Issue - items at meetings - Community Safety Forum - Update

Verbal Update.

30.1    The Chairman welcomed Councillor Dee Simson Chair of the Community Safety Forum, to the meeting; also Councillor Ben Duncan present in his capacity as the Council’s representative on the Sussex Police Authority.

30.2    Councillor Simson gave the second regular update and answered questions on the work of the Community Safety Forum and Partnership Community Safety Team.  The number of Local Action Teams (LAT) was still rising; now up to 36. LAT Chairs were coopted members of the CSF and meet regularly outside the CSF thereby gaining a city-wide perspective.  Information packs would be provided to all LAT Chairs even if they could not attend on 16 November.  Lists of Communities of Interest were kept updated.

30.3    Councillor Simson thanked Councillor Mo Marsh, Chair of the scrutiny review on older people and community safety. The Cabinet would consider a reply to the recommendations, which were cross-cutting, on 9 December.

30.4    A local police officer attends CSF to discuss crime and disorder performance data; it was pleasing to see the reduction in crime, with total crime at a 10-year low.

30.5    Councillor Simson referred to a range of recent work on domestic violence including grant funding for vulnerable women in the criminal justice system. She would be speaking at an event to mark the United Nations Elimination of Violence Against Women Day.  The Survivors Network was to  launch a local Rape Crisis Centre; this was a very important area for review.

30.6    A number of initiatives and projects were under way regarding vulnerable younger people and overconsumption of alcohol; for instance Safe Space, Big Mistake, partnership work with Accident and Emergency at Sussex County Hospital and Street Pastors. The Community Payback Initiative was benefiting both offenders and the community. People’s Day in October again helped to bring together people from all backgrounds. Councillor Simson praised the detailed arrangements between the Council, Police and other partners at the time of the Labour Party Conference. The refresh of the Community Safety and Crime and Drugs Reduction Strategy would shortly be reported to the CSF.

30.7    The Chair asked for further information on reported levels of hate crime.

30.8    Members discussed the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership funding for LATs and the Home Office funding in relation to the Labour Party Conference.

30.9    RESOLVED; that the information be noted.