The Safer Communities Partnership Board met on Friday 21 November 2025 to discuss a range of community safety initiatives and performance updates. Key discussions included the renewal of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) and a review of the Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.

Community Safety Partnership Performance Update Q2

The Board received a comprehensive update on the Community Safety Partnership's performance for Quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial year. This included detailed statistics on crime trends across Barnet, with comparisons to tri-borough areas (Harrow and Brent) and the wider London average. Presentations covered various crime types, including burglary, robbery, violence, theft of motor vehicles, knife crime, drug offences, domestic abuse, rape, and hate crime.

Detective Superintendent Katie Harber of the Metropolitan Police provided an update on crime statistics, noting a 20% reduction in robbery and an increase in shoplifting reporting. Violence without injury saw a 10% increase, while domestic abuse incidents remained relatively high, though violence with injury decreased slightly. Rape reporting increased by 9%, with a prosecution rate of 25% for the borough. Catalytic converter thefts were identified as a trend, and while knife crime with injury decreased by 18%, possession of weapons rose by 39%. Drug trafficking saw an 82% increase, attributed to police seizures, and hate crime reduced by 11% over the past 12 months. Councillor Sara Conway, Chair of the Board and Cabinet Member for Community Safety, praised the proactive approach of neighbourhood teams in driving these figures.

The Community Safety Team's performance was also detailed, including case volumes managed through the ECINS system, with 1221 new cases opened and 1326 closed in Q1 and Q2. The most common reason for case closure was RC02 (evidence found but not suitable for prosecution), accounting for 26.2% of closures. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) was a significant focus, with the Community Safety MARAC panel reviewing an average of 32 cases per month. A high number of Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) breaches (69) were noted, largely due to increased patrols during the Parks Project 2025. Operation Lysander, targeting fly-tipping hotspots, resulted in 109 fly-tips found and 40 processed for offences between April and September 2025. The 'Contender' data, reflecting public reports of fly-tipping, saw 4074 inspections, leading to 3366 investigations and 62 cases with sufficient evidence for further action.

CCTV infrastructure has been enhanced, with an increase in camera locations to 134 and over 900 live streams. Proactive monitoring by CCTV operators accounted for 69% of the 3932 incidents recorded in the first six months of the financial year, with begging, fly-tipping, and obstruction of pathways being the most frequent categories. The 'Prevent' programme saw a significant increase in referrals, with 43 received in Q2 2025/26, a 50% rise from the previous year, with 57% of referrals being under 18 and 66% categorised as having no specific ideology but susceptible to radicalisation. Awareness training reached 969 professionals.

Family Services Q2/ 6 Monthly Update (Reducing Offending and VAWG)

Karen Popely, Interim Assistant Director of Children's Safeguarding, presented the Q2 update on reducing offending and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The refreshed Domestic Abuse (DA) and VAWG Strategy 2025-2029 was approved and is set to launch during the 16 Days of Activism. Key achievements included the Step in Barnet campaign promoting bystander intervention, expansion of Safe & Together training, and strong survivor engagement. Support for victims remained robust, with 136 One Stop Shop appointments, and enhanced refuge provision. Perpetrator programmes showed steady engagement, and MARAC referrals increased by 30%.

The Reducing Offending update highlighted progress under the Serious Violence Duty, with a focus on youth violence, vulnerability, and acquisitive crime. Multi-agency coordination was strengthened, and a data tracker was developed. The Barnet Victim Care Hub supported 26 victims in Q2, and the Secure My Stuff initiative engaged over 1,600 young people. The My Endz project by Art Against Knives reached over 200 young people. Barnet Youth Justice Service reported positive trends in first-time entrant rates (14% below London average) and re-offending rates (29.7%, outperforming London and national averages). Custody rates continued to decline, with a focus on community-based alternatives.

Assurance Community Safety 6 Monthly Update

This report provided a mid-year summary of the Community Safety Team's work, including tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), the Parks Project 2025, Operation Lysander (fly-tipping), CCTV operations, and Prevent and Hate Crime initiatives. The Community Safety Team managed 1221 ECINS cases in the first six months of the financial year, with the largest proportion of case closures (26.2%) being for evidence not suitable for prosecution. The Parks Project 2025 saw 121 visits logged, resulting in 77 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for PSPO breaches, primarily for vehicle misuse and open fires/BBQs at Moat Mount and Scratchwood Open Space. Operation Lysander, targeting fly-tipping, conducted 152 checks, finding 109 fly-tips, with 40 containing sufficient evidence for further action. The 'Contender' data, reflecting public reports, involved 4074 inspections, leading to 3366 investigations and 62 cases with sufficient evidence. CCTV operations have been enhanced, with 3932 incidents recorded in the first six months, with begging, fly-tipping, and obstruction of pathways being the most frequent categories. Prevent referrals increased by 50% compared to the previous year, with 43 referrals received in Q2.

Hate Crime and Cohesion Update

This report combined updates from Community Safety, Community Participation, and Communications teams on hate crime and community cohesion. Despite high levels of hate crime, particularly religiously motivated incidents, and a tense national atmosphere, Barnet reported positive community resilience. The Step in Barnet campaign, promoting bystander intervention, achieved significant social media engagement and trained over 200 bystanders. The VAWG website was updated, and support for victims remained robust, with 136 One Stop Shop appointments. The report highlighted a rise in antisemitic incidents, with the Council Leader issuing a statement condemning these attacks. Islamophobia Awareness Month was marked with events and a new leaflet developed in partnership with the Muslim community. The Connecting Communities campaign, launched in August 2025, aimed to build pride through positive messaging, showcasing diverse communities via short films and promoting community events. Community Roundtables engaged 59 members from over 40 organisations, amplifying voices on issues like safety, education, and housing.

C4U (Change for You)

This new four-year project, funded by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), aims to provide tailored support to 18-30 year olds within the criminal justice system, focusing on health and wellbeing. Referrals are made by the Probation Service for Barnet residents with at least seven months remaining on their supervision or licence. Support includes accessing community services, housing, finance, employment, and mental health services, with a person-centred, strengths-based approach. A Prosecution Officer will monitor client progress and take action if negative behaviour or reoffending occurs. The project aims to empower individuals to make positive changes and live crime-free lifestyles, with successful completion leading to a certificate.

PSPO Survey Results

The Board received a summary of the consultation findings on proposed new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs). The consultation, which ran from 2 July to 17 August 2025, involved 164 respondents, 91.5% of whom were Barnet residents. The majority of respondents (78.4%) strongly supported the proposed borough-wide PSPO, with high support for continuing existing conditions and introducing new ones. New prohibitions include restrictions on feeding pigeons in public spaces, entering specific gated-off areas in Burnt Oak and near Barnfield Car Park, and loitering in certain wards if it causes nuisance or distress. The consultation indicated a strong public appetite for the council to take further steps to manage anti-social behaviour, with most respondents expecting a positive impact from the new measures. Cabinet had recently approved the recommendations for four new PSPOs, valid for three years, to be implemented from 8 December 2025.

Barnet Homes Update

Greg Terefenko, Head of Housing Management and Estate Services, Barnet Homes, provided an update on their ASB service, noting a transformation following an internal review. Since the start of Q1, there has been a 59% increase in reported ASB cases. Barnet Homes is actively encouraging reporting through various channels, including a QR code for real-time reporting. Three closure orders were issued with police support, and a focus is being placed on tackling noise nuisance. The team is also collaborating with mental health partners due to the crossover between ASB and mental health issues. Barnet Homes also highlighted their C1 grading from the Housing Regulator, with their ASB service being specifically commended for its effectiveness and cross-team collaboration.

Forward Work Programme

The Board noted the Forward Work Programme for the upcoming meetings.

Any Other Business

No other business was raised.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Safer Communities Partnership Board was scheduled for 26 June 2026.