Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Milton.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 1^st November 2022 (circulated previously) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair advised the Sub-Committee of the “Reclaim the Night March” which was taking place in Barnstaple on Saturday 9^th December. It would be starting from Barnstaple Square at 4:30pm.

Please telephone the Corporate and Community Services team to prepare a form for your signature before the meeting. Interests must be re-declared when the item is called. A declaration of interest under the Code of Conduct will be a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, an Other Registrable Interest or a Non-Registrable Interest.  If the item directly relates to your interest you must declare the interest and leave the room for the item, save in the case of Other Registrable Interests or Non-Registrable Interests where you may first speak on the item as a member of the public if provision has been made for the public to speak.  If the matter does not directly relate to your interest but still affects it then you must consider whether you are affected to a greater extent than most people and whether a reasonable person would consider your judgement to be clouded, if you are then you must leave the room for the item (although you may speak as a member of the public if provision has been made for the public to speak) or, if you are not, then you can declare the interest but still take part).

There were no declarations of interest announced.

Report by the Chair of the North Devon and Torridge Community Safety Partnership (attached).

Members of the North Devon Council Crime and Disorder Sub-Committee, and Torridge District Council’s External Overview and Scrutiny Committee were present for the update.

Superintendent Toby Davies introduced himself as the current Chair of the Community Safety Partnership. 

Members were also introduced to: Kevin Connar (Community Safety Sergeant), Inspector Andrew Wills (Barnstaple Town Inspector), Chief Inspector Graham Thomas (North and West Devon Chief Inspector), and Inspector Richard Preston (North Devon and Ilfracombe Inspector).

Superintendent Davies gave a brief detail of the background to the role of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and confirmed that there was a legal requirement for the partners to work together with regard to domestic, homicidal review, suicide (off the back of domestic abuse) and knife crime.

Superintendent Davies noted that the majority of officers involved in the CSP had been appointed since the previous meeting (of November 2022), and that this CSP was the only one within the Devon area which was chaired by police personnel. He would be ‘sitting back’ from his position as Chair but would still be involved with the CSP.

Superintendent Davies highlighted the main areas of focus – these were confirmed as:

·         Serious violence (including violence against women and girls)

·         Safer Streets (including anti-social behaviour (ASB))

·         Emerging Threats (including Hate Crime)

The main points highlighted were as follows:

·         The Devon and Cornwall area remained one of the safest.

·         Anti-social behaviour had reduced by 17%

·         The area was, in the majority, rural, which gave a greater sense of isolation and vulnerability among its residents.

·         Local threats were most likely ‘hidden from view’ in the form of domestic violence.

·         Project ‘Night time’ was looking to tackle problems caused by the night-time economy.

·         The success of the recently-introduced ‘night-bus’ service between Bideford and Barnstaple.

·         Street Marshalls

·         County Lines / Cuckoo-ing / drug dealing networks.

·         ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign – and other campaigns within the licensing trade – eg identifying vulnerable customers, anti-drink spiking campaigns.

·         theCSP area was responsible for sharing the highest amount of Partnership Intelligence through to Devon & Cornwall Police.

Superintendent Davies advised that:

·         the Safer Streets initiative had helped to reduce crime although the main benefit was the improvement in visible behaviour, and the reduction of the public feeling unsafe in the towns.

·         Joint patrols had taken place.

·         There had been an increase in the number of Community protection notices being issued.

·         ASB House closures had been issued where properties had been linked to drug supply.

·         A tailored-approach to working with the individuals causing the most issues: identifying those people and assigning case-workers to help them.

·         Tackling Hate Crimes would be given a higher priority.

·         The Police were interested in the possibility of utilising ‘hubs’ within Bideford and Barnstaple. NDC were consulting on the possible creation of a community hub in Green Lanes, Barnstaple, and TDC were considering using office space at Jubilee Square, Bideford.

The Public Health and Community Safety Manager (TDC) advised the Sub-committee that:

·         PSPOs for alcohol and ASB had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.