Agenda item

To receive the presentation of Dean Sargeant (Director: Neighbourhood & Enforcement Services).

The Cabinet Member for Stronger and Safer Communities will attend for this item.

The Committee received a presentation from the Service Delivery Manager:  Safer, Stronger Communities about Safer Stronger Communities.

Members heard an overview of the project, a £2.5m two year investment programme with £500,000 Police and Crime Commission (PCC) funding. The programme has 12 primary areas of focus. It was said that these areas had been identified from data and intelligence that informed the decisions and priorities; local stakeholder engagement; and community involvement and co-production. The Service Delivery Manager explained that the approach built on the community COVID-19 response which focussed on working with community stakeholders and local external partners, parish and Borough council collaboration to meet local need.

It was explained that the Safer Stronger Communities programme was taking a multi-agency approach that looked at tackling the causes of crime and provided local problem solving aimed at helping the community. The programme focused on social regeneration so that the local community could take ownership of, and pride in, their community.

Members heard that the programme started in Brookside and would continue into Sutton Hill, building upon a number of investments; Safer Streets 1 & 2, CCTV, and the Community Action Teams.

The Service Delivery Manager went on to explain how the Safer, Stronger Communities Plan had been devised. The framework for the programme was a systematic action plan that used a whole system approach which included service providers and local authorities working collaboratively so that the community could take 'ownership' in their area.

Six priorities had been identified for the programme: Education, Skills & NEETs; Housing Standards; Crime Reduction; Environmental Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour; Community Resilience; and, Health Inequalities.

Members were informed about the Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAPs) for the programme. Members heard that each area of Safer, Stronger communities programme has a NAP. It was explained that this was a targeted intervention approach that was based on geographical location and common issues.

It was explained that for the NAPs there were borough wide themes that they were working to support. These were, a lack of Youth Provision; Severity of Crime(it was explained that they were working with the St Giles trust to brings in targeted approaches to areas of crime like gangs;) Private Sector Housing (with a particular focus on poorly managed Houses of Multiple Occupancy ;) NEETs; and CCTV & Additional Street Lighting.    

Members heard that the programme would be evaluated based upon performance. There were a series of performance measures that, at the time of the meeting, were being developed to monitor the success of the programme. These included monitoring levels of recorded crime, anti-social behaviour and fly tipping; monitoring the NEET data; school exclusions; HMO mapping; and, levels of unemployment in those areas.

Following the presentation, the Committee heard from the Cabinet Member for Stronger and Safer Communities, who noted that this was building on the 10-year Cooperative council investment the council had put in place. The aim for the programme was to work with different trusts and partners for future funding and for sustainability for the community. It was hoped that the project would be rolled out across the Borough.

After the presentation, Members posed a number of questions:

Are there plans for further digital engagement with young people?

There are ambitions to look at how digital technology and engagement could be used to engage with young people.

Sports are used to engage with young people, are there other activities that can be used to engage with them?

There is an importance in engagement with young people to build lasting relationships based on supporting them. The Cabinet Member discussed the example of South Telford and explained that 12 young people, not previously identified as NEET, were identified to work with partners to see how best to support them, such as using IT for development and access to support.

The targeted approach that the programme had adopted would utilise digital services to create different levels of bespoke support. This was to work with different people and engage with them through different issues by using the skills of communities and local services to provide targeted support.

Is there the possibility to bring this programme to other wards that face similar issues?

The wards identified for this programme were identified on locality and similarity of issues but there was the possibility of expanding to other wards in the future.

What is the involvement of the police and schools with Council cross collaboration?

There was a close working relationship with local schools and the police to provide support to communities. A multi-disciplinary approach was largely used for sustainability of the programme.

Young people involved in sport is helpful and essential for some to help them through issues, has a gender balance been considered for the programme?

Gender balance was important and there were events and sports programmes for all. There were five different open events for support that could be accessed across the Borough, in collaboration with AFC Telford. There were, for example, boxing groups for both girls and women in one area. The programme had zero tolerance of abuse towards girls and women and the project aimed to promote this.

Is there consideration of working with vulnerable young people as part of this programme?

It was explained that this is what the work with the St. Giles trust will explore.

RESOLVED - that the Committee

i)             Endorse the approach the Telford & Wrekin Safer, Stronger Communities Programme.

ii)            Considered the approach taken to develop Neighbourhood Action Plans and any intervention that could be taken into account going forward.

iii)          Note that the planned roll out of this investment programme in 2022 and the community engagement taken to date.