Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: September 10, 2024

Purpose: Cabinet is recommended to approve the public-facing ‘Serious Violence Strategy’ which sets out the Council’s approach to tackling weapons-based violence across the borough.

Content: Cabinet: (1)          noted the commitment and actions to tackle serious violence, particularly knife crime, among our younger residents; and (2)          agreed the draft ‘Serious Violence Strategy: A partnership approach to keeping our young people safe from violence’.   Options & Alternatives Considered Our ambitions to address serious violence were published earlier this year in accordance with the legal requirements set out in the government’s Serious Violence Duty. The report followed the duty template and serious violence definition provided by MOPAC, detailing our partnership approach, needs assessment, resident engagement and activity already underway to prevent and reduce serious violence. We know that serious violence, and particularly knife crime, is a key concern for our residents. And while our SVD template met the statutory requirement of the Duty, as a Council, we wanted to go further and design a more impactful strategy for our residents, clearly setting out our shared commitment to tackling serious violence, and the actions we are taking to achieve it.