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ITEM EX19

EXECUTIVE – 15 MARCH 2005

COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGIES

Report by Director of Community Safety

1. The Crime & Disorder Act 1998 (and subsequent amendment) requires the County Council to work in partnership with District Councils, Thames Valley Police, the Primary Care Trusts, Fire and Rescue, and Thames Valley Police Authority (the Responsible Authorities) to reduce crime and disorder in Oxfordshire. These partnerships are the five Oxfordshire Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), coterminous with each district council area.
2. The CDRPs are required to produce three-year community safety, or crime and disorder reduction strategies and the Council, along with its partners, must bring its services to bear in the delivery of the strategies and supporting action plans. The Council and the other Responsible Authorities are required to agree and in April publish new strategies for 2005-2008.
3. At its meeting on 7 December 2004, the Executive considered an initial report which summarised the issues identified by the crime and disorder audits undertaken in 2004 by each of the five Oxfordshire CDRPs, and the emerging issues from the associated consultation processes. Home Office guidance sets out a requirement to conduct audits and consultation in order to inform the content of the draft CDRP strategies.
4. The Executive resolved to authorise the Executive Members for Community Safety and Children & Young People to agree draft Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategies, on the advice of the Director for Community Safety and Safer Communities Unit, in early January 2005. It was also agreed that further consideration of the draft strategies be given in March 2005, taking into account the views of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee.
5. Accordingly, this report:

• provides a detailed summary of the draft CDRP strategies;
• sets out the steps taken to brief the Executive and other members since December 2004 and summarises views of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee and the Members’ seminar on community safety; and
• advises the Executive to recommend that the draft strategies are subsequently approved by full council in April 2005.

6. The draft strategy documents for each CDRP, along with copies of the audits, are available for reference in the Members’ Resource Centre, and are also on public deposit. A briefing paper providing a detailed summary of the main issues from the audits, consultation and draft strategies has been prepared by the Safer Communities Unit and is attached at Annex 1 (download as .doc file).

Members’ briefing and Scrutiny Committee

7. A well-attended half-day community safety seminar for all Members, chaired by the Executive Member for Community Safety, was held on 24 January, and this provided an opportunity for those present to receive a full briefing on the CDRP audits and strategies, and to discuss arising issues in depth. In addition, Members were given a presentation by the Oxfordshire Police Commander. Key points that arose from the seminar related to anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime and are set out below:

• Ensure young people are involved in solutions
• Work jointly with district councils
• Ensure "proper" funding for the youth service
• Provide adequate street lighting

• Make more use of media and promote more good news stories
• Increase communication with both older and young people

8. Subsequently, Community Safety Scrutiny Committee considered a report on the draft strategies on 14 February, and while points were made about the need to build stronger links between older citizens and young people, it found no reason to amend them.

RECOMMENDATIONS

9. The Executive is RECOMMENDED, to note the views expressed by Members in general, and the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee in particular, and RECOMMEND the Council to approve the CDRP strategies.

JOHN PARRY
Director of Community Safety

Background Papers: CDRP Audits; draft CDRP strategies

Contact Officer: Bruce McLaren Tel 01865 258516

March 2005

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