence in the area.
In so doing, regard must be given to the police and crime objectives set out in the police and crime plan for the police area

·        Procurement,
No procurement implications

·        Health and Wellbeing
As noted in the report, there are strong links between community safety and the health and wellbeing of residents. Public health are engaged within the Community Safety Partnership and lead on sections of the strategy. Additionally, the strategy emphasises a public health approach which includes evidence-based action, prevention and early intervention in the life cycle of a problem, tackling inequalities, and a population health approach which aims to influence the ‘upstream’ causes of crime and anti-social behaviour.

 

·        Environment and Climate action
Efforts should be made to ensure that ‘The Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy’ is delivered in a way that does not have a detrimental impact on the ambitions of the Climate Change Strategy.   

·        Affordability
There are no affordability implications

·        Equalities and Human Rights

An Equalities Impact Assessment is included at Annex B. Where specific actions to deliver the strategy require consultation, support or direct input from specific communities, engagement with representative groups will be included within the delivery plans.

 

·        Data Protection and Privacy

Data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) are an essential part of our accountability obligations and is a legal requirement for any type of processing under UK GDPR.  Failure to carry out a DPIA when required may leave the council open to enforcement action, including monetary penalties or fines. DPIAs helps us to assess and demonstrate how we comply with all of our data protection obligations.  It does not have to eradicate all risks but should help to minimise and determine whether the level of risk is acceptable in the circumstances, considering the benefits of what the council wants to achieve. As there is no personal data, special categories of personal data or criminal offence data being processed to inform the decision in this report, there is no requirement to complete a DPIA.   This is evidenced by completion of DPIA screening questions.  However, there will need to be consideration and completion of DPIA(s) where required, for the delivery of the three year strategy once adopted.

 

·        Communications

Communications form a key element of the delivery of the strategy and where appropriate joint communications with relevant partners will be arranged.

·        Economy

There are no Economy implications.

 

 

Risks and Mitigations

 

20.        The information contained within the strategy is based on that which was available at the time of writing. However, new risks or issues can emerge throughout the lifespan of the strategy and these will be considered within the annual refresh and the strategy adapted to incorporate those new risks and issues.

 

Wards Impacted

 

21.        The Community Safety Strategy covers all wards of the city.

 

Contact details

 

For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.

 

Author

 

Name:

Jane Mowat

Job Title:

Head of Community Safety

Service Area:

Community Safety

Telephone:

555742

Report approved:

Yes

Date:

12/06/2024


Co-author

 

Name:

James Gilchrist

Job Title:

Director Environment, Transport and Planning

Service Area:

Community Safety

Telephone:

552547

Report approved:

Yes

Date:

12/06/2024


Annexes

 

Annex A Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy 2023-26

Annex B Equalities Impact Assessment