The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager presented the report to members. She explained that the Thurrock Community Safety Partnership (TCSP) has a role to play in preventing and safeguarding the most vulnerable in our society from being victims of crime, abuse and exploitation. TCSP has identified 9 priorities for this financial year and they are listed at paragraph 2.2 of the report.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager clarified that whilst there has been an increase in all types of crime except burglary, members are advised it reflects against non-comparable data due to the varying degrees of restrictions in place during 2020 and 2021. In the last 12 months ending August 2022, anti-social behaviour, violence against the person which includes domestic abuse and domestic burglary are on a downward trajectory. All crime has seen a 6.4% increase in Thurrock however that does compare favourably against the Force which has seen a 9.2% increase.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager stated that Section 3 of the report explains the breadth of work going across the Borough to address those identified priorities.

Councillor Muldowney commented that she was shocked to see there has been a 22.4 % increase in stalking and harassment in Thurrock.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager confirmed that there has been a change in the way it has been reported which might have affected this. She confirmed there have been 2206 offences reported in Thurrock to end of August 2022 which is a decrease of 332 and is a -13 % reduction, so it is now on a downward trajectory.

Councillor Arnold queried what are the contributing factors that make Thurrock the 5^th highest borough for domestic abuse in Essex.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager stated that there are 14 districts in Essex. There are so many factors that are picked up in domestic abuse. We do promote the reporting of it very highly. The Housing Safeguarding team respond to all tenures including for male victims as well. We have a lot of areas of high deprivation however, it happens everywhere and cuts across all social aspects.

Councillor Arnold queries if there was any reason why burglary had fallen and if there were any lessons we could learn from this and apply to other areas of crime.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager confirmed the figure does include some periods of lockdown restrictions and burglary plummeted over that period of time.

There is an Integrated Offender Management Programme that manage prolific offenders. They meet monthly to discuss each of the offenders alongside representatives from the drug and alcohol service and they look at the criminogenic needs of those offenders such as housing or to get them into employment and training and there is support there for offenders who want to engage. If they don’t want to engage and curb their behaviour curfews and tags can be used.

The Chair raised that often women cannot move out of their home and we have only one safe house in Thurrock.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager confirmed that the first option is always to try and make it safe for victims to stay in their own home, especially if they have children in school.

Councillor Muldowney commented that it was upsetting to hear in the Youth Focus Listening Project that half of the respondents are worried about being exploited by gangs. She requested more information about the emerging gang in Thurrock.

The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager confirmed that 9 adults and 9 juveniles are going through the courts with gang injunctions. She also confirmed that a company called Red Balloon are working with young people out in the Community and have been based in Seabrooke Rise and Koala Park. TCSP have secured some funding and had discussions with the local churches to try and bring in a Street Pastor to act as a trusted adult in the Gray’s Station area. They have also given some funding to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme which 5 people in Seabrooke Rise have taken up. It is hoped that this they may become involved in some volunteering work which will give them pride in their local area.

Councillor Muldowney noted that hate crime figures have increased. The Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Manager confirmed that Thurrock has a strong response to hate crime. Thurrock has lots of Hate Crime Ambassadors. All staff in the Council that complete Prevent training also complete Hate Crime awareness training.

People don’t always feel comfortable going into a police station to report hate crime. This week is National Hate Crime week. Thurrock has 9 hate crime reporting centres to provide alternative venues for people to report hate crimes.

RESOLVED:

1.1      That Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the performance of the Thurrock Community Safety Partnership for the year 2021/22 and satisfy themselves that the Community Safety Partnership priorities agreed for the year 2022/23 respond to the community safety issues raised by their residents

1.2     That Overview and Scrutiny Committee recognise the collaborative working across our priorities with the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to keep the community of Thurrock safe.

1.3     That Overview and Scrutiny understand the impact on the Council of the Serious Violence Duty