Agenda item

This Council calls on the administration to make community safety and the prevention of crime and disorder a priority for funding and resources.

 

Council remains concerned about the administration’s February budget decision to cut funding for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). At a time when residents are concerned about crime and disorder, and when central government is providing substantial funds to recruit more police officers, the local Leeds decision to cut community safety funding will seem inexplicable to many communities, and risks undermining wider efforts to build back better after the pandemic.

 

Whilst supporting the right to peaceful protest, Council also notes events in other parts of the country which have highlighted concerns about some protest groups, whose extreme actions threaten to damage the economy and cause an unacceptable level of disruption to the public.

 

Council also notes recent tragic events which have highlighted the specific threats posed to elected representatives carrying out their duties on behalf of the public.

 

Council calls on the administration to work with the West Yorkshire Mayor and other partners to urgently action the following:

 

1. Reverse the budget cut to PCSOs and uphold the long-standing Leeds commitment to financially support PCSO deployment across the city to boost community safety for residents;

 

2. Put in place local measures and allocate sufficient resources to ensure Leeds is prepared to respond effectively if disruptive protests of the type seen elsewhere come to the streets of Leeds and threaten to damage the city’s post-pandemic recovery;

 

3. Ensure the appropriate level of resources are provided for the safety and protection of council officers in front-line roles and elected members carrying out their responsibilities.

 

 

It was moved by Councillor Andrew Carter, seconded by Councillor Lamb that this Council calls on the administration to make community safety and the prevention of crime and disorder a priority for funding and resources.

 

Council remains concerned about the administration’s February budget decision to cut funding for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). At a time when residents are concerned about crime and disorder, and when central government is providing substantial funds to recruit more police officers, the local Leeds decision to cut community safety funding will seem inexplicable to many communities, and risks undermining wider efforts to build back better after the pandemic.

 

Whilst supporting the right to peaceful protest, Council also notes events in other parts of the country which have highlighted concerns about some protest groups, whose extreme actions threaten to damage the economy and cause an unacceptable level of disruption to the public.

 

Council also notes recent tragic events which have highlighted the specific threats posed to elected representatives carrying out their duties on behalf of the public.

 

Council calls on the administration to work with the West Yorkshire Mayor and other partners to urgently action the following:

 

1. Reverse the budget cut to PCSOs and uphold the long-standing Leeds commitment to financially support PCSO deployment across the city to boost community safety for residents;

 

2. Put in place local measures and allocate sufficient resources to ensure Leeds is prepared to respond effectively if disruptive protests of the type seen elsewhere come to the streets of Leeds and threaten to damage the city’s post-pandemic recovery;

 

3. Ensure the appropriate level of resources are provided for the safety and protection of council officers in front-line roles and elected members carrying out their responsibilities.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor D Blackburn, seconded by Councillor A Blackburn;

 

Delete the whole of Paragraph 3 and the whole of the second bullet point.  The amended White Paper would then read:

 

This Council calls on the administration to make community safety and the prevention of crime and disorder a priority for funding and resources.

 

Council remains concerned about the administration’s February budget decision to cut funding for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). At a time when residents are concerned about crime and disorder, and when central government is providing substantial funds to recruit more police officers, the local Leeds decision to cut community safety funding will seem inexplicable to many communities, and risks undermining wider efforts to build back better after the pandemic.

 

Council also notes recent tragic events which have highlighted the specific threats posed to elected representatives carrying out their duties on behalf of the public.

 

Council calls on the administration to work with the West Yorkshire Mayor and other partners to urgently action the following:

 

1. Reverse the budget cut to PCSOs and uphold the long-standing Leeds commitment to financially support PCSO deployment across the city to boost community safety for residents;

 

2. Ensure the appropriate level of resources are provided for the safety and protection of council officers in front-line roles and elected members carrying out their responsibilities.

 

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Bentley, seconded by Councillor Chapman

 

Remove all after the first paragraph, and insert:

 

Council regrets the February budget decision to remove the funding of ward based Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). At a time of increased fear of crime and violence, especially towards women and girls, the administration’s decision to cut community safety spending is rightly condemned by communities across the city.

 

Council believes that:

 

•  Everyone, regardless of identity, has a right to live a life free from fear and violence.

 

•  Investing in raising awareness, education and policies aimed at prevention is vital and avoids greater long-term costs.

 

•  Ending violence against women and girls must be a top priority for all levels of government.

 

Council therefore calls on the administration:

 

•  To reinstate funding for ward based PCSOs.

 

•  To work with the police, the community and other partners to identify  problem areas and devise interventions to detect and prevent crime.

 

•  To ensure that Licensing make public safety, especially the safety of women and girls, central to licensing decisions and conditions.

 

•  To work with school leaders to ensure that all school staff are trained in correctly and sensitively handling incidences of abusive, violent and bullying behaviour.

 

•  To call on the government to increase efforts to prevent and detect violence against women and girls including setting up an independent commission to ensure accountability and progress.”

 

The amended White Paper will then read:

 

This Council calls on the administration to make community safety and the prevention of crime and disorder a priority for funding and resources.

 

Council regrets the February budget decision to remove the funding of ward based Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). At a time of increased fear of crime and violence, especially towards women and girls, the administration’s decision to cut community safety spending is rightly condemned by communities across the city.

 

Council believes that:

 

•  Everyone, regardless of identity, has a right to live a life free from fear and violence.

 

•  Investing in raising awareness, education and policies aimed at prevention is vital and avoids greater long-term costs.

 

•  Ending violence against women and girls must be a top priority for all levels of government.

 

Council therefore calls on the administration:

 

•  To reinstate funding for ward based PCSOs.

 

•  To work with the police, the community and other partners to identify problem areas and devise interventions to detect and prevent crime.

 

•  To ensure that Licensing make public safety, especially the safety of women and girls, central to licensing decisions and conditions.

 

•  To work with school leaders to ensure that all school staff are trained in correctly and sensitively handling incidences of abusive, violent and bullying behaviour.

 

•  To call on the government to increase efforts to prevent and detect violence against women and girls including setting up an independent commission to ensure accountability and progress.

 

A third amendment was moved by Councillor Coupar, seconded by Councillor Garthwaite

 

Delete all and replace with:

 

“Council thanks all members of the Police Service for their frontline work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Council reaffirms its commitment to Community Safety and tackling crime and this is reflected in the priority issues within the new 2021-2024 Safer Leeds Executive Strategy. These include tackling crime and ASB, serious violence, domestic violence and developing enhanced arrangements aimed at keeping women and girls safe.

 

Council will continue to work closely with a full range of partners including West Yorkshire Police and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime to mitigate as much as possible the continuing funding pressures on services.

 

Council regrets the cuts of over £2.3bn to policing since 2010 and recognises the loss of 21,000 police officers from the frontline between 2010 and 2020. Council notes with disappointment that the recent Government announcement of ‘additional’ police officers will still not replace the number lost.

 

Council believes these cuts have directly led to rising anti-social behaviour, record levels of knife crime and almost nine in ten crimes going unsolved.

 

Council calls on Government to restore funding and staffing levels to a minimum of 2010 levels to properly invest in these vital services, and in particular the Neighbourhood Policing Teams.”

The amendments  in the name of Councillor D Blackburn and Councillor Bentley were declared lost, the amendment in the name of Councillor Coupar was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

 

RESOLVED – That Council thanks all members of the Police Service for their frontline work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Council reaffirms its commitment to Community Safety and tackling crime and this is reflected in the priority issues within the new 2021-2024 Safer Leeds Executive Strategy. These include tackling crime and ASB, serious violence, domestic violence and developing enhanced arrangements aimed at keeping women and girls safe.

 

Council will continue to work closely with a full range of partners including West Yorkshire Police and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime to mitigate as much as possible the continuing funding pressures on services.

 

Council regrets the cuts of over £2.3bn to policing since 2010 and recognises the loss of 21,000 police officers from the frontline between 2010 and 2020. Council notes with disappointment that the recent Government announcement of ‘additional’ police officers will still not replace the number lost.

 

Council believes these cuts have directly led to rising anti-social behaviour, record levels of knife crime and almost nine in ten crimes going unsolved.

 

Council calls on Government to restore funding and staffing levels to a minimum of 2010 levels to properly invest in these vital services, and in particular the Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

On the requisition of Councillor Campbell and Cohen the voting on the second amendment in the name of Councillor Bentley was recorded as follows;

 

YES – 35

 

Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Buckley, Campbell, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Chapman, Cohen, Collins, Downes, Finnigan, Firth, Flynn, Forsaith, Gettings, Golton, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Howley, Kidger, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Senior, Smith, Stephenson, J Taylor and Wadsworth.

 

NO - 50

 

Akhtar, Arif, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Charlwood, Coupar, Cunningham, Dowson, Dye, Flint, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gibson, Goddard, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, E Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Walshaw and Wray.

 

ABSTAIN - 3

 

Dobson, Field and McCormack

 

On the requisition of Councillor Lennox and Coupar the voting on the third amendment in the name of Councillor Coupar was recorded as follows;

 

YES – 49

 

Akhtar, Arif, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Charlwood, Coupar, Cunningham, Dowson, Dye, Flint, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gibson, Goddard, P Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, E Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Walshaw and Wray.

 

 

 

 

NO – 32

 

Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Buckley, Campbell, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Chapman, Cohen, Collins, Downes, Firth, Flynn, Forsaith, Golton, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Howley, Kidger, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Smith, Stephenson, J Taylor and Wadsworth.

 

ABSTAIN - 6

 

Dobson, Field, Finnigan, Gettings, McCormack and Senior.