North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership Update

 

December 2021

 

 


1.0         Purpose of this Report

 

1.1         To update on the partnership working around the priority areas agreed by North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 places a statutory duty on local authorities to create multi-agency partnerships to tackle crime, and disorder and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment and to reduce re-offending. The world of community safety continually changes, the need for partners to work effectively together is essential. In addition, Community Safety Partnerships also have a statutory duty to undertake domestic homicide reviews when the criteria are met.

 

1.2         North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership has agreed the following priority areas for delivery;

·           Partnership development

·           Community Safety Hubs

·           Domestic abuse

·           Serious and organised crime (early intervention and prevention)

·           Hate crime and community cohesion.

 

1.3         The Safer Communities Team, NYCC, that support the delivery of the above also lead on the North Yorkshire partnership delivery of ‘Prevent’, identifying and supporting those individuals vulnerable to terrorism.

 

1.4         Membership, terms of reference and chairing arrangements of North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership have recently been reviewed. Since the last update the new chair is Lindsey Butterfield, Temporary Assistant Chief Constable, North Yorkshire Police and the vice chair is Jonathan Dyson, Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

 

1.5          It was agreed to give more detail, the updates from North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership would focus on themed areas. This update provides further detail around the work of the Community Safety Hubs and domestic abuse.

 

2.0          Community Safety Hubs

 

2.1         There is a Community Safety Hub in each district area across North Yorkshire (and York). Hubs across North Yorkshire work to the following common purpose “North Yorkshire and York’s Community Safety Hubs are multi-agency teams that coordinate partnership activity to address issues that have an impact on the safety of our communities. They have a focus on those most in need of help in order to intervene at the earliest opportunity and promote community resourcefulness.”

 

2.2         Some of the Hubs have been established longer than others, but regardless of the development stage or resources available, the fundamental basis of the Hubs is to bring together partner agencies to consider collaborative problem solving to reduce, prevent or detect crime, disorder or anti-social behaviour in their locality.

 

2.3         The development of the Hubs is managed by the Community Safety Hubs Joint Coordination Group (JCG) that reports directly to North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership. A work plan has been developed to ensure there are consistent approaches and opportunities to share good practice, across the themes of

·           Hub development opportunities

·           Future funding and commissioning

·           Performance management

·           Training

·           Communications

·           Legislation.

 

2.4         Each of the Hubs utilise the Orcuma Case Management system to track and record cases. This is a system procured by the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and was introduced in April 2019. Data sets can be extracted from Orcuma and performance reports from all of the Hubs are collated on a quarterly basis, and will be scrutinised by the strategic partnership via the newly established performance group, that has oversight of all of the Community Safety Partnership’s priorities.

 

2.5         Future reporting will include case studies, rather than just ‘numbers’, identifying what interventions are effective, how partnership working has supported victims and identifying good practice and potential gaps in service delivery. A data analyst from North Yorkshire Police has been identified and will undertake analysis to better understand the potential reduction on demand across services, due to the work of the Hubs.

 

2.6         When a referral is made into a Hub, a consistent question set is mandated which provides an assessment level of need and risk to that case. Anything resulting in a level of 50 or below is a low level case, 51-70 a medium level and over 71 is high level case.

 

2.7         During Quarter 1 (Q1) and Quarter 2 (Q2) 2021, there were 68 cases deemed to be low level, 59 medium level and 33 high level. In addition to the newly created cases, and those cases closed within the two quarters, Hubs will have had cases ongoing from previous referrals. At the end of Q2 there were 290 cases being managed within the Hubs across North Yorkshire and York.

 

2.8         Cases remain within Hubs for the relevant time period according to need, interventions, outcomes and partnership contributions. Some cases may be in Hubs for only a short period of time, requiring quick time partner intervention, others may be known for a considerable period of time.

 

2.9         In the spring of 2021, the Community Safety Hub Managers devised a survey to issue across partners to gain a better understanding of partners’ operational views of the Hubs. There were 215 online responses to the survey across North Yorkshire and York. 91% of partners believed that Hubs had positively impacted on our communities. One respondent reported that

 

“They do great work, and I appreciate what they do in my locality. Not only do they encourage multi-agency partnership work on their cases, but by bringing everybody together in meetings it strengthens ties for other agencies to work together on work that does not fall under the hub. I don’t know how you put a figure for success on that work... as a relatively new member of staff it has been priceless in helping me establish myself in the district.”

 

3.0         Domestic Abuse

 

3.1         The Domestic Abuse Joint Coordination Group (JCG) is the strategic multi-agency partnership for domestic abuse and reports directly to North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership. In addition to the partnership arrangements, in March 2020 a Domestic Abuse Tactical Group was established led by North Yorkshire Police, with domestic abuse services commissioners (Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council.) Recognising the need to have clear oversight over demand and need, initially the group met weekly and then subsequently fortnightly. The impact of Covid on domestic abuse continues and the group continues to meet and take action.

 

3.2          The tactical group has a focus on protecting identified victims and ensures the resources we have are effectively used. The structure of the meeting includes:

·           Domestic abuse demand (recorded crime, use of commissioned services including helplines and web chat facilities)

·           Domestic abuse multi-agency arrangements (changes to process and demand)

·           Commissioned services (updates on service provider delivery)

·           Multi-agency communications

 

3.3         A number of domestic abuse services are jointly commissioned by North Yorkshire County Council, City of York Council and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. IDAS are commissioned to deliver services and support for victims across North Yorkshire and York www.idas.org.uk  They are also the commissioned provider for victim accommodation based services, via refuges and dispersed accommodation. A new service has also been commissioned for children and young people impacted by domestic abuse.

 

3.4         Foundation are commissioned to deliver a voluntary support service for perpetrators (male and female) + Choices. This service has delivered a range of support including one to one sessions, group interventions and emergency accommodation.

 

3.5         During the last 18 months we have seen an increase in recorded domestic abuse crimes and an increase in the use of commissioned services, including access to local helplines. The impact of Covid on domestic abuse is recognised both locally and nationally. Women’s Aid in August 2021 published a study ‘A Perfect Storm’. 91% of respondents experiencing domestic abuse stated the pandemic had negatively impacted in at least one way. 10% stated that their abuser had actively used lockdown restrictions to stop them from leaving. 20% stated that they had tried to leave during the pandemic, but had been unable to access housing or refuge space. “Whilst the Covid-19 pandemic did not cause domestic abuse, it has caused a perfect storm of challenges for survivors and the services supporting them.”

 

3.6         In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act was placed on a statutory footing. The duties placed on local authorities gives us an opportunity to respond to the local need and demand, specifically around safe accommodation. Following an in-depth local needs assessment as set of principles have been agreed with partners across North Yorkshire and York.  There is a requirement that we publish our full safe accommodation strategy by the 5th January 2022. This strategy is underpinned by a detailed action plan and delivery is supported by grant funding from central government.

 

Authentic voice of victims/ survivors and their children to inform our partnership approaches Exploring how feedback can be heard consistently and effectively.

 

Effective pathways- supporting those with ‘additional needs’ Barriers can exist for those with ‘additional needs’ (e.g. substance misuse, mental health needs, no recourse in public funds) in accessing relevant safe accommodation and support. Partnership arrangements and structures need to ensure no one is ‘lost’ within our systems.

 

It is not ‘safe accommodation’- if ‘support’ is not in place Our approach is not just about bricks and mortar. Relevant, effective support must be provided whilst in safe accommodation.

 

Clear, consistent approaches must be in place across North Yorkshire and York All referrals for safe accommodation and support to come through the Hub. Enabling the right advice and support being offered at the right time.

 

Meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities. Within our action plan we must be clear on how we support a range of groups, including male victims, victims fleeing illegal cultural harms, BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) victims and victims from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

 

Understanding our need and demand for safe accommodation Our understanding of need and demand needs to come from a range of partners, including housing. From the findings of the needs assessment, robust systems will be developed to ensure we have accurate recording and reporting.

 

Ensuring we have effective partnership arrangements (Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board) Ensuring our current arrangements including chairing, membership are effective, including linkages with other partnerships.

 

4.0          Recommendations

 

4.1          For Members to take note of the overarching activity being driven and developed, with strategic oversight from North Yorkshire Community Safety Partnership. Future updates will be provided and specific themed reports can be presented at future committees.

 

Odette Robson

Head of Safer Communities

 

19 November 2021