Minutes:
The Community Safety
Partnership Manager introduced the report and stated that the
Council’s Prevent duty was outlined in the 2015
Counterterrorism Act, and Members would be asked to scrutinise
Thurrock’s response to Prevent and
help to improve services. She stated that the national current
threat level was classed as substantial, which meant that a
terrorist attack was likely. She explained that the threat level
had remained the same after the tragic death of Sir David Amess MP,
as although it was being treated as a terrorist incident, there was
no specific threat to the wider UK. She stated that the LGA
self-assessment was included at appendix two of the report, and
helped local authorities mitigate threats. She explained that
Thurrock also had its own Channel Panel that assisted people who
were vulnerable to terrorism, and appendix 3 of the report
contained Thurrock’s annual self-assessment. She stated that
counterterrorism had been a priority of the Community Safety
Partnership in 2021, and would likely continue to be a priority in
2022, alongside the local Prevent Strategy which had been developed
and consulted on with the Prevent Working Group.
The Community Safety Partnership Manager explained that the Prevent
self-assessment worked using a Red, Amber, and Green rating system
and had found seven green criteria and three amber criteria. She
explained that one of the amber criteria related to the Prevent
training programme, which had moved online since the onset of
COVID. She explained that although the team had received positive
feedback on the training, there was currently no needs assessment
in place which would ensure the training was reaching the right
people and being undertaken correctly. She added that now the
training was online there was no system to be able to monitor who
completed it. The Community Safety Partnership Manager added that
the Home Office were currently renewing the training offer, but all
Thurrock schools had somebody trained and accredited in Prevent, in
line with the Section 157 safeguarding assessment. She explained
that the next amber criteria related to venue hire. She commented
that a policy regarding Prevent and venue hire and been adopted by
Thurrock Council and sent to schools, and a policy regarding venue
hire and community buildings was currently being drafted. The
Community Safety Partnership Manager stated that the final amber
criteria related to community engagement with Prevent, as she felt
this area could always be improved upon.
The Community Safety Partnership Manager added that Thurrock was a
non-funded Prevent Council, but the national Prevent scheme had now
begun to provide local Prevent advisors, who would develop
communications with stakeholders and would help include Prevent in
the Local Plan. She summarised and stated that the Channel Panel
assessment was also being updated to include new processes and
ensure all vulnerable people were appropriately supported.
Councillor Anderson stated that the murderer of Sir David Amess MP
had been reported to Prevent and had worked with the Channel Panel.
He asked what was being done to ensure people continued to be
monitored once they had completed the Channel Panel process. The
Youth Offending Operations Manager replied that he sat on the
Channel Panel and explained that people were subject to a six and
twelve month review once they had completed the process. He stated
that once they had completed the process, they were linked with
positive resources in the community to reduce risk as much as
possible. He stated that at the twelve month review, the person was
provided with a clear exit strategy and continuing support where
necessary. Councillor Anderson questioned if people completing
Channel Panel were paired with a role model at the end of the
process. The Youth Offending Operations Manager replied that people
who completed Channel Panel were linked to positive role models
within their community who could provide an ongoing support
network, for example people referred to Channel Panel because of
Islamic extremism were linked with positive Mosques and Imams; and
people referred to Channel Panel because of right wing extremism
were linked to relevant positive organisations for support.
Councillor Okunade left the meeting at 8.50pm
Councillor Abbas highlighted the risk assessment at appendix 2 of
the report, and queried how the Council would work with local for
hire venues to ensure they met the Prevent duty. The Community
Safety Partnership Manager replied that during COVID venue hire had
been immaterial because of government restrictions, so the Council
had focussed on Prevent in schools. She stated that currently the
venue hire process in relation to Prevent for Council buildings and
schools, had been finalised and agreed, but this process still
needed finalising for community venues such as village halls. She
explained that community venues could not be forced to adopt the
Prevent venue hire policy, but could be advised and encouraged.
Councillor Abbas then questioned how effective the Prevent system
was at countering terrorism. The Community Safety Partnership
Manager replied that an independent review into Prevent was
currently underway, and some findings were being pre-empted, which
was why local Prevent advisors were being established. She
highlighted that Thurrock was not a Prevent funded area, but had
completed the Prevent self-assessment. She added that the Prevent
system had learnt lots of lessons from incidents such as the
Parsons Green bombing, and worked with the Channel Panels to ensure
all Prevent recommendations were being fulfilled. She explained
that Thurrock were currently undertaking an audit of cases that had
gone through Channel Panel, and children identified as at risk of
going through Channel Panel to ensure that all steps were being
undertaken. The Youth Offending Operations Manager added that the
team were ensuring all the necessary checks had been carried out.
He explained that the Channel Panel had thousands of successful
interventions across the country, but this was negated by the
handful of unsuccessful cases that were reported extensively in the
media.
Councillor Ralph asked how the team were working to educate young
people against extreme beliefs, particularly at college and
university level. The Community Safety Partnership Manager replied
that the Education Safeguarding Forum had been briefed today and
resources for schools shared, including education against extremism
for those aged under 16 called Educate Against Hate. She stated that resources for schools,
such as lesson plans and information for parents, was also
available through the Lets Talk About It
website. She mentioned that representatives from Palmers College
and South Essex College also sat on the Prevent Board and attended
seminars on how to have a conversation with young people about
terrorism.
The Chair thanked the team for their work and questioned why
left-wing extremism was not discussed as part of the Prevent
strategy. The Community Safety Partnership Manager replied that the
team received quarterly briefings that outlined current Prevent
issues that directed and dictated the strategy. She stated that the
latest focus was surrounding Incels,
which was now included as part of the local strategy. She explained
that the briefings did not currently include left-wing extremism
and therefore were not included as part of the strategy.
RESOLVED: That the Committee:
1. Scrutinised and assured themselves of the response to the
self-assessment audit completed using the Local Government
Association Toolkit and provided for scrutiny at Appendix 2.
2. Scrutinised and assured themselves of the response to the
Channel Panel self-assessment completed in April 2021 and provided
for scrutiny at Appendix 3.
3. Agreed a process through the annual work plan for monitoring of
identified actions to ensure Thurrock Council fulfils its duty in
relation to Prevent.
The Youth Offending Operations Manager left
the meeting at 9.08pm