Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the guidance set out within the inside cover of the agenda.

Councillor A Feeney highlighted that he was the Council’s West Midlands Police and Crime Panel Member representative and an employee of HM Prison Service. Councillor Feeney remained in the meeting for its entirety and participated in all ensuing discussions.

To consider any questions or deputations in accordance with the Councils Standing Orders.

There were no questions or deputations.

To update the Scrutiny Board on progress against the agreed actions for the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) 4 Key Priorities.

In attendance:Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell (West Midlands Police); Superintendent Richard Harris (West Midlands Police); Diane Rhoden (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB); Fiona Hughes (Solihull Community Housing); Carol Trappett (Solihull Community Housing); Neil Appleby (Probation Service); Mrs Alison McGrory (Solihull MBC); Gillian Crabbe (Solihull MBC); Caroline Murray (Solihull MBC); and Councillor D Howell – Cabinet Member (Communities & Leisure).

The Board considered a number of progress updates from the Safer Solihull Community Safety Partnership (SSP) in regard to their detailed project action plans to tackle the Partnerships four key 2022/23 priorities:

1.  Violence Under-25: Key Priority Lead – West Midlands Police.

2.  Violence Against Women & Girls: Key Priority Lead – Birmingham & Solihull ICB.

3.  Anti-Social Behaviour: Key Priority Lead – Solihull Community Housing.

4.  Hate Crime: Key Priority Lead – Solihull MBC.

The introductory report and each project action plan were taken as read and the Board proceeded to ask the following questions and make the following observations:

·  Cllr A Burrow welcomed the report and its positive outlook. In doing so, Cllr Burrow referenced the emerging town centre re-developments within the Borough (e.g., Kingshurst) and asked what measures were in place to reduce and design-out crime and ASB from the onset. Officers confirmed that design considerations such as those were built into the planning stages of any new development/re-development. Cllr Burrow also asked what initiatives were in place to target litter, graffiti and general overgrowth of vegetation to lift the appearance of local areas and make them pleasant living spaces for residents. Officers advised that those examples fell into the category of “business as usual” and anything on Council owned land was normally dealt with quickly. For issues associated with privately owned land, such as overhanging branches near to footways, the Council would normally liaise with the property/landowners to negotiate a resolution. Finally, Cllr Burrow raised concerns regarding the use of nitrous oxide gas (specifically from small, pressurised metal containers) and their perceived contribution to ASB and other addictions. Officers advised that local public health colleagues were working with colleagues from across the West Midlands to develop a strategy to tackle the use of nitrous oxide canisters. West Midlands Police also highlighted their DOCO initiative (Design-Out Crime Officers) who were skilled in crime prevention and would engage at the planning stages of any new development/re-development to give advice on what was the most secure means of layout and design. With regard to overhanging vegetation in poorly lit areas such as alleyways and the perception of becoming crime hotspots, West Midlands Police highlighted that very few robbery offences took place in those locations, more so open areas and parks. Finally, the use of nitrous oxide was an emerging issue for West Midlands Police. Whilst it was not currently illegal to possess nitrous oxide, it was an offence to sell it to under 18’s and there was an opportunity to work with local trading standards to tackle under-age sales of that gas.

·  Cllr D Howell thanked the Board for their review of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Community Safety Partnerships have a statutory responsibility under the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to develop a strategic approach to reducing adult reoffending. This report outlines the current approach within Solihull to meet this responsibility.

In attendance:Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell (West Midlands Police); Superintendent Richard Harris (West Midlands Police); Diane Rhoden (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB); Neil Appleby (Probation Service); Mrs Alison McGrory (Solihull MBC); Gillian Crabbe (Solihull MBC); Caroline Murray (Solihull MBC); and Councillor D Howell – Cabinet Member (Communities & Leisure).

The Board considered a detailed report setting out the current strategic approach within Solihull to reduce adult reoffending and how the Safer Solihull Partnership was delivering its statutory responsibility under the Policing and Crime Act 2009.

Having considered the written report, delivery plan and introductory presentation by Neil Appleby, the Board asked the following questions and made the following observations:

·  Cllr J O'Nyons highlighted the Reoffending Delivery Plan and asked for further detail on what work was being done around family-based interventions. Cllr O’Nyons also asked for further detail on the local use of unpaid community service work. Neil Appleby advised that the delivery plan was still developing around family ties. One recent piece of work had been commenced and was looking at the children of prisoners and how the Partnership could better serve the needs of those children. In terms of community payback, the Board was advised that unpaid work still remained a significant element of community sentences. Mr Appleby advised that community payback could be better promoted in Solihull to raise its profile.

·  Cllr A Feeney asked how the Partnership and Probation Service liaised with prisons. Neil Appleby explained how local and national liaison was undertaken with key activities being triggered typically between 7 and 10 months prior to release; working with a variety of agencies. It was acknowledged that there were improvements that could be made to liaison and further work was ongoing to identify and implement improvements. Cllr Feeney highlighted the importance of the key worker programme within prisons who would normally be assigned to prisoners, noting the resourcing challenges that were evident. Drug and alcohol recovery was also discussed, and the Board asked what linkages were in place to continue that support once a prisoner was released. Mr Appleby explained that there was a target to engage with 70% of prisoners upon release and offer ongoing community treatment. The number of actual individuals was circa 25 to 30% and this was seen as a challenge. Several health and justice coordinators had now been employed at local level to strengthen the links between prison and community healthcare. Cllr Feeney also highlighted that when prisoners were released and resettled into new communities, key support linkages could be delayed or lost. The Partnership were asked what was being done to prevent this scenario and was advised that, within Solihull, there was a relatively low level of accommodation that was suitable for the needs of released offenders. Displaced released offenders, where necessary, would be accommodated geographically nearby within Birmingham. One of the most significant priorities going forward was to ensure that “supported accommodation” offered the correct levels of support for a released offenders needs.

·  Cllr B Donnelly highlighted the challenges around  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To inform the Board of the current position in respect of Neighbourhood Crime. To describe the impact of the of living crisis on this crime type. To describe Police and Partnership activity taking place to tackle offenders and prevent offending.

In attendance:Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell (West Midlands Police); Superintendent Richard Harris (West Midlands Police); Diane Rhoden (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB); Neil Appleby (Probation Service); Mrs Alison McGrory (Solihull MBC); Gillian Crabbe (Solihull MBC); Caroline Murray (Solihull MBC); and Councillor D Howell – Cabinet Member (Communities & Leisure).

The Board considered a detailed report setting out the current position in respect of neighbourhood crime (robbery, vehicle crime, house burglary and theft from person) and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on that crime type. The report also set out the Police and Partnership’s strategic activity taking place to tackle offenders and prevent offending.

Having considered the written report and introductory presentation by Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell, the Board asked the following questions and made the following observations:

·  Cllr M Carthew highlighted crime displacement and cross boundary policing and asked for further details as to how this worked in practice to tackle neighbourhood crime. West Midlands Police advised of the typical offending profiles and work undertaken which included intelligence sharing with colleagues in Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, together with British Transport Police and the Regional Organised Crime Unit to develop a better understanding of prolific offending. Additional work also included prison de-briefs with known offenders and the active management of released offenders within the community who still presented a risk of reoffending.

·  Cllr Mrs G Sleigh asked for further details on the reported neighbourhoods within the Borough with the peak number of offences and asked if there was any information to suggest that those areas had been targeted. West Midlands Police advised that organised crime groups would typically identify certain, higher-value, vehicle types which would then be stolen to order. Other crime pattens were opportunist (i.e., theft from a vehicle to fund substance misuse). The Board noted that the geographical layout of the Borough presented some challenges for policing, particularly within the rural areas. West Midlands Police also advised that they were able to call in additional support when required from motorway and traffic officers to help cover additional ground quickly when necessary.

·  Cllr S Sheshabhatter asked what proportion of uniformed neighbourhood policing took the form of foot patrols in comparison with vehicle patrols. West Midlands Police advised that virtually all uniformed officers at the Solihull NPU under the command of the Chief Superintendent would be involved in overt burglary patrols during their tour of duty. At the beginning of each shift, officers would be briefed on visible patrol requirements; some of that being on foot and some of that vehicle based and dependant on the operational needs and the type of crime in individual areas. West Midlands Police also highlighted the value of the Street Watch initiative as another visible deterrent.

·  Cllr A Feeney highlighted the value of local intelligence in tackling crime and asked what work was done with prisons to share intelligence to prevent reoffending upon release. West Midlands Police advised that the Regional Organised Crime Unit led that responsibility around regional prison intelligence. Cllr Feeney also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To inform the Board of the current position in respect of Youth Offending. To describe Police and Partnership activity taking place to tackle and prevent offending.

In attendance:Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell (West Midlands Police); Superintendent Richard Harris (West Midlands Police); Diane Rhoden (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB); Neil Appleby (Probation Service); Mrs Alison McGrory (Solihull MBC); Gillian Crabbe (Solihull MBC); Caroline Murray (Solihull MBC); and Councillor D Howell – Cabinet Member (Communities & Leisure).

The Board considered a detailed report setting out the current position in respect of youth offending. The report also set out the Police and Partnership’s strategic activity taking place to tackle and prevent offending.

Having considered the written report and introductory presentation by Superintendent Richard Harris, the Board asked the following questions and made the following observations:

·  Cllr S Sheshabhatter highlighted the value of community engagement, particularly with schools and colleges and asked how the success of such initiatives and interventions were measured. Cllr Sheshabhatter also noted that there were fewer youth clubs now as opposed to previous years and asked if there were any plans to increase that type of provision for young people. West Midlands Police advised that, with regard to youth provision, they were currently in discussion with a number of partners (such as Urban Heard) to try to establish new youth centres subject to funding being identified. In terms of the success of ongoing engagement, the Board was advised that a view would be taken at the end of the performance year to consider how effective those initiatives and interventions had been on a case study basis.

·  Cllr A Feeney noted the impact of knife crime on young people and welcomed the use and effectiveness of stop and search. Noting the policing resources allocated to schools and colleges, Cllr Feeney asked if the number of available officers (1 x Sergeant and 10 x PC’s) was sufficient to cover all the Borough’s schools. West Midlands Police explained how their engagement was undertaken and they highlighted, particularly, how their School Panels were run in the north and south of the Borough which allowed direct contact with numerous school head teachers simultaneously. The Board was also advised of Project Guardian (a Home Office funded project) which utilised data to intensify and focus patrols. West Midlands Police also confirmed that targets to undertake stop and search activities were not set.

·  Cllr D Howell highlighted the value of youth work and advised that Urban Heard had been a key partner in setting up the Youth Opportunities Board for Solihull. This was a collection of youth organisations brought together to share learning and work collaboratively to produce more opportunities for youth work across the Borough.

·  Cllr M Carthew asked what cross boundary work was done with schools just outside of the Borough boundary and was advised that for his ward as an example, the police would (when required) work closely with colleagues in Birmingham East NPU who would have similar initiatives in place to allow for that cross-over discussion on a need-by-need basis.

·  Cllr S Sheshabhatter highlighted the growing trend of video vloggers who filmed police buildings and attempted to engage with officers before  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The report provides an updated position on the local approach to domestic abuse, with a specific focus on progress on the delivery of new duties brought into effect by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

In attendance:Chief Superintendent Ian Parnell (West Midlands Police); Superintendent Richard Harris (West Midlands Police); Diane Rhoden (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB); Neil Appleby (Probation Service); Mrs Alison McGrory (Solihull MBC); Gillian Crabbe (Solihull MBC); Caroline Murray (Solihull MBC); and Councillor D Howell – Cabinet Member (Communities & Leisure).

The Board considered a detailed report setting out the current position on the local approach to domestic abuse; focusing on progress with the delivery of new duties brought into effect by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Having considered the written report, delivery plan and introductory presentation by Caroline Murray, the Board asked the following questions and made the following observations:

·  Cllr W Qais welcomed the work undertaken and highlighted the importance of measuring the impact and effectiveness of the new service provision. Officers advised that the delivery plan was informed by key partnership data and would be aligned with a performance scorecard with annual performance reporting being undertaken. External consultants had led on the needs assessment and that work had also strengthened the identification of data and created a more detailed performance scorecard which would be adopted from April 2023. These systems and processes would also help with the identification of trends (and changes to those trends) and measure the impact of service delivery. Officers also highlighted the commissioning of training; its evaluation and impact would also be an important service performance measure going forwards. Cllr Qais also asked for further information on the local Sanctuary Scheme that was to be re-commissioned. Officers advised that a service provider had now been commissioned and regular monitoring would be undertaken to review the number of referrals going forwards, together with opportunities for national learning to better understand the types of local support and interventions needed.

·  Cllr S Sheshabhatter highlighted the importance of early identification and prevention. Regarding awareness and healthy relationship work in schools, officers were asked how the effectiveness of those initiatives were monitored. The Board was advised that a mandatory healthy relationship teaching module for schools had been introduced by the Domestic Abuse Act and the effectiveness of that would be evaluated as part of a schools Ofsted inspection.

·  Cllr A Feeney also highlighted the importance of work within schools and, particularly, the timely emphasis of appropriate contact between peers as they matured and what was (and not) acceptable behaviours towards each other. Officers were asked if service demand was higher at certain times of the year or during certain events and was advised that, typically, the police would anticipate trends although there were many known aggravating factors and potential outcome scenarios to consider.

·  Cllr M Carthew asked what support and resources were available to e.g., religious groups and sectors of the community, such as the elderly, that relied on traditional methods of communication and may therefore miss digitally publicised events and initiatives to raise awareness and encourage reporting. Officers advised that several communication resources were now due to be refreshed following the pandemic. For older people, work had been commissioned with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.