Items Of Business
Apologies
Apologies from members.
Councillor Perrie, O Reid and D Mair (all Renfrewshire Council); S Cruikshank (Forum for Empowering Communities); W Kennedy (North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority); L King (Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration); P Nelis (Scottish Fire and Rescue); and A Dick (West College Scotland).
Declarations of Interest
Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest.
There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.
Minute of the previous meeting held on 15 December, 2015.
1
There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Safer & Stronger Renfrewshire Thematic Board held on 15 December 2015.
DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.
Report by Director of Finance & Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
2
The Rolling Action Log was submitted for approval.
DECIDED:
(a) It was agreed that as action S&S.02.09.15(11) - Self Assessment Update was complete that it be removed from the Action Log; and
(b) That the Action Log be approved.
Presentation by G Paterson, Scottish Government.
3(a)
A presentation was given by G Paterson from the Scottish Government relative to a review of the Scottish Strategic Police Priorities.
The presentation outlined the current Strategic Police Priorities and provided context to the review; detailed what they were trying to achieve and highlighted the programme of engagement; and summarised the next steps in the programme.
Discussion took place on examples of good practice which were occurring throughout the Renfrewshire area; the sharing of good practice; and the strong partnership working within Renfrewshire.
DECIDED: That the presentation be noted.
Report by S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
3(b)
There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to the Police Scotland review of their Annual Plan 2016/17, a copy of the draft plan was
appended to the report.
The report intimated that Police Scotland were seeking views of key stakeholders on the proposed plan which had been developed with a focus on the themes of localism, prevention, collaboration and equality and participation. Comments on the plan were being sought by 5 February 2016 with the aim to develop and publish a final version of the plan by April 2016. Section 3 of the report set out a proposed response which suggested a number of points which could be considered as Police Scotland finalised the plan.
DECIDED: That the attached Draft Annual Police Plan 2016/17 and draft response submitted for the approval of the Housing and Community Safety Policy Board on 26 January, 2016 as set out in Section 3 of the report be noted.
Report by S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
3(d)
There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to Her
Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Scotland (HMICS) review of their annual Scrutiny
Plan to develop a planned inspection programme for 2016/17.
The report intimated that an amended version of the HMICS Scrutiny Plan 2015/16, a
copy of which was appended to the report, was being used as the basis for the review.
Forensic Services, Cyber Crime, National Crime Recording, together with follow up work
on both Stop & Search and Call Handling form a number of the planning inspections
within the current proposed programme which ran from 2014/17. HMICS were seeking
views of key stakeholders on the proposed inspections and any topical, high risk or
emerging areas in policing that could be included within the 2016/17 annual inspection
programme.
DECIDED: That the adoption of the approach as recommended by Police Scotland be agreed.
Report by S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
4
A report was submitted by the the Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council relative to a Multi-Agency approach to building safer and greener communities.
The report advised that following discussions with Police Scotland and the Community Safety and Public Protection Steering Group, the monthly tasking process was being developed into a Renfrewshire Multi-Agency Tasking Group. This would develop the principles set out in the Building Safer Communities National Strategy of reducing victims of crime and reducing victims of unintentional harm to carry out structured multi-agency interventions in key communities to help them build capacity to resolve issues
which affected the area in which they lived.
The report advised that Police Scotland had successfully implemented this approach in a number of communities with positive results and with the full co-operation of all other partners with an agreement to participate, allocate and focus resources as required.
It was highlighted that the group would identify geographical areas with vulnerabilities and problems that could be addressed by a multi-agency approach, including high numbers of victims of crime and victims of unintentional harm. Over a six week period the group, made up of relevant Community Planning Partners, would work together to make improvements in the local community with a view to building long term community capacity. The proposed model would support a number of key priorities currently being taken forward by Community Planning Partners.
The report intimated that an evidence based action plan would be developed to tackle issues relating to each area where there was evidence of need using the EPIC approach of Enforcement, Prevention, Intelligence and Communication. This will be carried out in 4 phases and the Group would access and coordinate the relevant partner resources required to tackle the issues identified in each area. The group would operate throughout the 2016 – 17 financial year using the additional capacity delivered by the Tackling Poverty Special Wardens and Special Constables programme to focus on key tackling poverty communities and town centres. The intention was to engage with between 6 and 8 communities during 2016/17, starting in March 2016 when the Special Wardens and Special Constables would be in place during the 2016/17 financial year.
DECIDED:
(a) That the adoption of the approach as recommended by Police Scotland be agreed;
(b) That the content of the report be noted;
(c) That it be noted that further update reports would be presented to the Board as the approach was implemented.
Report by D Hawthorn, Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice, Renfrewshire Council.
5
There was submitted a report by the Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice, Children's Services, Renfrewshire Council.
The report advised that the inspection was part of a national programme of scrutiny and was the first time that all children’s services in Renfrewshire had been inspected jointly. The inspection had taken place between December 2014 and February 2015 and the findings, which were attached to the report, had been published on 11 December 2015. The inspection measured progress against nine quality indicators marked against a six point scale.
Renfrewshire received six “very good”, two “good” and one “adequate” grades which was a very positive result given the scale of the inspection. This placed Renfrewshire in the top four of such inspections undertaken to date. The inspection recognised that the community planning partners and elected members were all highly committed to working together and had a compelling vision, value and aims, with meaningful ownership across the partnership to collaboratively realise the vision.
DECIDED:
(a) That the contents of the report be noted; and
(b) That the positive impact of the Street Stuff programme in contributing to positive outcomes for children and young people in Renfrewshire be noted.
Report by D Hawthorn, Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice, Renfrewshire Council.
6
A report was submitted by the Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council relative to an update on the Renfrewshire Community Justice Transitions Plan 2016/17.
The report advised that a number of community planning partners referred to in the Bill as statutory community justice partners would be responsible for working together to publish a community justice outcomes improvement plan from 2017 onwards. As such, Community Planning Partnerships were to be central to the new community justice arrangements. These arrangements would commence on 1 April 2016 with a shadow year, with full responsibility from 1 April 2017 when Community Justice Authorities were disestablished. In the interim, North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority would continue to submit their Area Plan progress reports to the Scottish Government.
The report intimated that locally, community justice partners were required to prepare and submit a transition plan to the Scottish Government by the end of January 2016 covering the shadow year. In consultation with the Community Justice Steering Group the Renfrewshire Community Justice Transition Plan 2016/17 had been developed and was detailed as an appendix within the report. The Plan was agreed at the Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership Board on 9 December 2015 and was submitted to Scottish Government on 31 January 2015.
DECIDED: The the Transitions Plan 2016/17 as detailed within the Appendix be noted.
Report by S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
7
A report was submitted by the Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council relative to the revised partnership action plan.
The report advised that on 2 September 2015 the Board recognised that significant progress had been achieved and that a review of the partnership action plan should be undertaken. This task had now been completed and the revised action plan was detailed as an Appendix to the report. It was noted that partners were required to review the existing milestones and provide an update prior to the next meeting of the Safer and Stronger Renfrewshire Thematic Board meeting.
The revised plan, as detailed below in Appendix 1, will ensure that the Board continues to meet the ambitious targets and long term vision for Renfrewshire.
DECIDED:
(a) That the revised action plan as detailed within the report be agreed;
(b) That it be agreed that partners would review the milestones as detailed within the action plan;
(c) That the strategic direction as detailed within the report be agreed;
(d) That it be agreed to continue to monitor the action plan as highlighted within the report; and
(e) That the Action Plan be submitted to every alternate Board meeting.
Report by S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
8
There was submitted an update report by the Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council on progress to deliver a range of initiatives linked to environmental enforcement and improvement activities; protecting vulnerable residents; building safer communities; diversionary activities; the development of the integrated control room and CCTV; and the Review of Strategic Police Priorities.
DECIDED: That the report be noted.
Update by Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council.
9
A report was submitted by the Director of Community Resources, Renfrewshire Council relative to the publication of the Scottish Community Safety Network Newsletter for January 2016
The report advised that it provided a strategic voice for community safety in Scotland and worked collaboratively with members and partner agencies, to champion community safety and influence the shaping and development of national policy and local delivery.
The January edition included Public Space CCTV - learning from our neighbours; SCSN Annual Survey NOW OPEN; Empowering Communities Fund: giving communities a stronger voice in the decisions that matter to them; and Domestic Abuse Consultation Launched.
DECIDED: That the content of the January edition of the Scottish Community Safety Network newsletter, Safety NET-works be noted.