LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BOARD–10 NOVEMBER 2010

PART I - DELEGATED

9.COMMUNITY SAFETYACTION PLAN2010/11 – QUARTER 2/HALF YEARUPDATE

(DCES)

1.Summary

1.1To provide the Board with an update of the Community Safety Action Plan for 2010/11 at the end of quarter2.

2.Details

2.1The Three Rivers Community Safety Strategy and Action Plan 2010/11 was agreed by the Community Safety Partnership Board at its meeting on 25 March 2010. The plan contains actions and projects which link into the following priorities which were identified through the Partnership’s Strategic Assessment and public consultation:

  • Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage (including fires)
  • Burglary dwelling
  • Burglary other
  • Violent crime including robbery
  • Vehicle crime
  • Domestic violence
  • Drug and alcohol misuse (including underage drinking)
  • Hate crimes
  • Managing offenders and persistent priority offenders
  • Inconsiderate motoring – including mobile phone use, speeding, and inconsiderate parking at school gates

2.2The action plan is monitored by the Community Safety Co-ordinating group on a quarterly basis and progress is reported up to the Community Safety Partnership Board. The action plan helps the Community Safety Partnership to focus its efforts to where they can have the greatest impact in preventing and reducing crime and disorder across the District.

The updated action plan is contained in Appendix A

2.3The funding amount allocated to the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership in 2010/11 to help fund local initiatives is £75,499.

3.Options/Reasons for Recommendation

3.1This report informs the Board on actions planned and carried out during the first half of 2010/11 which help work towards achieving the objectives and targets set out by the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership.

4.Policy/Budget Reference and Implications

4.1The implementation of the action plan is in accordance with the priorities agreed within the Community Safety Strategy for 2010/2011 and within the allocated funding.

5.Financial Implications

5.1Partners have considered future revenue implications as part of their service and budget planning.

5.2The total Home Office allocation for 2010/11is £75,499.

6.Legal, Staffing, Customer Services Centre, and Communications & Website Implications

6.1 None specific.

7.Equal Opportunities Implications

7.1Relevance Test

Has a relevance test been completed for Equality Impact?
(Please see Appendix B) / Yes
Did the relevance test conclude a full impact assessment was required?
(Please see Appendix C) / Yes

7.2Impact Assessment

What actions were identified to address any detrimental impact or unmet need?

The Equalities Impact Assessment which was completed on the 2010-11 Action Plan did not highlight any new areas for action. As suggested in the 2009-10 EIA – equalities data will continue to be collected from Partnership funded projects.

8.Environmental Implications

8.1The implementation of the action plan has had a positive impact on the local environment through such things as the removal of graffiti and abandoned vehicles.

9.Community Safety Implications

9.1The implementation of the action plan ensured that the strategy was translated into the work programmes of all partner agencies in order to achieve the targets laid down by the strategy.

10.Risk Management and Health & Safety Implications

10.1Three Rivers District Council has agreed its risk management strategy which can be found on the website at This strategy has been used for the Local Strategic Partnership. In addition, the risks of the proposals in the report have also been assessed against the Council’s duties under Health and Safety legislation relating to employees, visitors and persons affected by our operations. The risk management implications of this report are detailed below.

10.2The subject of this report is covered by the Leisure and Community Service Plan. Any risks resulting from this report will be included in the risk register and, if necessary, managed within this plan.

10.3There are no risks to the Board in agreeing the recommendations.

10.4There are no risks to the Board in rejecting the recommendations.

11.Recommendation

11.1That the Board notes the updated community safety action plan for 2010/11 contained within Appendix A.

Report prepared by:Nikki Stageman, Community Safety Manager

Data Quality

Data sources:

  • Crime statistics provided by IQUANTA April - September 2010
  • Hate Crime statistics provided by Hertfordshire Constabulary April -September 2010
  • Domestic Violence statistics provided by Hertfordshire Constabulary April - September 2010
  • Noise data provided by Environmental Health (TRDC) April - September 2010
  • Fly-tipping data provided by Environmental Services (TRDC) April -September 2010
  • Grafitti data provided by Thrive HomesApril -September 2010

Data checked by: Andy Stovold, Community Partnerships Manager

Data rating:

1 / Poor
2 / Sufficient / 
3 / High

Background Papers

2010/11 Community Safety Strategy and Action Plan

APPENDICES / ATTACHMENTS

A – Strategy and Action plan 2010/11

B – Relevance Test

C – Full Equalities Impact Assessment

APPENDIX A

Three Rivers Rolling Strategy and Action Plan (20010/11) - Community Safety

PART ONE

Statement of purpose

The Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership exists so partners can work together to reduce and prevent crime and disorder.

Introduction

Under the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act, a duty has been placed on Three Rivers District Council, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Hertfordshire County Council, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, National Health Service Hertfordshire, and the Hertfordshire Police Authority to work together with other groups, agencies and local people to develop and implement a strategy for preventing and reducing crime and disorder.

Since its inception, the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has grown to be an active and cohesive partnership, delivering real benefits for the communities it serves.

What does the Community Safety Partnership look like?

The Community Safety Partnership consists of many stakeholders who are each accountable for reducing crime and disorder in the local area. In order to facilitate this aim the Community Safety Partnership has developed three levels of responsibility.

The Community Safety Board receives and interprets summary intelligence about the needs of the community, such as fear of crime, hotspots and drug prevalence and uses this to set and adjust the strategic direction of the partnership, set priorities, allocate resources, and to develop an evidence based approach to the partnership.

The Co-ordinating Group gathers detailed intelligence to establish base lines, develop plans, solve community safety problems and monitor progress and outcomes. It also establishes the delivery groups appropriate to the delivery of the Community Safety Strategy.

At the community level there are delivery groups whose focus is to manage and resolve locality-based issues should they arise.

Communication between the three levels of the Community Safety Partnership is a two-way process with information feeding both up and down.

Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership Structure

PART TWO

What Has Been Done Over the Last Year?

Over the past year 2009-2010 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership worked towards the following priorities and targets:

Priorities

  • Reducing crime – particularly the following:
  • Burglary (Particularly dwelling burglaries)
  • Vehicle Crime
  • Violent Crime with an emphasis on Domestic Violence
  • ASB – including criminal damage and excluding abandoned vehicles and drug paraphernalia finds.
  • General ASB hotspots of South Oxhey, Maple Cross and Leavesden followed by Rickmansworth and Abbots Langley.
  • Underage drinking – Particularly in South Oxhey
  • Managing Offenders and PPO
  • Hate Crime (as we know this is under-reported)
  • Tackling the fear of crime

Targets

  • To reduce vehicle crime by 3%
  • To reduce criminal damage by 3%
  • To reduce burglary dwelling by 3%
  • To reduce burglary other by 3%
  • To reduce violent crime by 3%
  • To reduce the following types of ASB

-Graffiti – To reduce by 3% per year

-Fly tipping – To reduce by 4% per year

-Actual Abandoned Vehicles – No target

-Noise complaints – To reduce by 5% per year

  • Year on year increase the reporting of Domestic Violence incidents but reduce repeat incidents
  • Year on year increase reports of hate crime but reduce repeat incidents

Action plans

To help achieve the targets listed above the Community Safety Partnership produced an action plan; some of the projects contained within the plan are shown below.

Please note that the list is not exhaustive and if you wish to view a full copy of the plan please contact Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 or

  • Increased the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s)
  • Put in place ASBO’s and ABC’s (where necessary)
  • Funded diversionary activities for young people – such as football and other youth activities.
  • Funded a motorcycle project.
  • Carried out a graffiti removal scheme
  • Contributed to the West Herts Against Crime (WHAC) – Home Security Service
  • Contributed to towards the local Crime Prevention Panel
  • Made contributions towards the New Hope Trust (Day care Centre and Night Shelter)
  • Put in place environmental improvements such as lighting, fencing and gating
  • Maintained Alcohol Banning Zones (where necessary)
  • Funded a Domestic Violence Intervention Worker.
  • Produced distraction burglary calendars and door stickers.

Progress against the targets

Offence Type / Baseline Figure / % Reduction / End of Year Target / End of Mar 2010 result / On / Off Target
Vehicle Crime / 793 / -3% / 769 / 626 / 
Criminal Damage / 975 / -3% / 946 / 881 / 
Burglary Dwelling / 387 / -3% / 375 / 303 / 
Burglary Other / 226 / -3% / 219 / 253 / 
Violent Crime / 557 / -3% / 573 / 503 / 
Graffiti / 145 / -3% / 141 / 95 / 
Fly-tipping / 454 / -4% / 436 / 377 / 
Abandoned Vehicles / 45 / No Target / No Target / TBC / N/A
Noise Complaints / 412 / -5% / 392 / 477 / 
Domestic Violence / 255 / N/A / Repeat % unknown / 186 / N/A
Hate Crime / 3 / 93 / N/A

Hertfordshire Local Area Agreement

Since March 2006 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has also been contributing towards achieving the Hertfordshire Local Area Agreements (LAA). We are now in the phase of LAA 2 which will run until March 2011

The Community Safety element of LAA2 falls under the theme of Safer and Stronger Communities.

Long Term Objective

Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhoods and town centres

Short Term Actions

  • Reduce anti-social behaviour and disorder in our neighbourhoods and town centres through co-ordinated action led by the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs)

Measured by

NI 16 – Serious acquisitive Crime Rate

NI 17 – Perceptions of anti-social behaviour

NI 1 – % of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area.

  • Reduce repeat domestic violence and better support the victims of domestic violence through co-ordinated multi-agency actions

Measured by

NI 32 – Repeat incidents of domestic violence

  • Reduce drug and alcohol abuse through effective policing and expanded rehabilitation facilities to address addiction, particularly:

-alcohol abuse in East Herts, Stevenage and Welwyn Hatfield

-and smaller local hotspots

Measured by

N1 40 – Number of drug users recorded as being in effective treatment

Performance Against National Indicators

Indicator / Measure / Comment
NI 16 / 8.3/1000 / On target
NI 17 / 12.5% / Top quartile – 2nd best performance in Hertfordshire
NI 1 / 83.1% / Top quartile
NI 32 / 13.9% in Western BCU / Target is to be below 30%
NI 40 / See next page

Hertfordshire’s LAA 2008-2011

Safer and Stronger Communities

Lead Partnership: Chief Officers Group

National Indicator 40 Number of drug users recorded as being in effective treatment

Definition: The number of drug users using crack and/or opiates recorded as being in structured drug treatment in a financial year who were discharged from treatment after 12 weeks or more, or who were discharged from treatment in a care planned way.

Improvement Target: The percentage change in the number of drug users using crack and/or opiates recorded as being in structured drug treatment in a financial year who were discharged from treatment after 12 weeks or more, or who were discharged from treatment in a care planned way.

Percentage Increase: The DAAT have agreed an improvement target of 3% increase against the baseline over 3 years. This is detailed below.

CDRP Target Rationale: These localised targets have been calculated using quarter 3 NDTMS data (Tier 3 structured treatment only) broken down by the research and information officer to District level.

CDRP Area / % of total number in treatment Q3 08/09 / 08/09 / 09/10 / 10/11
Broxbourne / 9% / 149 / 150 / 152
Dacorum / 15% / 248 / 250 / 253
East Herts / 10% / 165 / 167 / 169
Hertsmere / 7% / 116 / 117 / 118
North Herts / 13% / 215 / 217 / 219
St Albans / 9% / 149 / 150 / 152
Stevenage / 11% / 182 / 184 / 186
Three Rivers / 4% / 66 / 67 / 67
Welwyn Hatfield / 12% / 198 / 200 / 202
Watford / 10% / 165 / 167 / 169
LAA Countywide Target / 1652 / 1669 / 1686

PART THREE

Moving Forward / Strategic Assessment

Since 2007 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has had a responsibility to produce a Partnership Strategic Assessment. The assessment includes data from partner agencies and helps paint a picture of what crime and ASB is like within the area of Three Rivers, identifying hotspot crime and disorder types and hotspot locations.

The Strategic Assessment is reviewed and completed on an annual basis which allows The Partnership to also review its priorities and targets on an annual basis.

Below are the priorities and targets set for 2010-11

New Priorities

  • Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage (including fires)
  • Burglary dwelling
  • Burglary other
  • Violent crime including robbery
  • Vehicle crime
  • Domestic violence
  • Drug and alcohol misuse (including underage drinking)
  • Hate crimes
  • Managing offenders and persistent priority offenders
  • Inconsiderate motoring – including mobile phone use, speeding, and inconsiderate parking at school gates

New Targets (To be based on 2009/10 end of year figures)

  • To reduce anti-social behaviour incidents reported to the Police by 3%
  • To reduce criminal damage by 3%
  • To reduce burglary dwelling by 3%
  • To reduce burglary other by 3%
  • To reduce violent crime by 3%
  • To reduce vehicle crime by 3%
  • Year on year increase the reporting of domestic violence incidents but reduce repeat offences
  • Year on year increase reports of hate crime but reduce repeat incidents
  • Reduce graffiti by 3%
  • Reduce fly-tipping by 3%
  • To have a 0% increase in noise reports
  • Reduce perception of anti social behaviour (NI 17) by 3%
  • Reduce serious acquisitive crime rate (NI 16) by 3%
  • Improve drug treatment (NI 40) by 1%
  • Scrutinise PPOs at Co-ordination Group

Alcohol Strategy

From 2008 onwards the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership also has a responsibility to produce an annual alcohol reduction strategy. Therefore the Partnership has included alcohol reduction as part of this Community Safety Strategy.

The Partnership will aim to carry out projects which target community safety, health and young people issues which are related to alcohol. However as the Partnerships Strategic Assessment highlighted the issue of underage drinking in relation to alcohol problems then this is the area where the Partnership will focus the majority of its efforts (in relation to alcohol).

The Partnership already has a Night Time Economy Action Plan in place which is available on request from the Community Safety Manager on 01923 776611 or at

1

PART FOUR

2010/11 Action Plan

CDRP / LAA Priorities / Project / Outcome / Performance measure / Status / Partner -ship Funding
2010/11 / Invoices Paid / Lead Contact Details
Tackling criminal damage
Reducing ASB / Graffiti removal from housing association, council and privately owned buildings and property. / A contribution towards reduction of criminal damage across the district / Number of graffiti reports
IQUANTA Criminal Damage data / Total 9 reports in Q2 (28 in Q1).
3 Offensive/racist reports (66% removed within 24 hours)
IQUANTA criminal damage reports down 12% on Q1. / £12,000
(£3k per qtr) / Penny Legg – Thrive Homes

TACKLING ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR (Particularly in Hotspot areas)
Reducing ASB / Anti-Social Behaviour Action Group (ASBAG) Meetings / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB by known offenders within the district. / Number of young people supported within the year.
Police ASB figures for Three Rivers / Three young people received ABCs in Q2.
There has beena noticeable reduction in ASB from one of the families supported by the FIP worker. / Nikki Stageman – TRDC
01923 727356

Reducing ASB / Mill End Youth Project to run on a Friday night to offer young people in the area a range of diversionary activities. / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district. / Police ASB figures for Three Rivers
Number of young people attending / During Q2 414 attendees against a target of 300.
Average of 34.5 per week(closed one week during summer). Q1 attendees 342. / Charlotte Masters– TRDC
01923 776611

Reducing ASB / Watford Football Club – Diversionary activity for young people to be carried out in the hotspot areas identified within the Strategic Assessment as hotspots for ASB underage drinking. / Project set up in the areas of Mill End and Maple Cross
Number of children attending
Monitor Alcohol Paraphernalia finds in the chosen areas. / Number of children attending
Monitor Alcohol Paraphernalia finds in the chosen areas. / WFC report 862 youths attended the project during Q2. (810 in Q1)
Visited WFC manager to explain that there are discrepancies in the numbers. They are reviewing their reporting and advertising practices.
Little or no recordable effect on drug or alcohol paraphernalia finds. / Neil Hart – WFC

01923 496258
ASB / Targeted Police patrols using the head cameras
Head cameras to be worn by local police officers to capture CCTV footage / evidence of anti social behaviour occurring within public places within Three Rivers / Reduction in ASB due to the cameras acting as a deterrent.
Footage to be used as part of the ABC / ASBO process if needed. / A reduction in the number Police incidents logs where the Police do not deal with offenders who commit anti social behaviour. / Police report that the cameras have a marked effect on youth ASB and that they are used every day by PCSOs. / Inspector George Holland
01923 472127

Reducing ASB
Reducing Crime
Reducing Fear of Crime / Use of re-deployable CCTV cameras at hotspot locations for ASB and crime.
Use of covert camera’s in neighbour/harassment cases / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district
A contribution towards a reduction in Crime within Three Rivers / Police ASB figures / CCTV cameras deemed a good deterrent. No specific data on impact on crime rates in area of deployment.
Maple Cross camera out of action for much of Q2 because power supply cut by building work. / Nikki Stageman – Three Rivers District Council