PAPER G

 

                                                                                                               Purpose: For Decision

 

                        REPORT TO THE CABINET

 

Date:               21 MARCH 2006

 

Title:                ACCREDITED COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICERS

                       

REPORT OF THE CABINET MEMBER FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES

 

IMPLEMENTATION DATE: 31 March 2006


 

 


SUMMARY/PURPOSE

 

1.                  Cabinet are asked to approve the formation of a Team of ‘Accredited Community Support Officers’. The Team will significantly address environmental crime issues on the Isle of Wight.

 

BACKGROUND

 

2.         In order to further develop and strengthen the way that the Isle of Wight Council works with its partners to deliver its legal obligations under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act, 1998, the 2005 – 2008 Crime and Drug Strategy, and The Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003. The council investigated ways of delivering a community focussed crime reduction, reassurance and engagement programme designed to deliver tangible benefits in terms of quality of life issues, feelings of safety and the reduction of crime and anti social behaviour in our communities.  Against those priorities a proposal was developed to introduce a ‘Accredited Community Support Officer Scheme to the Island which would be managed by Safer Communities Unit and would work within the community to address these priorities. The proposed project is designed to deliver on both National and Council targets. 

 

In addition to that process they will also address community issues that fall within the remit of the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service to deliver their Integrated Risk Management Plan.  The ‘Injury Prevention’ and the Local Policing Plans.  These priorities directly relate to Aim High and are contained within the ‘Safer Stronger Block’ of the ‘Local Area Agreement’

 

This project will effectively deliver to the whole of the Safer Communities agenda including some of the issues that are currently within the remit of Consumer Protection, principally around ‘Dog Fouling’ but also having an effect on such things as the ‘Night Time Economy’ ‘Fly Tipping’ and other quality of life issues such as ‘Abandoned Vehicles’

 

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

 

3.         This proposal directly affects the strategic plans and responsibilities of the council in the following sense.  It is the delivery arm of actions designed to deal with a significant number of council targets and best value performance indicators it also evidences the key lines of enquiry for CPA surrounding empowerment problem solving, safety and reassurance. This link to the following key areas plans and strategies

 

·                    Local Area Agreement (LAA) - Delivery mechanism surrounding fear of crime community engagement crime reduction and anti social behaviour issues and link to LPSA grant bid.

 

·                    Corporate Plans (Aim High) - delivers to performance targets contained therein again around crime reduction agenda. Also forms a part of the ‘2006/7 Safer Communities Objectives’

 

·                    Service Plans – This project is a golden thread for delivery across directorate service plan and on down into team plan

 

·                    Local, National and Regional Plans & Strategies Delivers to the requirement of Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, The 2005 – 2008 Crime and Drug Strategy, the Safer Stronger Communities Plan agreed with Government Office for the Southeast and the ‘British Crime Survey’ crime reduction targets 2005 – 2008.

 

4.         The CSO will have a number of key roles including community support,            engagement, the accident prevention agenda and reassurance.   A number of services will be provided for the community which will include:

 

·        Environmental visual audits

·        Reassurance and visibility

·        Community engagement and solutions, community projects

·        Graffiti removal

·        Litter, abandoned vehicles and fly tipping enforcement

·        Accident prevention – falls risk assessment, fire safety awareness

·        Management of dog fouling, inclusive of issuing fines

·        Night time economy issues around disorder and criminal damage

·        Anti Social behavior projects and response

 

These services will directly correlate with the performance indicators and BVPI already discussed

 

CONSULTATION

 

5         All partnership member organisations of the ‘Safer Communities Board’ with multi agency working party led by elected members and supported by council officers and the police. This process has appeared in the Isle of Wight County Press and has been discussed within community fora and public meetings specifically relating to the anti social behaviour response. It has also formed a part of the wider discussions taking place as a part of the Crime and Drug Audit 2004 and the development of the Crime and Drug Strategy 2005-2008.

 

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

 

6.                  Financial year 2006-2007: £91,000 revenue agreed at the budget and ongoing.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

7.                  Relevant Legislation is the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 primarily sections 17 and 115 for information sharing.  Other legislation they will work to will be elements of the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 in relation to investigations surrounding anti social behaviour. The duties performed by the staff will fulfil our obligations under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as their role is specifically designed to have an impact upon crime and disorder. This service will also have a wider impact upon the extensions to section 17 proposed in the Crime & Disorder Act review, that is to say the impact upon antisocial behaviour and drugs.  They will also be a delivery arm of several of the 2005 – 2008 Crime and Drug Strategy initiatives. There are no detrimental implications under the Human Rights or Race Relations Acts as the staff must act proportionately and within the law at all times the service provides protection of these rights for others.

 

OPTIONS

 

8.                  This paper is presented as the researched and preferred option of the council and its partners in order to deliver a quality service to the community in terms of the quality of life issues that have the most significant impact upon quality of life and the fear of crime and disorder. 

 

EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT

 

9.            This option is being put forward with a positive recommendation as it contains the measures that the council has identified in collaboration with its partners as providing a cost effective response to the responsibilities placed on it and other partners in terms of Section 17 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 the Delivery of the Crime and Drug Strategy.  It will also contribute to the performance measures contained within the Safer Stronger Block of the Local Area Agreement and the priorities surrounding safety and security contained within Aim High.  This option provides a cost effective link with communities in order that they have an effective communication route to highlight their concerns and locally focussed staff to deliver action with communities.

 

10.             Risks:  This project carries a low risk this mainly surrounds failure to deliver its priorities this is small due to the management tasking and co-ordinating process adopted deviations from delivery plans being quickly identified and action plans implemented.

 

The risks associated with the performance of the duties required are to be managed by an operating protocol and the provision of training thereby reducing the risks to the council of unlawful or litigious activities.  In addition the information sharing and tasking process has inbuilt safeguards.

 

11.             This project will also be supported the Prolific Offenders, Antisocial Behaviour, Youth Justice and injury prevention plans to enable action to be taken to resolve issues directed to the ACSO’s that it is beyond the powers to resolve themselves

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

12. To approve the formation of a Team of ‘Accredited Community Support Officers’

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

13.             Related and supporting documents:

 

·        Aim High

·        Local Area Agreement

·        2004 Crime and Drug Audit

·        2005 – 2008 Crime and Drug Strategy

·        Service and Team Plans Safer Communities

·        Anti Social behaviour protocol

·        Community support officers operating procedures and protocols

 

14.             It is not necessary to include any works published elsewhere (including other Committee reports and Minutes) but this may be extremely helpful to anyone reading the report and there inclusion is welcomed.

 

APPENDICES

 

15.             None

 

 

Contact Point :     Bill Pearce Strategic Lead Crime and Disorder Tel: 01983 550980 e-mail: [email protected].

 

 

SUE LIGHTFOOT

Strategic Director of Safer Communities

COUNCILLOR BARRY ABRAHAM

Cabinet Member for Safer Communities