The Community Safety Partnership met on Wednesday 02 April 2025 to discuss a range of issues aimed at improving safety across Barking and Dagenham. Key decisions included noting the revised timeline for the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy and agreeing to a more detailed report on Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) statistics.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy Update

The partnership is updating its VAWG Strategy for 2025-2028, with a public-facing approach to educate on VAWG, its causes, and support mechanisms for victims. The timeline for the new strategy's publication has been revised to align with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) consultation, aiming for summer 2025 to ensure coherence and potential future funding opportunities. The strategy's priorities include partnership collaboration, addressing root causes, victim support, and perpetrator accountability. Engagement with the Women's Safety Forum and local organisations has informed the strategy, with data collected to compare incidences between COVID-19 and the present. The board was asked to note the progress and the revised timeline, with an update on the strategy's progress and a review of the draft action plan to be provided at the next meeting.

Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) Statistics and Update

David Rhodes, covering for Qais Ghafar, presented statistics on the enforcement of the renewed PSPOs introduced in November 2024. Enforcement actions included Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for street drinking, begging, public urination, and amplified noise, alongside numerous verbal warnings. The report highlighted that most enforcement efforts focused on Barking, with 21 out of 24 joint patrols with the police taking place there. CCTV data indicated a high volume of breaches, particularly in Station Parade and the Town Centre. The partnership requested a more detailed breakdown of enforcement activities from both the police and local authority for the next meeting, which will also cover a broader approach to tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in town centres. Community Behaviour Orders (CBOs) have seen success since November, with 14 issued, and efforts are being made to include positive requirements in these orders.

Partnership Delivery to VRU Serious Violence Plan

Katie Jones provided an update on the serious violence duty strategy, which was published last year and is currently undergoing a refresh. This refresh includes a new strategic needs assessment to identify gaps and tailor support. A workshop is scheduled for April 28th to discuss the action plan and ensure the duty's requirements are met. Funding is available for delivering the duty, including a roadshow to communicate priorities to communities and schools, covering topics such as vaping, exploitation, and knife crime. The serious violence duty is a statutory requirement for all partners, who are urged to attend workshops and understand its implications.

Prevent Update

Adele Norman, the new Prevent lead, reported that the terrorism threat level remains substantial. Barking and Dagenham are assessed against eight benchmarks for Prevent delivery. The borough is considered low risk and no longer receives dedicated Prevent funding. Previous data indicated low referral numbers, but activity in neighbouring areas is being monitored. An improvement plan is in place to meet Prevent assurance and quality assurance requirements, including revising risk assessments and channel processes. A briefing workshop on Prevent is being developed for the partnership. Challenges in obtaining information from mental health services were noted, and efforts are underway to improve referral pathways.

Combatting Drugs Partnership Review

Amolak Tatter provided an update on the supplementary grant for 2024-2025. Despite challenges in recruiting a supporting commissioner, a consultant has been engaged to work on specific tasks, including developing a delivery plan for the Combatting Drugs Partnership (CDP) and the drug market profile. The funding for the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant (DATRIG) for 2025-2026 has been confirmed at the same level as the previous year, though potential implications of increased National Insurance contributions and the cost of living wage on service delivery were highlighted. Uncertainty regarding future funding beyond 2026-2027 was also noted.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA)

The MASA is being updated following changes in the Working Together guidance. The focus is on strengthening governance and establishing strong foundations, with the local authority, police, and ICB as lead strategic partners. The role of an independent chair is being replaced by an independent scrutiny officer. The new structure includes an annual meeting for strategic direction, an executive board, a partnership board, and three committees focusing on core business: Learning from Practice, One Panel, and Quality Assurance and Performance. Key learning areas include information sharing, professional curiosity, and whole family working.

Schools Officers Update

A review to bring schools officers closer to neighbourhood teams is underway, aiming to increase their visibility and accessibility while maintaining school partnerships. Staffing numbers will not be reduced, and officers will split their time between school roles and wider ward matters. Schools will retain a dedicated contact, though officers will no longer be permanently based in schools. Officers will be placed on specific wards based on threat and risk assessments, with changes coming into effect from May. Head teachers have been briefed, and an escalation process is being developed.

Funding Update

The Community Safety Partnership (CSP) projects funded by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and the London Crime Prevention Fund (LCPF) have been approved, though finalising projects is ongoing. A slight reduction in funding due to the loss of the capacity building fund is offset by the MyEnds offer for Barking. Significant reductions in turnaround funding from the Ministry of Justice are impacting support for children arrested and released under investigation. Uncertainty regarding mayoral funding has also significantly impacted the voluntary sector, potentially leading to a reduction in mentoring programs. The board emphasised the importance of bringing funding issues to their attention, as reductions in one area can impact outputs and resource allocation elsewhere.

Forward Plan

The board reviewed the CSP forward plan and agreed on the items for the next meeting, including an update on CCTV projects.

Any Other Business

Recent changes in the operational format for the prison and probation service were noted, including the appointment of Amy Reece as interim permanent secretary for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Sarah Coccia as interim Chief Operating Officer for prisons. Councillor Ghani and Katie Jones expressed gratitude to David Rhodes for his contributions over the past two years.

Performance Report

The report provided an overview of police-recorded crime figures for the borough for the 12 months to January 2025. Total Notifiable Offences decreased by 4.9% compared to the previous year. Several crime types, including Arson, Rape, and Trafficking of Drugs, saw statistically significant increases. Special flagged crime types, such as Domestic Abuse, Hate Crime, and Knife Crime, generally saw decreases, although Gun Crime and Islamophobic Hate Crime saw increases that were not statistically significant.

Subgroup Update Reports

Updates were provided from various subgroups:

• Adolescent Safety and Wellbeing: The Adolescent Safety and Wellbeing Strategic Group is focusing on coordinated multi-agency responses to harm such as child criminal and sexual exploitation and serious youth violence. Progress is being made on the ROTH pathway, and a DSL conference was held. Concerns around vaping and work on the non-criminalisation of looked-after children and care leavers were also discussed.
• Youth Justice Service Board: The Youth Justice Service management board met twice, discussing performance, new HMIP inspection guidance, and the Child First Principles. A presentation on knife crime and a Youth Offer presentation were also key agenda items.
• ASB Tasking Group: The team is working with the Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team on ASB in Marks Gate and Millard Terrace. A gap in intelligence sharing between professionals was identified, and the ASB team now has a permanent invite to YARM meetings.
• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Subgroup: The VAWGSG met to discuss the Domestic Abuse Improvement Programme, updates from various VAWG groups, MARAC progress, commissioned services, and the VAWG Strategy. Achievements include multi-agency learning and development, increased links with faith communities, and the mobilisation of the Restart early intervention programme.
• Safer Neighbourhood Board (SNB): The SNB is meeting quarterly to discuss project progress and local policing. The board successfully bid for MOPAC funding for projects including the Safe Havens scheme and LGBTQIA+ engagement. Challenges remain in better representing the voices of youth and the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Safeguarding Boards (SAB and SCP): The Safeguarding Adults Board discussed the Safeguarding Adult Partnership Audit Tool (SAPAT), an upcoming CQC inspection, online safety for vulnerable adults, and delays in obtaining Section 135 warrants. The Safeguarding Children's Partnership is updating its Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) following new guidance, with a focus on strengthening governance and establishing new committees and working groups.