Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Sayers, Helen Armitage (Consultant in Public Health), Jenny Currie (Merseyside PCC), Martin Gay (Senior Probation Officer, Sefton LDU and IOM), Tony Harland (MFRA) Sue Holden (Sefton CVS), Karen Rooney (Merseyside CRC) and Steve Martlew (Localities Service Manager).

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, to declare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room by switching their camera and microphone off during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer by 12 Noon the day before the meeting to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2020.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2020 be confirmed

as a correct record.

Report of Steve Martlew Localities Service Manager

Steve Martlew – Localities Service Manager submitted a report dealing with the funding arrangements and options for Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) and seeking financial support from the Statutory Agencies that formed the SSCP to cover the costs of future DHR’s.

RESOLVED: that

(1)           the report be noted; and

(2)           the proposal that Statutory Agencies from the Partnership undertake to financially support the cost of future DHR’s be approved.

The Partnership received a verbal update from Superintendent Graeme Robson highlighting:

COVID continued to dominate activities;

Traditional crime had reduced with, for example, burglaries reduced by 10%.;

The significant reduction in firearms offences compared to previous years had continued;

Thefts of bicycles and equipment from sheds was a cause for concern;

Arrests had been made following a spate of business burglaries in the Southport area, with much property returned;

There had been recent arrests regarding drug related offences;

There had been a lot of work around activities on the Sefton coast with regard to COVID related offences and anti-social behaviour

Superintendent Robson made particular reference to the pathway out of lockdown and the issues which would need to be addressed in terms of the night time economy, visits to the area, particularly the coast and facilities for young people.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.

Presentation by Ian Davey from Stop Hate UK – (20 minutes)

Ian Davey from Stop Hate UK gave a presentation on the work of Stop Hate UK both Nationally and in Sefton. He gave an indication of national issues and trends and also indicated that the numbers of complaints from the Sefton area was low compared to the national average.

Mr Davey also gave an indication of the ongoing work of Stop Hate UK and informed members in particular that to reflect the trend of increased reporting by electronic means Stop Hate UK would be launching an App on 23 March 2021, which would enable reporting and would also allow for the capture of evidence.

RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

Presentation by Paul McCann - VCF & Equalities Officer – (20 Minutes)

Paul McCann (VCF & Equalities Officer) gave a presentation regarding activities around Hate Crime, Equality and Diversity being carried out by Sefton Council which highlighted the following:

•       Corporate Equality Group

•       Equality and Diversity Policy

•       Training

•       Corporate Initiatives

•       Activity for 2021/22

RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

At minute No. 29 of the previous meeting it had been agreed that some of the issues raised in the Community Safety Strategic Assessment be considered by the Board during 2021 as single agenda item meetings to allow for in depth discussion on that particular subject.

The first of these had been selected as Hate Crime/Equalities and the Partnership considered the following reports detailing how individual partner organisations were dealing with this issue:

A.            OPCC Hate Crime support commissioned services

Report of Jenny Currie - Community Engagement Officer

B.            Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service - Overview of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Hate Crime

Report presented by Michelle Kirk (MFRS E&D Team)

C.            What have South Sefton CCG and Southport and Formby CCG been doing to promote the hate crime/ equalities agenda within the workplace and across the workforce?

Report Presented by Tracy Forshaw NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group.

D.            SWACA's contribution to promoting and supporting the Hate Crime / Equalities agenda within the workforce / workplace

Report of Neil Frackelton - Chief Executive Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid.

E.             Integrated Youth Services   - Equalities and Hate Crime

Report of Ros Stanley - Localities Service Manager - South.

F.             Chesterfield High School - Safer Communities Report

Report of Kevin Sexton – Headteacher.

G        National Probation Service and Merseyside Community Rehabilitation Company - Promotion of the Hate Crime/Equalities Agenda within Workplaces and across the Workforce

          Report of Martin Gay - Senior Probation Officer.

H.            Sefton CVS

Report of Robert Brennan Sefton CVS Equalities.

I.               Merseyside Police

Report of Michael O'Malley – Chief Inspector Sefton Community Policing

J.       Merseyside Community Rehabilitation Company (MCRC)

Report of Karen Rooney - Community Director

Arising from the discussion the Chair referred to a number of issues which had arisen across a number of the reports:

          Under reporting of crimes was a challenging area;

          The importance of training;

          Awareness;

          Support for victims; and

          Prevention.

RESOLVED: That the reports be noted and all organisations be thanked for the detailed and thorough reports provided.

(a)                        Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service – Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) 2021-24

Paul McGuiness informed the Partnership that the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service – Integrated Risk Management Plan 2021-24 was currently available for consultation until 24 May 2021. The plan and online survey was available on merseyfire.gov.uk.

RESOLVED: That the consultation be noted and members be invited to take part in the consultation.

(b)           Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner

The Chair referred to the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Jane Kennedy who had indicated that she would not be seeking re-election when her current term of office ended. The Chair commented on the importance of the support and funding provided to the Partnership by the Police and Crime Commissioner during her terms of office.

RESOLVED: that the Partnership’s appreciation of the support and funding provided by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner during her terms of office be placed on record.

(c)           Tanya Wilcock – Head of Communities

The Chair informed the Partnership that this would be the last meeting which Tanya Wilcock (Head of Communities) would be attending, owing to her being appointed to a new role. She paid tribute to her excellent work and contribution to the work of the Partnership.

RESOLVED: That the appreciation of the Partnership at the excellent work and contribution to the Partnership by Mrs Wilcock be place on record.

The Council at its meeting in January approved the following programme of meetings for the partnership for 2021/2022:-

Thursday 10 June 2021 commencing at 10.00am;

Thursday 9 September 2021 commencing at 10.00am;

Thursday 9 December 2021 commencing at 10.00am; and

Thursday 17 March 2022 commencing at 10.00am.

The meetings will continue to be held remotely until such time as the circumstances allow a face to face meeting to take place.

RESOLVED:

That the next meeting be held on Thursday 10 June 2021 commencing at 10.00am;

The Chair also informed members that the Council at its meeting in January had approved the following programme of meetings for the partnership for 2021/2022:

Thursday 9 September 2021 commencing at 10.00am;

Thursday 9 December 2021 commencing at 10.00am; and

Thursday 17 March 2022 commencing at 10.00am.

The meetings would continue to be held remotely until such time as the circumstances allowed face to face meetings to take place.