The Safer Communities Partnership Board met on Friday 21 November 2025 to discuss a range of issues concerning community safety in Barnet. Key topics included performance updates on crime and anti-social behaviour, family services initiatives, hate crime and community cohesion efforts, and the proposed renewal of Public Spaces Protection Orders. The Board noted significant progress in reducing re-offending rates among young people and highlighted the importance of multi-agency collaboration in tackling complex community safety challenges.

Community Safety Partnership Performance Update (Q2)

The Safer Communities Partnership Board received a comprehensive update on the performance of community safety initiatives across Barnet for the second quarter of the financial year 2025-26. Detective Superintendent Katie Harber from the Metropolitan Police provided an overview of crime statistics, noting a 20% reduction in robbery and an increase in shoplifting reports, which was attributed to improved reporting mechanisms. Violence without injury saw a 10% increase, while domestic abuse incidents remained relatively low, with a small decrease in violence with injury. Rape reporting increased by 9%, with a positive prosecution rate of 25% for the borough. Catalytic converter thefts were identified as a trend, and while knife crime with injury decreased by 18% over 12 months, possession of weapons rose by 39%. Drug trafficking saw an 82% increase, largely due to police seizures, and hate crime reduced by 11% over the same period. Councillor Sara Conway, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Community Cohesion, and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, commended the proactive approach of neighbourhood teams in driving these figures.

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

Karen Popely, Interim Assistant Director of Children's Safeguarding, presented an update on Family Services, focusing on reducing offending and tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The Domestic Abuse (DA) and VAWG Strategy for 2025-2029 was successfully launched during the 16 Days of Activism. Key achievements included the Step in Barnet campaign, promoting bystander intervention, and the expansion of Safe & Together training, with over 250 professionals trained. Support for victims remained robust, with 136 One Stop Shop appointments and enhanced refuge provision. Perpetrator programmes, including CIFA, DRIVE, and RISE, showed steady engagement, and MARAC referrals increased by 30%, indicating improved multi-agency coordination. Radlamah Canakiah, VAWG Strategy Manager, highlighted the Study Bugs app's role in Operation Encompass notifications to schools, and the ongoing DAHA accreditation process for Barnet Homes. Christopher Kelly, Strategic Lead for Tackling Violence and Exploitation, reported a reduction in serious incidents involving young people in Q3, with a focus on improving safety awareness and culture. The Barnet Youth Justice Service reported positive trends, with a first-time entrant rate 14% below the London average and a re-offending rate of 29.7%, outperforming national averages. Custody rates continue to decline, demonstrating a commitment to community-based alternatives.

Barnet Homes Annual Update

Greg Terefenko, Head of Housing Management and Estate Services at Barnet Homes, provided an update on their Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) service. He reported an increase in ASB cases, with 148 cases requiring action, which he noted as a positive sign of increased reporting. Barnet Homes is actively encouraging ASB reporting through various channels and has seen success with three closure orders issued in partnership with the police and community safety team. The service is focusing on tackling noise nuisance proactively and has updated its website and launched campaigns to promote its ASB services. Future work will involve collaboration with mental health partners, acknowledging the crossover between ASB and mental health issues. Terefenko also thanked the teams for their work, particularly highlighting the ASB service's contribution to Barnet Homes achieving a C1 grading from the Housing Regulator.

Hate Crime and Community Cohesion Update

Perryn Jasper, Prevent Coordinator and Hate Crime Lead, and Rui Octavio, Community Engagement Officer, presented an update on hate crime and community cohesion efforts in Barnet. Over the past seven months, hate crime incidents have remained high, with religiously motivated attacks on buildings noted. However, there are also positive developments, with transformational projects aimed at fostering community cohesion. The report combined efforts from the Community Safety, Community Participation, and Communications teams, reflecting a holistic approach. Hate Crime Awareness Week 2025 saw significant engagement across various locations, with over 1,500 individuals reached. Statistics showed a rise in racial hate crime, with a noted shift from religious to racial lenses, and a concerning concentration of antisemitic incidents in Barnet. Islamophobia Awareness Month included events and the development of new leaflets. The Connecting Communities campaign, launched in August 2025, aims to build pride through positive messaging, showcasing diverse communities via short films and promoting community events. Community roundtables have been held with Jewish, Muslim, and Black communities to amplify voices and inform council strategies.

C4U Project Update

Jeff DeCosta and Tracy presented an update on the Change for You (C4U) project, a four-year initiative funded by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) aimed at supporting 18-30 year olds within the criminal justice system. The project focuses on tailored one-to-one support, casework, and mentoring to improve health and well-being, with the goal of helping participants live crime-free lifestyles. Eligibility criteria include being aged 18-30, a Barnet resident, and under Probation Service supervision with at least seven months remaining. The project offers support with accessing community services, housing, finance, employment, and mental health. A Prosecution Officer will monitor client progress and take action if negative behaviour or re-offending occurs. The presentation also included insights into the challenges faced by individuals post-release, emphasizing the need for belief, support, and a trauma-informed approach to foster transformation.

PSPO Consultation Summary Presentation

Jeff DeCosta presented the findings of the consultation on proposed new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) in Barnet, which ran from 2 July to 17 August 2025. The consultation, which received 164 responses, predominantly from Barnet residents (91.5%), indicated strong support for the renewal of existing PSPO conditions and the implementation of new proposals. High support was noted for conditions related to dog fouling, harassment, and alcohol-related nuisance. New proposed prohibitions include restrictions on feeding pigeons in public areas, entering specific gated-off areas in Burnt Oak and near Barnfield Car Park, and loitering that causes nuisance or distress in designated wards. The majority of respondents believed the new PSPOs would have a positive impact on the borough, with residents seeing PSPOs as a valuable tool for tackling anti-social behaviour and maintaining quality of life. The report was submitted to Cabinet for approval on 18 November 2025.

Community Safety Team Mid-Year Report

Matt Leng provided a mid-year report on the Community Safety Team's activities from April to September 2025. The team managed 1221 new cases through the ECINS system, covering areas such as ASB, environmental crime, and MARAC referrals. Case closure outcomes showed that the largest proportion of cases (26.2%) were closed due to evidence not being suitable for prosecution. The report detailed significant activity in tackling anti-social behaviour, with 32 cases reviewed per month on average by the Community Safety MARAC panel. A total of 373 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) were issued, primarily for environmental crimes like fly-tipping and graffiti. The Parks Project 2025 saw 121 visits and 77 FPNs issued for PSPO breaches, particularly related to vehicle misuse and fire restrictions. Operation Lysander and Contender tackled fly-tipping, with 152 checks conducted for Operation Lysander resulting in 40 actionable fly-tips, and 4074 'Contender' inspections leading to 62 cases being pursued further. CCTV infrastructure has been enhanced, with 134 camera locations and over 900 live streams, supporting joint operations with the police. Prevent referrals increased significantly, with 43 received in Q2, the highest for this period, and awareness training was delivered to 969 professionals. The report also highlighted the ongoing work on hate crime and community cohesion, with a joint report to be presented at the Board.

The meeting concluded with a review of the Forward Work Programme and the date of the next meeting.