This meeting was scheduled to include a presentation from the Police about the progress they are making on the council's priorities in the Safer Lewisham Plan, and a discussion about the progress made implementing Lewisham's borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). The Committee was also scheduled to review its work programme.

Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) Update

This report was scheduled to provide the committee with an update about the implementation of Lewisham's borough-wide PSPO, which came into effect in August 2024.

The report was scheduled to describe how a PSPO Implementation Steering Group, chaired by the Director of Community Services, James Lee, had overseen the implementation of the PSPO, including close work with support services, the police and community groups.

The report included a summary of the work the council did prior to the implementation of the PSPO to ensure that its implementation was justified and lawful. This included a review of existing evidence of anti-social behaviour to ensure it met the legal threshold, and a public consultation that the council says received 866 responses.

The report pack says that the implementation of the PSPO was done in three phases, starting with an education phase on 1 June 2024, followed by a soft launch on 1 September 2024, and finally full implementation on 1 November 2024.

The report was scheduled to describe the council's communications activities for the PSPO. The report pack says the council put up nearly 700 PSPO signs, published a webpage and News Shopper article, used the council's social media channels and included a message about the PSPO in a newsletter that is sent to over 25,000 residents.

The report pack also says that 36 PSPO patrols were conducted between June and December 2024. Most of these patrols were conducted in Rushey Green, and they included officers from the council's ASB/Statutory Nuisance Team, the Police, Safer Neighbourhood Officers and support services including the CGL and Rough Sleeping teams.

According to the report pack, during the patrols 111 groups or individuals were approached and in most cases, they were reminded about the PSPO and offered support. The report pack contains details of several examples where people were referred to support services. It also says that no Fixed Penalty Notices were issued by council officers during the review period.

The report pack contains an analysis of the impact of the PSPO, using data collected between June and December 2024. This included data on complaints received by the council, police reports and figures provided by Glendale Grounds Management - the organisation commissioned by Lewisham Council to maintain parks across the borough. The report was scheduled to discuss the impact of the PSPO on seven different types of behaviour covered by the PSPO:

• Dog fouling
• Dog control
• Illegal encampments
• Public urination and defecation
• Amplified speech and music
• Alcohol-related anti-social behaviour
• Psychoactive substance-related anti-social behaviour

The report pack provides a mixed picture of the PSPO's impact, with some measures showing positive change and others no change or an increase. The report pack concludes that it is too early to draw conclusions about the efficacy of the PSPO but that continued monitoring will help better assess its impact.

The report was also scheduled to discuss the challenges and resource implications of enforcing the PSPO. The report pack states that relying on Council Officers alone to enforce the PSPO is unsustainable, and recommends that all authorised officers be empowered to enforce the PSPO as part of their routine activities, and for consideration to be given to increasing the resources available to the ASB/Statutory Nuisance Team.

The report was also scheduled to discuss the need for increased focus on dog fouling and dog control which are the most complained about PSPO related issues.

Finally, the report was scheduled to discuss whether the PSPO's restrictions should be extended to wards not currently covered. The report pack recommends a further review of this be conducted in 12 months' time.

Police Community Engagement and Tackling Crime Update

This agenda item was scheduled to be a presentation by Chief Inspector Darren Cox from the Metropolitan Police Service. It was scheduled to provide an update on the Police's progress on the council's four key priorities in the Safer Lewisham Plan:

• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
• Violence with injury (VWI)
• Robbery (including theft person/snatch)
• Retail crime

The presentation was scheduled to highlight the police's work on tackling retail crime, including Operation Retail - a partnership between the police and local businesses to prevent shoplifting.

The presentation was also scheduled to cover the police's approach to tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB). The report pack indicates that Chief Inspector Cox was scheduled to describe the various powers the police can use to address ASB including:

• Community Protection Warnings (CPWs),
• Community Protection Notices (CPNs),
• Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs),
• Closure Powers,
• Dispersal Authorities,
• Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) and
• ASB Case Reviews.

The presentation was scheduled to explain how the police were using a problem-oriented policing (POP) approach to tackling ASB which uses the SARA model:

• Scanning
• Analysis
• Response
• Assessment

The presentation was also scheduled to highlight the role of Lewisham's 19 Neighbourhood Ward Panels, which each meet quarterly and agree 3 priorities for the local Neighbourhood Police Team to address.

The report pack says the presentation was scheduled to cover the police's work on the London Race Action Plan, the National Race Action Plan and the Lewisham LRAP Community Engagement Forum.

The presentation was also scheduled to include an update on the police's use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) in the borough.

Finally, the report pack suggests the presentation was scheduled to describe the police's commitment to publishing details of misconduct cases online for 3 months.

Select Committee Work Programme

This agenda item was scheduled to give members an opportunity to review the Committee's work programme for 2024/25, consider the forward plan of key decisions and discuss priorities for the 2025/26 work programme.

The report pack includes details of the Committee's terms of reference, which describe its areas of responsibility, including but not limited to:

• scrutinising the Council’s statutory crime and disorder function;
• reviewing the development of policy in relation to crime and disorder and in particular the borough’s community safety plan: the Safer Lewisham Plan;
• enhancing the Council’s ambitions for equality of opportunity within the borough;
• community development and the voluntary sector.

The report pack notes the Committee also has a role in engaging and reflecting the views of residents in relation to community development-related matters, including community partnership and consultation, equalities and libraries. It also highlights the Committee's previous work in reviewing staff survey results.

The report pack encourages members to consider whether the work programme reflects the priorities of the council's corporate strategy, and whether any suggestions should be put forward for consideration in the new municipal year.

The report pack also contains a scrutiny prioritisation flowchart to help members decide which items to add to the work programme.

Finally, it includes guidance on how to conduct effective scrutiny, including being independent, working collectively, engaging with residents and making evidence-based recommendations that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound (SMART).