Promoting a Safe Society Cross-Cutting Best Value Review - March, 2001. APPENDIX A

Recommendations & Action Plan

Accident Prevention
Recommendation	Responsibility	Target Date	Progress at 18.10.01	No report since 18/10/01 but Chairman and Co-ordinator of APF available on request.
ap1. The Accident Prevention Forum (APF) should report formally to the Council’s Fire & Public Safety Select Committee.	Chairman and Committee, Fire & Public Safety Select Committee	30 September, 2001	Achieved.
ap2. Through the Accident Prevention Forum, to continue to raise awareness of the types of accident most likely to occur, with examples and means of prevention.	Accident Prevention Forum	31 March, 2002 & ongoing	Recent campaigns comprise: • Fire Safety Audit & Smoke detectors • Car safety seats • Car accident scenarios In progress: • Safety House • Prescription for the older person • Home check • Handy man Advertised for part time forum co-ordinator to be able to: • Increase public awareness • Facilitate & co-ordinate the forum and its sub groups • Seek further funding for specific campaigns • Manage existing and proposed campaigns	∙ On going fire safety audits and smoke detector fitting. ∙ Car Safety seats campaign April 2002. ∙ Accident Prevention Coordinator appointed 31st January 2002 - one year contract renewable for further 2 years. ∙ Safety House Ryde opened May 2002 until Sept. ∙ Home check bid unsuccessful. ∙ Handyman bid - Age Concern to submit. ∙ Better accident statistics to be collected. ∙ Research into causes of falls in elderly ∙ Skateboard Safety display at Cowes and Ryde. ∙ Promotion of “Think Safe be Safe” message. ∙ Possible partnership with Hampshire ∙ Successful bid from children’s fund to supply free first aid book and training for all 7 and 9 year olds. ∙ £2500 available for autumn electricblanket campaign.1500 available for active elderly project.
ap3. Support the work of the Accident Prevention Forum and consider funding requests that may arise.	Fire & Public Safety Select Committee	Budget year 2002/3 & ongoing	Support requested from and given by this Committee for Accident Prevention bid to Dti for £50,000. Regrettably, the bid failed.	No bid for funding to date but requests likely in future.

Crime Prevention
Recommendation	Responsibility	Target Date	Progress at 18.10.01	Progress at 15.5.02
cp1. Raise the profile of the Community Safety Partnership among Councillors and work towards achieving a greater public recognition of the Partnership’s existence and of the work that it carries out.	CSP / Fire & Public Safety Select Committee	Ongoing	The Crime and Disorder Partnership will now meet annually at a conference organised by the Crime and Disorder Team, the next conference will be held in January 2002. The Partnership has a new name, logo and soon to be launch website. The Crime and Disorder Team have new offices, which will be officially opened by the Chief Constable in November. The Crime and Disorder Team recently held a national conference on rural crime, which elected members were invited to and attended. More is being undertaken over the coming months and years.	The Crime and Disorder Partnership website went online from the 26^th March 2002. Press Releases are being issued on a regular basis and news item appear regularly within the County Press, and Isle of Wight Radio.
cp2. Consider ways in which the Community Safety Partnership might be better resourced.	IWC Fire & Public Safety Select C’ttee	December 2001	Crime and Disorder is a statutory function of the Council. It is important to recognise that many of the actions the Council currently takes has an impact on crime and disorder on the Island. This is more obvious in some departments than in others such as Planning and designing out crime, and Property Services and their management and repair of buildings that suffer from criminal damage. To that end, each section should not only consider Section 17 implications (that the Council should consider the crime and disorder implications in every decision it makes) but it should also consider what resources are currently contributing to reducing crime and disorder. Alongside that the Crime and Disorder Team have a resource implication through staffing costs etc. (see above mentioned report for breakdown) additional costs will now be required for accommodation costs. A bid has been submitted to the Isle of Wight Partnership for two part-time posts, a Community Safety Development Officer and a Crimebeat Co-ordinator. If successful this will substantially benefit the effectiveness of addressing the community involvement in crime and disorder. The Best Value Review of Crime and Disorder will be exploring ways in which the Crime and Disorder Team, the Strategy Group and the Partnership might be better resourced in the future.	As part of the Councils Service Planning and Best Value Review process, Managers are being requested to identify the cost of crime and disorder to their service area. This will allow for cost-benefit analysis to be carried out. A bid was made to SEEDA for a Community Development and High Sheriff’s Crimebeat Co-ordinator. That funding was successful and the post was filled from the 13^th May. Funding is being sought through Best Value for Anti Social Behaviour Orders, initially a sum of £10,000 is being requested, and it is hoped that the budget process will identify core funding for this.
cp3. Community Forums should consider active Police membership and advice on Community Projects.	IWC Policy Team / Community Forums	August 2001	Community Forums should consider active Police membership and advice on Community Projects. This is down for an action by the Policy Team – I consider this to inappropriate use of police time.	When requested, and resources allowing the Police are attending Community Forum meetings. The post mentioned above will work with targeted community groups to identify community safety issues and ways in which they can be addressed.
cp4. Review ways in which the behaviour of pupils on school bus transport can be improved.	County Transport / Southern Vectis	October 2001	Southern Vectis was contacted by the Crime and Disorder Team to offer advise and support on this issue. To date they have not taken us up on the offer. There is insufficient evidence of a problem to warrant the Team offering any more support at this time. This situation will be reviewed again in the Spring.	The Crime and Disorder Team have liased with Southern Vectis with regard to identified individuals. A number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts specifically prevent the named individual from committing anti-social behaviour on their vehicles.
cp5. Police should consider the strong views emerging from consultation requiring more visible policing.	Police	October 2001	Police resources are a matter for the Area Commander to allocate. Officers are deployed at times, which make best use of their limited time. More visible policing is an issue that is raised time and time again, throughout the country. It is not effective policing to have ‘Bobbies walking the beat’ although it may help to reduce the fear of crime. The Crime and Disorder Partnership are supporting Community Warden Schemes which should help to make their communities feel safer. Consideration has been given to increase visible policing by requesting that all Officers wear a uniform where possible.	The Island has a higher then average ratio of Officers for the Force area. This is reviewed on a regular basis by the Chief Constable and the Area Commander. The Crime and Disorder Partnership provide information, advise and statistics on crime and disorder in order to try and reduce the fear of crime.
cp6. Consider ways in which street lighting could be improved for Crime Prevention purposes.	IWC Highways. Town & Parish Councils. Police	Ongoing	The Crime and Disorder Team are working with the Highways Department to develop a Section 17 (see above for definition) on street lighting.	This work is being developed.

Disaster Prevention
Recommendation	Responsibility	Target Date	Progress at 18.10.01	Progress at 15.5.02
dp1. Isle of Wight Council to set up a multi agency forum for disaster preparedness/prevention, to be known as the IW Emergency Planning Forum and to include all potential ‘players’ including the military and voluntary organisations.	Emergency Planning Manager	30 September, 2001	Forum now established, and first meeting attended by all four Emergency Services and Chief Officers of other agencies and organisations.	The Forum had its second meeting on 29^th April, 2002, with agreed terms of reference and a full agenda. Voluntary organisations are to be represented at the next meeting and at every meeting thereafter.
dp2. The Forum is to review activities identified by organisations/services, and compare the review with other authorities to identify areas for improvement and create Action Plan for implementation accordingly.	Emergency Planning Manager	1 April, 2002 & ongoing	This area is identified in the current Best Value Review of Emergency Planning, and is an agenda item for the next meeting of the Forum.	Emergency Planning represents the Island on a similar mainland forum. The Head of Paid Service will attend the Executive meeting at the end of May. The Island Forum already compares well with others of a similar type but has not yet created an action plan for improvement.

Substance Mis-use
Recommendation	Responsibility	Target Date	Progress at 18.10.01	Progress at 15.5.02
sm1. In order to further develop the Drug Action Team’s strategic community role, the Chief Executive should, directly or indirectly, seek to develop an active role in DAT and be a part of the DAT commissioning group.	DAT / C.Ex	September 2001	Achieved. (Director of Social Services & Housing is now Chair of DAT in absence of post of Chief Executive).	Achieved.
sm2. To promote a more coherent response to issues of substance mis-use, action should be taken to develop closer and more effective working links between the DAT and the Community Safety Partnership.	C.Ex / DAT / CSP	January 2002	Stronger links to Community Safety achieved through the Drugs Action Team (DAT) co-ordinator sitting on the Community Safety Partnership, and the Community Safety Manager on the DAT. More joint planning is aimed. Joint agreement between Community Safety and Dat on spending of Communities Against Drugs monies.	Achieved. New DAT co-ordinator appointed. Joint partnership and planning activities will be maintained and developed.

Community Care Issues
Recommendation	Responsibility	Target Date	Progress at 18.10.01	Progress at 15.5.02
cc1. The Council should ensure that changes to the management and governance of healthcare on the Island do not weaken or retard the need to continue improving and developing closer working between health and social care services.	C.Ex	Ongoing	The development and establishment of the Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust and the new Strategic Health Authority covering the Isle of Wight has taken place with the agreement of the Council and it’s partners.	The Council and Health partners on the Island are continuing to explore options for closer working. This includes investigation of the potential benefits of further integrating services and resources.
cc2. Island Housing services have a key role in influencing the provision of safe and secure accommodation for many people who have special needs due to illness, disability, or family predicaments such as homelessness. The influence of the Council in investment is an important element of the partnership that provides public housing on the Isle of Wight and the level of capital investment should be maintained or increased.	Social Services & Housing Directorate	Annual	The Council prepared and submitted it’s Housing Investment Programme to the government in July 2001. This included an increased bid for a significantly larger housing allocation from the government in 2002-2003. If successful this will increase the level of public and social housing investment. A combination of factors including improved housing enabling performance by the Council, has resulted in a larger Housing Corporation Indicative Allowance for 2002 and 2003. It is hoped that this will lead to higher levels of investment in Island Housing.	The improved Housing Corporation Allowance for 2002-03 will be used to influence safe and secure housing arrangements for those with special needs. Effective use of this funding is being monitored as progress will influence future allocation.
cc3. Users of community care and health services, and their carers should have a strong voice in future provision of services. Strategies for involving often isolated or disempowered people in the review of health and care services should be developed and implemented by the Council and its partners.	IWHA / Social Services & Housing Directorate	Ongoing	User involvement in service planning and feedback has been supported by the inclusion of Learning Disability service users on joint Partnership Planning Groups, and of mental health service users on the multi-agency Mental Health Planning Group. During the summer of 2001, a Service User Facilitator has been appointed to include and empower mental health service users and their carers. Service User representatives have also joined the National Service Framework for Older People Implementation Group.	Consultation arrangements used in Best Value reviews have been regarded as effective by Department of Health Inspectors. The methods used will be repeated in future reviews and are now informing new consultation arrangements, particularly for older people and disabled adults. The Directorate has commissioned Age Concern to undertake independent and continuous service user consultation, reporting to the Head of Adult Services.
cc4. The Council has a major role to play in ensuring that the many organisations involved in providing and resourcing community care services are co-operating effectively and openly, and that training opportunities are available to ensure that services are sustained.	Social Services & Housing Directorate	Ongoing	The Council is extending it’s involvement with health and care partners through a wide range of multi-agency forums and working groups. These largely reflect the national health and social care modernisation agenda. The Learning Disability Forum is in the process of discussing and planning voluntary and independent provider involvement in service training. Health and social care staff also share training opportunities as part of the establishment of Community Mental Health Teams. Health and safety training for care staff and providers is taking place for a wide range of organisations including voluntary and independent organisations. Child Protection training now and in future involves staff from a range of health and education organisations. Staff from voluntary organisations will also be included following the recent inclusion of the Isle of Wight Rural Community Council on the Area Child Protection Committee.	The continuing development of Community Mental Health Services has led to a range of joint training and development opportunities involving partner organisations and service users. Health and safety training involving carers and a range of service providers. Child Protection training continues to involve a widening range of agencies. Service review and inspection in 2002 will involve a growing service user and provider involvement in shaping and developing current and future services. Service providers have for instance co-operated in establishing user consultation groups.
cc5. Promote the awareness of the need to recognise and deal with the abuse of vulnerable adults, and of the presence of services available to respond.	Social Services & Housing Select Committee. Social services & Housing Directorate	Ongoing	The Council is undertaking a review of policy and guidance through a multi-agency adult protection committee. A programme of training sessions has been arranged which will involve a wide range of people including health and Council staff, together with voluntary and independent service providers.	Following review, a new policy and guidance has been developed and distributed. The new policy will be formally launched at a conference in the summer of 2002. The revised policy includes the formation of an inter agency adult protection body based on the established and effective ‘Area Child Protection Committee’, which will monitor and co-ordinate adult protection arrangements.