Agenda item

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, and requested any data and / or accompanying narrative which could contribute to the evidence for this work.

Praising officers for the continuing community safety-related efforts within the Ropner ward (e.g. Clear, Hold, Build; Project Harmony), the Committee raised the frustration often relayed by residents about failing to receive a response when reporting crime or disorder.  Discussion then moved onto isolated incidents which were presented (often via social media) in such a fashion that gave the public the impression crime and disorder was more prevalent in a particular area than it really was.  Despite examples of the Borough’s traders transmitting positive messaging about life in Stockton-on-Tees, some people appeared to want to use any single aggravation to portray local towns in a negative light.

Committee comments concluded with a request for engagement with the Stockton-on-Tees Domestic Abuse Steering Group (DSAG) as part of the strategy’s compilation and associated actions that may follow its approval, as well as the need for future focus on issues around serious youth violence (an emerging nationally recognised concern).  Assurance was given that the SBC Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety was part of the DSAG (those leading that group were also part of the SSP), and that serious youth violence was a key issue in terms of local community safety considerations.

AGREED that the draft ‘Community Safety Plan: Stockton-on-Tees 2025-2027’ be noted.