Agenda and draft minutes

The Evacuation Procedure was noted

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To approve the minutes for the last meeting held on Wednesday 17/07/2024.

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on the 17th July 2024 were agreed as a true record.

Representatives of Cleveland Police presented a report on Knife Crime Prevention to members. Officers highlighted several sections of the report to Members.

Since Sept 2023 there had been 810 crimes involving a knife or a bladed article in the Cleveland area, this amounted to a 10% decrease from the year previous. Members were also informed that more than half of all identified suspects linked to knife crime were males under the age of 24. During the same 12-month period 186 people aged 24 and under were victims of knife crime. Officers added that knife crime makes up 57% of all serious violence in Cleveland. 

The report also gave a more focused look at the Stockon Borough in relation to knife crime, which showed that there had been 213 knife crime offences in the last 12 months in Stockton. This was a 23% reduction from the previous 12-month period.

Police set out their plans on how to reduce knife crime further, with early interventions schemes, One Team working collaboration initiatives and joint working with Licensing and those in the nighttime economy.

Following the report Police and other members of the partnership discussed the following:

As Stockton had seen reductions in knife crime had there been any displacement into other areas? Which Officers were happy to report was not the case.

Had any work been done to target primary school children with early prevention work? There had been work undertaken to adapt presentations for students for a younger audience, this would be linked in with partners in Children’s services.

Members agreed to note the report.

Cleveland Fire Brigade Officers gave an update on Deliberate Fires and their economic impact to the partnership. An increase of 4% in the number of deliberate fires set was highlighted to members, Officers explained that in response a heightened targeting of hotspot areas had been undertaken with patrols and instigating seals community skips. The recent increase was part of a 58% increase over a five-year period, which was being investigated jointly with Police.

Offices emphasised that they are wanting to work with partners to tackle the increased activity. Members of the partnership promised to link in with the Fire Brigade following the meeting to discuss how they could work more closely going forward.

 Members agreed to note the report.

Members agreed to defer this report to a following meeting due to Officers being unable to attend.

Officers presented the Recorded Crime and Disorder Report for July 2023 to June 2024 with Members, they noted several sections of the report for members. These were as follows:

•         Public reports crime had seen a decrease of 21%

•         A slight increase in the numbers of vehicle crime but work had been undertaken and a group believed to be responsible for a large part of the increase had been arrested.

•         The number of drug offences had increased in the six months; Officers would continue to work with the UK Boarder Force agency as it is believed to be coming from abroad.

•         A 56% decrease in the number of off-road bike reports, Officers were confident that the decrease was due to the work being carried out by Officers with cooperation with the Public.

Overall levels of crime had been reducing but the public perception of crime was higher than ever. Offices noted that it was important to push the good news stories of reductions out to the public but would not dismiss the public’s perception as it was equally important.

Members agreed to note the report.

Members were given an update on Operation Harmony which outlined that there had been a significant reduction in crime, Officers contributed this to the partnership work being done by all those involved.

The feedback from the public which shows that the perception of crime hasn’t reduced with the actual level of crimes. Offices stated that more work would need to be done to reassure those members of the public, which will be an ongoing goal.

Police were trying to promote the work being done across the area and to make sure the Policing being done was more visible in an attempt to combat the communities perception.

Members of the community had made a recommendation to Police that Operation Nightfall be continued in the area. This was seen as a possible solution by members for the communities perception.

Community engagement would continue into the future with a residents meeting being planned in the week following this Safer Stockton Partnership meeting.

Members Agreed to note the report.

There were no further updates to bring to members attention for this item.

Members shared information about an update on the Bleed Cabinets which were discussed at the previous meeting.

Partners agreed to jointly petition for the Bleed Cabinets to be dealt with under the same system that the Defibrillator cabinets.

Memerbs noted the discussion.

Members were presented with a restricted report that provided an overview on crime comparisons against other similar CSPs utilising iQuanta. 

This report was a restricted document due to the statistical information only made available as an intelligence tool for partnerships until released by the Home Office.

AGREED that the report be noted.