Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no interests declared.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 31 July 2025.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Community Safety Select Committee meeting which was held on 31 July 2025 for approval and signature.

AGREED that the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 31 July 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee will receive a briefing on the ongoing refresh of the local Community Safety Strategy (the current version expires at the end of 2025).

The Committee received a briefing on the ongoing refresh of the local Community Safety Strategy (the current version was due to expire at the end of 2025).

Community Safety Partnerships (known locally as the Safer Stockton Partnership (SSP)) had statutory obligations under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to prepare a strategy to reduce crime and disorder, reduce reoffending, and reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol.  A clear process was set out in the Act in terms of developing a strategy, the main requirement being a significant strategic assessment of data and information in relation to crime and disorder locally (this set the framework of the priorities for the Borough, though many of these were mandated nationally).

A draft ‘Community Safety Plan: Stockton-on-Tees 2025-2027’ was provided in advance for the Committee’s consideration.  Introduced by the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) Assistant Director – Regulated Services and Transformation, and supported by the SBC Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety and the SBC Civic Enforcement Manager, content included:

·       Introduction (SBC Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety)

·       About Stockton Borough

·       What do we know about crime in Stockton-on-Tees?

·       Keeping Stockton Safe 2025-2027

·       Priorities underpinning the strategic approach for the next three years

o   Managing the impact of serious and organised crime

o   Crime and disorder linked to drugs and alcohol

o   Anti-social behaviour (ASB) and feelings of safety

o   Reducing the offending rates of the most prolific offenders

o   Domestic Abuse

o   Prevent

o   Diverse Communities Feeling Safe

o   Welcoming Town Centres

·       Operation Shield: A Unified Approach to Town Centre Safety

·       Achieving our Mission

Reminding the Committee that this was a partnership plan as opposed to a SBC one, each of the proposed priorities for the 2025-2027 period were detailed.  In terms of consultation to inform the preparation of this document, it was noted that meetings had taken place with young people involved with the Council’s Bright Minds Big Futures (BMBF) initiative, as well as Cleveland Police’s independent group on diversity.  Once approved, an Action Plan relating to the strategy would be completed and available for scrutiny.

In response, the Committee referenced the perception of crime (often raised in discussions around community safety) and asked how this strategy would be communicated to the public.  Members were informed that, despite successes in tackling local crime and disorder, perceptions remained an issue, and that a communications drive would be undertaken by all partners to reinforce messaging.  It was important to ensure the voice of businesses / traders was heard, something which had already been aided by the Operation Shield initiative.  Getting back to basics around resident engagement was also vital in understanding concerns and subsequently address these.

Drawing attention to the statement (within the ‘What do we know about crime in Stockton-on-Tees?’ section) that ‘Domestic abuse overall is showing a downward trend; however, incidents involving children present in the household are beginning to rise’, the Committee noted its ongoing review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse,  ...  view the full minutes text for item CSS/22/25

To consider submissions in relation to this scrutiny topic from:

·       Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust: Health Visitors

·       North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust: Maternity

·       Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust: CAMHS

The third evidence-gathering session for the Committee’s review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse had a health focus and considered information from NHS Trusts covering health visiting, maternity services, and mental health services for young people.  Prior to these presentations, Members were reminded of two health-related publications, links to which had been incorporated into the covering report for this item:

Ø  Home Office: Domestic Abuse – Statutory Guidance (July 2022): Agency Response to Domestic Abuse – Health (pages 91-97)

Ø  GOV.UK: Victims in their own right? Babies, children and young people’s experiences of domestic abuse: The role of health services (chapter five)

HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (HDFT)

As per the review’s focus on children in their early years, health visitors had previously been identified as key contributors to the Committee’s work.  The HDFT Head of Public Health Nursing and Operations (0-19 Services in Darlington, Stockton and Middlesbrough) was in attendance to present the Trust’s response to the following lines of enquiry:

·       How do health visitors identify at-risk individuals / families?: Commissioned by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) to provide local 0-19 services, and in the privileged position of being one of a small number of organisations providing support across the ante-natal to pre-school period, HDFT practitioners completed and / or reviewed the holistic health needs assessment at each of the Trust’s seven contact points with an individual / family (above the five nationally-mandated reviews for early years) – this included, when this was safe to do so (i.e. no child over the age of 2 was present; individual was alone), routine and selective enquiry regarding any possible domestic abuse.  If such an enquiry could not be asked at the previous contact, the plan would be to ask at the next available opportunity.

If there was any historic or current intelligence shared regarding potential risk, the health visitor would arrange for a contact to take place outside the family home through discussion and supervision with their line manager and safeguarding colleagues.

0-19 practitioners were made aware of high-risk vulnerable child and adult domestic abuse notifications through the local Children’s Hub (CHUB) (indeed, HDFT sat within the CHUB, and liaised closely with SBC Early Help, leading / being involved in multi-agency work), and there were high priority reminders to the child’s SystmOne record.  HDFT were also notified of domestic abuse incidents through PiTstop (a police initiative).

·       How confident do they feel about spotting signs of domestic abuse?: All 0-19 practitioners were trained (Level 3 Safeguarding Children) to be able to recognise signs and indicators of domestic abuse.  Even if no disclosures were made, HDFT staff had a safeguarding single point of contact where supervision and advice could be sought in respect of concerns.  As previously referenced, the requirement for the completion / review of the holistic health needs assessment also provided opportunities for the identification of domestic abuse-related issues.

·       Are health visitors aware of how to report domestic abuse?: Staff were able to contact the HDFT  ...  view the full minutes text for item CSS/23/25

CHAIR’S UPDATE

The Chair had no further updates.

WORK PROGRAMME 2025-2026

Consideration was given to the Committee’s current work programme.  The next meeting was due to take place on 30 October 2025 and would feature the fourth evidence-gathering session for the ongoing Scrutiny Review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse involving contributions from the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) and the views of local Primary Care Networks (PCNs).  It was also anticipated that the next progress update on outstanding actions in relation to the recommendations of the previously completed Outdoor Play Provision review would be presented.

The Committee was reminded of the ‘Other Information Sources / Updates’ section of the work programme, with new material highlighted for specific attention (this included developments in relation to expected new guidance for Community Safety Partnerships).  The Committee Chair also referenced the proposed new statutory duty for individuals undertaking key roles with responsibility for children and young people in England to report sexual abuse when they were made aware of it (as part of the Crime and Policing Bill).

AGREED that the Chair’s Update and Community Safety Select Committee Work Programme 2025-2026 be noted.