Agenda item

To consider a report from the Director of Environment and Housing presenting a series of summaries of community safety related issues identified by the Scrutiny Board.

The Director of Environment and Housing submitted a report which presented a series of summaries of community safety related issues identified by the Scrutiny Board.

The following were in attendance:

-  Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Housing

-  Supt Sam Millar, Chief Officer (Community Safety)

The key areas of discussion were:

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

·  The role of West Yorkshire Trading Standards in tackling NPS.

·  The need to review best practice of other local authorities in tackling this issue.

·  Making best use of existing legislation to adopt a proactive response to tackling NPS.  The Board requested to be kept informed of progress linked to the new Psychoactive Substances Bill, due to be law in early 2016, and the implications surrounding the new legislative powers.

·  An update on the police response to NPS at local festivals.

Human Trafficking

·  An update on human trafficking in Leeds. The Board noted that West Yorkshire Police had undertaken a major investigation over the last 18 months involving an organised operation.

·  Initiatives in place to address the interconnected safeguarding issues.

·  The important role of the UK Border Agency in terms of working more closely with partners in tackling human trafficking.

Prostitution

·  A continuing decline of visible prostitution in terms of street sex work.

·  The need for greater intelligence regarding the extent of indoor sex work and impacts on individuals, families, businesses and communities.

·  An update on progress made in tackling prostitution in Holbeck and the effectiveness of a managed area approach.

·  The need for more practical support to address issues in the Holbeck area.  In particular, the need to invest more street cleansing resources and improve pathways to housing support for individuals wanting to exit prostitution.  It was requested that the directorate formulates proposals aimed at addressing the additional support needs of the Holbeck area and reports this back to the Scrutiny Board by the next Community Safety themed meeting.

·  Concern about the responsiveness of the 101 non-emergency service.

·  Acknowledgement of the positive work undertaken by the Third Sector in engaging with sex workers, particularly in terms of improving relationships with the Police and increasing confidence to report a wide range of safeguarding concerns. 

Leedswatch

·  Confirmation that concerns had been expressed by Community Committees about the costs levied by BT for cameras in their areas.  The Board was advised that the service was aiming to move towards a more cost effective solution in 2018 when the current contract came to an end.

·  The Board requested to receive a scoping report outlining potential future options for delivery of this service.  Linked to this, the Board also requested comparator information in terms of CCTV systems operated by other local authorities.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)

·  The current allocation and deployment of Council funded PCSOs across Leeds.

·  That the original cohort of 294 budgeted PCSOs at the beginning of 2014/15 had continued to reduce as vacancies were not being filled (the current number of PCSOs across Leeds is now 230). However, it was noted that vacancies involving Council funded PCSOs were prioritised to be filled.

·  That the negotiations regarding the number and deployment of PCSOs within Leeds from April 2016 were not finalised.  However, the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) had indicated that he will continue to support joint funded PCSOs but will require a higher contribution from local authorities or other sponsoring partners.

·  Confirmation that initial discussions had taken place with the PCC regarding a proposal to increase the current contribution for Council funded PCSOs from 21% to 50%. 

·  The potential budget implications in maintaining the current level of Council funded PCSOs.

·  The Board agreed to set up a working group in order to undertake further Scrutiny into this matter.

Following consideration of the supplementary document ‘Police Community Support Officers in Leeds – background relating to current city-wide allocation’, designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (7), which was considered in private during the meeting, it was

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(b)  That a working group meeting of the Scrutiny Board be set up as soon as possible to undertake further Scrutiny into the provision of PCSOs in Leeds.

(Councillor A Khan left the meeting at 3.00pm and Councillor P Grahame at 4.15pm, during the consideration of this item.)