The Community Confidence Board was scheduled to discuss serious violence, including knife crime, and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's (SYMCA) approach to tackling knife crime through partnership working. The meeting also included a review of previous discussions and an opportunity for questions and general discussion.

SYP Most Serious Violence including Knife Crime

The board was scheduled to receive an update on Most Serious Violence (MSV) within South Yorkshire Police (SYP) and its approach to knife crime. The report pack defined MSV as encompassing offences ranging from those with no injuries to fatalities, including murder, manslaughter, and various forms of violence with injury. It noted a correlation between MSV offences and the night-time economy, gang violence, and organised crime.

The report indicated that recorded MSV offences had significantly reduced in recent years, with a projected increase for the current year based on recorded volumes. It detailed MSV recording by geographical location, highlighting Doncaster town ward as having the most violence against the person offences, largely attributed to the night-time economy. Operation Streetsafe was mentioned as a deployment strategy in Doncaster city centre, involving targeted patrols, intelligence briefings, and the use of supportive legislation.

A case study on Sheffield city centre's night-time economy detailed how data identified predictable locations and times for violence. Strategies implemented included improved guardianship and visibility, tackling problematic venues, environmental redesign, support for vulnerable people, and focusing on high-harm offenders. This approach reportedly led to an 11% reduction in MSV and public order offences, a 38% reduction in knife crime, and a 49% reduction in recorded harm compared to 2023.

The report also addressed current challenges, including victim disengagement, which accounted for 40% of unresolved outcomes, and the potential impacts of Sentencing Act reforms. It highlighted the Violence Prevention Partnership (VPP) and its positive context, noting significant reductions in various violent crime categories over the past five years. The VPP aims to build on this success through a county-wide Knife Crime Response strategy.

SYMCA Knife Crime Approach - Working in Partnership

This agenda item was scheduled to focus on the SYMCA's approach to knife crime, emphasising partnership working. The report pack outlined a mission to address the underlying causes of violence by collaborating with communities and partners to prevent it, thereby creating conditions for children and young people to thrive.

The commitment by 2029 includes reducing knife crime, preventing children and young people from becoming involved in it, aligning enforcement and prevention, strengthening community involvement, and building a stronger evidence base. The approach is structured around five objectives: preventing and reducing knife crime; investing and building resilience early in families; empowering communities and providing pathways to opportunities; enhancing system leadership and partnership; and embedding a public health approach.

Specific actions planned include mentoring programmes, piloting interventions addressing social and emotional factors, hospital-based support, educational awareness, support for parents, community-led approaches, and strengthening pathways to support. The first year's activities were set to include launching a Community Champions Programme, creating a Knife Crime Lived Experience Group, developing a Knife Crime Education Framework, piloting a new approach to knife disposal bins, and supporting the implementation of the Knife Crime Concentration Fund.

The report also detailed the Knife Crime Concentration Fund, a Home Office-funded programme led by South Yorkshire Police, targeting seven knife crime hotspot locations with jointly owned Problem Orientated Policing (POP) plans. Funding can be used for hotspot patrols, offender management, situational prevention, safeguarding, youth interventions, and environmental changes.

The report pack also included a summary from the previous meeting held on 17 June 2026, which covered discussions on Stop and Search, Use of Force, Hate Crime, the Police Race Action Plan, and performance updates. It also noted the circulation of the Independent Ethics Panel Annual Report 2025/26.