Agenda item

To consider performance against the Community Safety Partnership’s current priorities between April 2015 and November 2016 and to consider the new priorities for the 2016/2019 period.

Mr Pertica, Head of Visitor Services, presented a report that detailed performance within the Community Safety Partnership’s priorities between April 2015 and November 2016. The report also set out the new Partnership priorities for the 2016/2019 period.

The Committee questioned how the Partnership provided direction to the various agencies that were able to take action, once the Partnership’s priorities had been identified. Mr Pertica advised that most agencies with the ability to deal with priority issues were represented on the Partnership, such as the local authority and the Police, and they were able to arrange their resources accordingly to deal with the priorities identified by the Partnership.

Members raised a number of questions regarding anti-social behaviour by young people, noting the prolific cohort of young people targeting parks, the Town Centre and the Promenade as mentioned in the report. Mr Pertica advised that the Partnership always looked to support preventative measures in order to prevent crimes and noted the support the Partnership had provided for Blackpool Kicks and the work undertaken with Youth Services to help direct young people into constructive activities. However, he advised the particular cohort demonstrated extreme anti-social behaviour and Councillor Campbell added that she believed all of the involved young people and their parents had since been issued with a Community Protection Order.

Upon questioning from Members, Mr Pertica advised of the various rehabilitation services provided and supported by the Partnership, noting that the Lancashire and Cumbria Community Rehabilitation Company, which had previously been part of the Probation Service, was a Partnership Member. Mr Pertica also informed the Committee of the work undertaken by Jobs, Friends and Houses, which was a social enterprise helping ex-offenders into work and housing.

The Committee questioned whether any organisation involved with the Partnership did not contribute appropriately. Mr Pertica advised that there was a strong tradition of partnership working in Blackpool and over recent years there had been less funding and resources available, which had strengthened the requirement for the various agencies to cooperate. He provided an example of the Lost Children’s Centre on the Promenade and how its effectiveness could be demonstrated by the Partnership.

The Committee noted the schemes that had been introduced by the Partnership to try to reduce assaults, such as the Night Safe Haven Bus and the ‘Alcohol Changes You’ beer mat campaign. Members noted that feedback on the schemes had been positive, but questioned whether their success could be demonstrated in light of the increase in the number of assaults. Mr Pertica advised that whilst the overall number of assaults had increased, serious assaults had reduced by 26.4% and that there had been changes to how crimes had been recorded, which had resulted in crime statistics demonstrating an increase. Mr Pertica noted that this had been a national trend. Mr Pertica also discussed the beer mat campaign and explained that licence holders had not initially been enthusiastic about the scheme, but had since become in favour of it as, anecdotally, there had been an improvement in behaviour in their licensed premises.

The Committee requested that the next report provided information on disability hate crime and the measures being taken by the Partnership to tackle it.

The Committee also discussed and raised questions in relation to sexual offences, of which there had been an increasing number over the last three years. In response, Mr Pertica advised that the increase in crimes of this nature was a national trend and it was largely thought to be attributed to a greater willingness in victims to come forward and report crimes. He explained that the ‘Jimmy Saville’ effect had resulted in a vast number of ‘non-recent’ crimes being reported. He also noted that there had been improvements in the recording of rapes and sexual offences.

Mr Pertica advised that the Partnership continued to support the Aquamarine working group which worked with partners to tackle sexual offences by looking at educational opportunities and awareness raising. The Committee was advised that a substantial percentage of the reported crimes of this nature were being committed by young people and that those offenders often did not know their activity was illegal.  He reported that the Aquamarine working group was currently considering implementing the ‘We Can Stop It’ campaign, which aimed to raise awareness and provide information for young men about consent and perceptions of rape.

The Committee agreed to request that information on disability hate crime and the measures being taken by the Partnership to tackle it, be included within the next Community Safety Partnership report.

Background papers: None.