Agenda item

            (Mrs. S. Wylie, Head of Environmental Health, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Committee will recall that a number of measures are being put in place to bring about better integration of the Council’s contribution to the SaferCity Agenda. This includes closer working between the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and District Policing Partnership (DPP) as well as a more joined up approach to the delivery of services by a number of departments. 

      At its meeting of 24th April 2009, the Committee was provided with information on the outcome of the safer city workshop for Members held on 6th April 2009.  The actions arising from this workshop included bringing together DPP and CSP staff under one Service and management structure, putting in place a single point of contact within the Council and developing mechanisms for better aligning the work of the DPP and CSP in terms of planning, engagement, monitoring and delivery.   Further reports are to be brought back to the Committee as each of these elements is developed further.

      The Committee also agreed at this meeting to provide an interim response to the NIO’s recent consultation document ‘Local Partnership Working on Policing and Community Safety: a way forward’, stating that it is in agreement with the principle of creating fully integrated partnerships in the longer term and on taking steps as soon as possible to more closely align the work and approaches of CSPs and DPPs.

      This report provides Members with an update on the steps taken to improve the internal co-ordination of those services which contribute to making Belfast Safer.  These Services include:

·         Community Safety,

·         Cleansing Services,

·         Good Relations,

·         Community Services,

·         Parks & Leisure Services,

·         Noise Team,

·         Dog Wardens, and

·         Building Control (licensing).

      The Council also plays a lead role in a range of multi-agency forums with a direct link to community safety, which in addition to the CSP and DPP includes the Good Relations Partnership, the Healthy Aging Strategic Partnership, the Young Peoples Steering Group, the Get Home Safe Partnership, the Holyland Interagency Steering Group, etc. 

      An internal senior officer group, known as the Safer City Group has been set up to ensure co-ordination across these services and partnerships.  The Group has developed a Safer City Framework and action plan to assist it in bringing about a ‘one council’ approach and to ensure that resources devoted to community safety are better co-ordinated and used to best effect.

Key Issues

      The Safer City Framework and action plan will allow the Council to rationalise, oversee and lead the co-ordination of resources, project delivery and the performance and management of the safer city agenda.  Implementing the Framework will also ensure clear linkages between the above partnership structures, bringing about synergies between them and avoiding duplication. The document is appended to this report.

      The 2009/2010 Safer City Plan (which is internal to BCC) will focus on a number of key areas, with an emphasis on putting in place adequate systems, protocols and software, to allow for better joined up working, particularly around our responses to antisocial behaviour.  This will mean that from 2010/2011 onwards we will be in a much better position to focus on improving services to deliver a safer Belfast.

      The key areas of work for 2009/2010 are:

·         Joining up service responses to Antisocial Behaviour;

·         Improving Information Management so there is a clear picture of the problem;

·         Developing mechanisms to involve Elected Members

·         Integration of service planning and delivery in respect of enforcement on the streets and on our premises;

·         Preparing for 2010/2011 Business Planning;

·         Developing effective communication processes so that everyone in the Council knows what is happening.

      Work will also be needed to bring the staff of the DPP and CSP together as suggested at the SaferCity workshop, however a separate report will be brought back to Committee on this.  Internally, work around the Safer City agenda will be championed by the Chief Executive and delivered through the Safer City Group and the services represented on this Group, with support from the Safer City Coordinator. 

Resource Implications

      Financial

      A cost of £45,000 has been estimated to enable the delivery of the SaferCity Plan 2009/2010, and this amount has been included in the draft corporate plan thematic budgets.  A separate report is being presented on this budget.  This money is required for Implementing the ASB policy, training staff, developing a procedures manual, reviewing Council Byelaws and awareness raising.

      Human Resources

      There will need to be adequate time committed to the Safer City Group and the delivery of the SaferCity Plan by all those nominated to sit on the group. 

Recommendations

      The Committee is asked to note the contents of the SaferCity Framework and Plan.

Decision Tracking

      The Head of Environmental Health will present half yearly progress reports on progress against the SaferCity Pan.

Key to Abbreviations

      CSP: Belfast Community Safety Partnership

      DPP: District Policing Partnership

      ASB: Antisocial Behaviour

      NIO: Northern Ireland Office.”

            In response to a number of questions, the Head of Environmental Health pointed out that the report outlined the steps which the Council was taking internally to improve on the co-ordination between Departments and Services which contributed to making Belfast a safer City.  She pointed out that further reports would be submitted to the Committee in due course on aligning the working arrangements of the District Policing Partnership and the Community Safety Partnership, potential structural changes in respect of staff, community engagement mechanisms and progress against the multi?agency Safer Belfast Plan, including contributions made by other statutory agencies.

Noted.