Safer Arun Partnership meeting minutes 30 January 2024

Tuesday 30 January 2024 – 2.00pm
Pink Room, Arun Civic Centre

Attendees:

• AB Cllr. Alan Butcher (Chair)
• CR Carrie Reynolds (Arun DC)
• AL Amy Loaring (OSPCC)
• GS Giles Sparkes (WSFRS)
• AW Anthony Willis (WSFRS)
• MR Maria Redon (Public Health)
• RM Richard Munday (WSFRS)
• RP Rea Painter (WSCC Early Help)
• AC Cllr. Alison Cooper (ADC)
• AO Alex O’Keefe (WSCC Community Safety)
• DO Dax O’Connor (Arun DC)

Apologies received:

• Debra Balfour (NHS)
• Alistair Sherlock (Probation)
• Annabelle Goodenough (Crimestoppers)
• Philippa Gibson (WSCC Drug & Alcohol Commissioner)
• Liz Carter (NHS)
• CI Will Keating-Jones (Sussex Police)
• Insp. Ross Wickings (Sussex Police)

Agenda item 1:

AB welcomed everyone to the meeting and facilitated introductions.

Agenda item 2:

Confirmation of apologies given.

Agenda item 3:

Declarations of interest

None given.

Agenda item 4:

Minutes and matters arising from previous meeting on 24 October 2023

Vote taken and minutes agreed.

Agenda item 5:

Partnership Plan updates

Arun District Council, Community Safety team
DO had circulated written update with all meeting papers outlining the Council’s work since previous CSP meeting in relation to the partnership plan strategic priorities. Work being completed under all 4 priority headings. Noted that the Government’s fraud strategy states that fraud now accounts for over 40% of all reported crime and, while the partnership plan includes the aim to “reduce incidents and financial loss through fraud” it is not known what partners are doing in this area. The newly established WSCC Fraud Prevention Working Group aims to bring agencies together, but is SAP doing all it can?
No other partner updates provided ahead of the meeting.
Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
AL confirmed that the OSPCC has agreed CSP funding for 2024/25 and letters will be sent to the chair in the coming weeks. CSP monitoring return process to change for coming year and will be communicated with CSP leads. OSPCC would like to hear about examples of good news and best practice from CSPs. To chase police attendance.
WSCC Early Help
RP gave overview of work that Early Help are undertaking to support families in Arun, with reference to how these fit in with the partnership’s strategic priorities. Preventative work in schools is ongoing with link workers helping to identify children at an early stage with referrals completed as result. MACE process proving effective in raising concerns of exploitation of young people.
AB gave a reminder to all partners that sharing of information as to the work agencies are carrying out under the CSP partnership plan is important and certainly helps to reassure the public. Request that update reports are submitted.

Agenda item 6:

Drug Demand Analysis project
MR gave a comprehensive overview of this project, being undertaken across all districts in West Sussex, which is a follow-on from the 2021 Bognor Regis work. Agencies in Arun have been invited to participate and support by providing quantitative and qualitative data and insights; some are currently not engaging. RP asked whether children data was being considered as many early help plans have substance misuse involved. AO asked whether data sharing was an issue and pointed out that the project has been adopted by the Safer West Sussex Partnership so should ease any concerns.

Agenda item 7:

Community Safety Survey 2023

DO ran through results of the public consultation and highlighted –

• Top 5 responses to the question “in your view, what should the Safer Arun Partnership focus on?” are all embedded within the partnership plan which is positive in that resident’s concerns are reflected in the work carried out.
• 73.1% of respondents said that they feel safe in their neighbourhood during the day;
• 30.2% answered yes when asked if they felt safe at night.
• Average response of 4.19/10 when asked how much of a problem crime is in your local neighbourhood.
• Average response of 6.76/10 when asked how much of a problem ASB is in your local neighbourhood.
• 81.7% of respondents had experienced criminal or anti-social behaviour either personally, as a witness, or both.
• 63.8% of those did not report the incident.
• Top reasons given for not reporting incidents included:—
  • I didn’t think anything would be done about it;
  • I didn’t know the best place to report it;
  • I didn’t want to get involved; and
  • I though someone else would report it.

It was agreed to endorse the WSCC ‘You said, we did.’ Response to inform residents that we are acting on the responses. This will start with a written update to be posted on the consultation webpage, and to adopt the proposed ‘See it. Report it.’ window stickers and cards to encourage reporting of incidents. ACTION: DO to finalise design for ‘See it. Report it.’ campaign and share with partners.

Agenda item 8:

Agenda item 8a:

Funding applications

• Match funding bid for CCTV at The Arcade, Littlehampton

Bid for £675.50 unanimously agreed.

ACTION: DO to arrange payment of funds to applicant.

Agenda item 9:

AOB
AO advised partners of development of a violence exploitation dashboard which will be used to highlight local trends and emerging risks. It is hoped that this will provide CSPs with local insights and to help drive work around serious violence.
AL reiterated that CSP funding to me notified by the Commissioner in February/March. Noted that PCC elections taking place in May 2024. A CSP lead officers meeting to be held in April. Immediate Justice pilot project in Brighton has been a success and encouraged agencies to consider whether they could utilise this scheme themselves.
CR advised the meeting that the Council’s ASB team are holding an open event for youth service providers the at start of February to get the ball rolling in relation to the proposed Arun Youth Engagement Project.