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People Scrutiny Committee
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8 July 2026 |
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Report of the Director of Communities |
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Community Safety Strategy 2026-9
Summary
1. This report introduces the draft of the most recent three-year Community Safety Strategy for York and asks the People Scrutiny Committee to review and comment on its content, noting the City of York Council’s role as a key partner in its delivery.
Background
2. Community Safety Partnerships were introduced under Section 6 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and bring together local partners to formulate and deliver strategies to tackle crime and disorder. Safer York Partnership is the Community Safety Partnership for York.
3. Community Safety Partnerships must produce three-year strategies, setting out how they intend to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour within their specific local authority area. Strategies must be reviewed and refreshed on an annual basis to remain responsive to changing crime patterns and emerging issues.
4. Development of the Community Safety Strategy is the responsibility of the Safer York Partnership Board, membership of which is drawn from statutory (local authority, police, fire, health and probation) and other partners. It is the responsibility of board members to ensure that they support delivery of the strategy through their respective services and activities. The Board meets on a quarterly basis.
5. There are also links through its membership to other strategic boards in the city, including: Health & Wellbeing Board, Safeguarding Adults Board, City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership, Youth Justice Management Board, York and North Yorkshire Local Criminal Justice Board and York Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.
6. In addition, joint work is coordinated sub-regionally across York and North Yorkshire via a number of shared arrangements with North Yorkshire Council and the Police, Fire & Crime Directorate of the Combined Authority, including: North Yorkshire & York Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Strategy Group, North Yorkshire and York Serious Violence Duty Working Group, North Yorkshire & York Inclusive Communities Joint Commissioning Group, Young People Early Intervention and Prevention Group and the North Yorkshire & York Prevent Partnership Board.
7. Performance and delivery of Community Safety Strategy priorities is monitored by the Safer York Partnership Board via a multi-agency data pack of KPIs aligned to each of the strategic priorities, from performance measures aligned to the groups outlined in paragraphs 5 & 6 and from partner agencies own performance management systems.
8. Over the lifetime of the current 2023-6 Community Safety Strategy crime has reduced in York, the most notable change is from 2025-6 which saw a -6.32% (-943) decrease of total crimes from the previous year. There has been a slight increase in ASB incidents over the last 3 financial years, with a 7.5% increase between 2024/5 and 2025/6. This can be attributed to NYP proactivity through work to target ASB hotspots and the development of Problem-Solving Plans.
Consultation
9. The content of the Community Safety Strategy has been drafted following consultation and involvement with members of the Safer York Partnership Board. As a statutory partner, City of York Council engages in that process via the Executive Member of Housing, Planning and Safer Communities and Director of Housing & Communities who are both members of the Board.
10. The draft Strategy has been circulated to members of the Human Rights and Equalities Board for comment and feedback.
Options
11. Corporate Scrutiny Committee is asked to review and comment on the content of the draft Community Safety Strategy 2026-9 and make any recommendations for Executive consideration only.
Council Plan
12. This strategy supports the Council Plan 2023-27 in its aim to be One City for All, by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live, work and thrive in a city acknowledged as one of the safest in the country.
Implications
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Financial There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.
Human Resources There are no HR implications contained within this report. Any additional resources or training required to support delivery of the strategy would be established and resourced in accordance with the Councils policies.
Equalities A HREA will be completed. The draft strategy has been circulated to the Human Rights and Equality Board for comments and feedback.
Legal The strategy is a statutory requirement under Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and forms part of the CYC ‘Policy Framework’. It must have regard to the police and crime objectives as set out in the Police and Crime Plan and include analysis of the levels and patterns of crime and disorder and substance misuse in the area, changes in those levels and patterns and priorities in combatting them, the prevalent concerns of people living and working locally, progress made through previously established strategy and any potential improvements.
Preparation must include both a public consultation and involvement from Police, Fire Service, Probation and the Integrated Care Board (collectively the “Safer York Partnership Board”.) A failure to comply with these requirements exposes CYC to Judicial Review.
Crime and Disorder Community Safety Partnerships must produce a three-year strategy setting out how they intend to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour within their specific local authority area. The strategy must be reviewed and refreshed on an annual basis to remain responsive to changing crime patterns and emerging issues.
Information Technology (IT) There are no IT implications.
Property There are no property implications.
Risk Management
14. Failure to produce a Community Safety Strategy would place the council in breach of its statutory duty under the Crime & Disorder Act 1998.
15. The information contained within the Community Safety Strategy is based on that which was available at the time of writing. However, new risks or issues can emerge throughout the life-time of the strategy and will be considered within the annual refresh, when it will be updated to reflect the necessary changes.
Recommendations
16. That People Scrutiny Committee review and comment on the content of the draft Community Safety Strategy 2026-9 and make any recommendations for Executive consideration.
Contact Details
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Author: |
Chief Officer Responsible for the report: |
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Tanya LyonActing Head of Community Safety
Department: Community Safety, Communities Directorate
Telephone: 01904 55 5741
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Pauline StuchfieldDirector of Communities
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Report Approved |
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Date |
8 June 2026 |
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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For further information please contact the author of the report |
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Background Papers:
Safer York Partnership Community Safety Strategy 2023-26
Annexes:
Annex A: Safer York Partnership Draft Community Safety Strategy 2026-29