Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Waste, Roads and Community Safety

Strategic Directorate:           Regeneration and Environment

Consideration was given to the presentation of the Safer Rotherham Partnership Annual Report to Scrutiny by Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member.

This statutory partnership had a number of key partners who worked together to try and bring about lasting change for some of the key issues being faced.

Each area was led by a different partner with strong links with other strategic boards to ensure closer working. 

One of the priorities this year was around protecting vulnerable children with focus around children being criminally exploited and work had taken place with a sub-group of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board led by the Police, who were unable to attend today’s meeting to share information.

A second priority was around vulnerable adults and in particular criminal exploitation, including issues such as modern slavery.  Good work had taken place around mental health and the Council was leading on work to build confident and cohesive communities.

One of the more established priorities was around anti-social behaviour, counter extremism, hate crime and community tensions. 

Another priority to highlight was the partnership working on domestic abuse and the work to improve processes and procedures between the partners so victims received a better experience.  Areas of development also included female genital mutilation, forced marriage and honour-based abuse alongside stalking and harassment.

A final priority to highlight, again led by the Police, was around serious and organised crime.  This was the first year this was being looked at as to how partners could work with the Police to disrupt and bring justice for some of these activities.

Partners were contributing to this work and in addition a small amount of funding was provided by the Police and Crime Commissioner which helped to plug the gaps and do some awareness raising alongside the other projects.

The Board welcomed the report, the good practice taking place and its easy to read format.

A number of questions were raised about information sharing on prolific offenders and the use of criminal behaviour orders.  The Board were advised that with the improved structures and partnership working with the Police and the multi-agency meetings taking place, some of the more acute and repeat problems were being highlighted across South Yorkshire. However, further information was awaited on the changes to the Probation Service and how these may impact on local arrangements.

The Board also welcomed the number of positive completions of the perpetrator programme and asked if there were incentives to remain engaged.  It further heard that the South Yorkshire wide project worked closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner and local authorities. The programme was  offered to some as part of sentencing arrangements in liaison with the Probation Service. However, the intention of the scheme was for it to be offered as a preventative programme to change behaviour prior to offending.

The Board welcomed the comments on the Domestic Abuse Strategy which demonstrated the good work undertaken in partnership. Reference was made that work to counter extremism in schools would be considered by the Improving Lives Select Commission at its meeting on the 17^th September, 2019.  An invitation was extended to all to attend.

Further questions were asked about the five priorities highlighted above and how Rotherham compared with its South Yorkshire neighbours.  It was noted that the Chairs of the Community Safety Partnerships shared information on the various challenges being faced and often undertook cross-partnership working.  An example was given on safeguarding children from online extremism.

A further question was raised about whether there was consideration being given to the celebration of other religious festivals in in Rotherham.  From a Safer Rotherham Partnership perspective key events had been supported over the years and the Diversity Festival was part of the Rotherham Show.  Thoughts were being given to a partner calendar showcasing events coming up throughout the year and to look at opportunities to promote and support them.  Links had been forged with other communities and the mosques and the Partnership needed to be encouraging core neighbourhood working to bring people together to celebrate such events.

Further information was sought on the stalking and harassment issues and the Board were advised that these were often significant factors in cases of domestic abuse.

The Safer Rotherham Partnership Board were confident that the challenges were being dealt with through a robust strategy in place with a strong action plan.  There was now a shift towards stranger stalking and harassment and a paper had been developed to be presented to the Safer Rotherham Partnership Board at its meeting in August highlighting data and demand locally and nationally about the legislation that supported issues of stalking and harassment.

There was strong support in terms of domestic abuse with commissioned services to support individuals through their trauma.  However, this kind of structure did not exist where it related to stranger stalking and harassment unless offences were committed.  Individuals could access victim support funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner, but this was not the same support to the extent for domestic abuse.  This was why the report had been written to highlight those gaps.

In addition, there would shortly be the launch of a campaign about raising awareness of what sexual harassment was.   An invitation would be circulated to all Councillors to give people greater understanding of what was and was not acceptable behaviour.

A number of updates relating to elements of the report were requested including implementation of changes to the Probation Service, recommendations relating to stalking and harassment and development of the Hate Crime Strategy.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the content of the Annual Report be noted.

(2)  That a seminar be organised for Members to update them on the implementation of the changes to the Probation Service.

(3)  That an update be provided to the Improving Lives Select Committee on the actions and recommendations to address stalking and harassment.

(4) That a further update is provided to the Board on steps taken to address hate crime.

(5)  That the Board be involved in any pre-scrutiny work about the Hate Crime Strategy and its development.