Meeting: GWENT PUBLIC SERVICES BOARD
Report: PROGRESS UPDATE: GWENT COMMUNITY SAFTEY REVIEW
Date: 29h SEPTEMBER 2022
1. PURPOSE:
This paper aims to give an update
on progress in relation to the task set by the Gwent PSB to undertake a
comprehensive review of Community Safety across the region.
The recommendations
agreed by the PSB were:
·
The need for a comprehensive governance review of
community safety & VAWDASV in Gwent
·
Confirm the Gwent Community Safety Board (Safer
Gwent) as the existing forum to take forward this work
·
Nominate a strategic advocate to lead the
development of a future scoping paper to come back to PSB
2. BACKGROUND
At
the Gwent PSB development session held in December 2021, the board were
presented with an overview of the statutory duties and amending legislation in
relations to the Crime & Disorder Act 1998, Substance Misuse (Wales)
Regulations 2007 and the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual
Violence (Wales) Act 2015.
During
the development session the various policy and legislative drivers were
explored, which highlighted the complexity of the crowded partnership landscape
across the Gwent. It was apparent that
the absence of a cohesive and systemic approach to community safety across the
region, was impacting the ability of operational leads to be truly effective.
The
Board was in full agreement that a comprehensive review should be undertaken,
and that the emphasis on prevention, localism, and better outcomes for the
citizens across Gwent should be the presiding features.
3.
PROGRESS
A
working group consisting of representatives from the statutory partners organisations
under the Crime & Disorder act, Welsh Government and Wales Safer
Communities Network (WLGA) has been meeting regularly to progress work in-line
with the review and the agreed terms of reference.
The
set of questions agreed by the PSB has formed the scope for the review. The questions encompassed various areas which
were highlighted as challenges in the PSB development session. The working group have been exploring in more
detail the factors that are contributing to complexity of the landscape, the
barriers to effective delivery, the lack of shared outcomes and solid
collaboration through joint planning.
A
Gwent wide workshop of multi-agency partners was held in June; this highlighted
some of the complexity of this agenda and has helped inform the working group
of the steps required to progress the review effectively.
The working
group is now in the process of establishing a framework, timeline and workplan
focussing on the three key areas below, with the aim of specifically addressing
the challenges under these headings.
Dedicated officer resource has been required for the working groups to
explore each of these themes in more detail.
1.
Governance Review:
· Is the Gwent PSB
meeting its statutory duties?
· Where do we need
to be? What is the vision?
· Do we consider
strategic alignment of policy, programme, and legislative drivers? does this
follow through into planning?
· What new
duties/legislation needs to be considered?
· How are local,
regional and accountability to WG managed concurrently?
· Do we have
appropriate mechanisms to escalate demand and address gaps in provision?
· Governance
arrangements and line of sight to local democratic accountability?
2.
Data/Evidence/Commissioning Review:
· Are we evidence
led? Do we use data effectively?
· What are the key
themes/trends?
· What resources are
needed to address issues effectively?
·
How intelligence led is our commissioning?
·
Do we have the right capacity in the right areas?
·
What resources exist across the region? How
effectively are they utilised?
3.
Wellbeing and Community Review:
· What does it mean
for wellbeing in communities?
· How well are we
supporting citizens? (victims/perpetrators/community)
· How effective is
our prevention and early intervention?
· How does the voice
of our citizens influence our systems and practice?
· Is Gwent a safe
place to live and work? How do we know?
4.
NEXT STEPS
The
working group aims to undertake the following in the next period:
· Develop
the framework and timeline with actions aligned to the three key areas
· Consult
with the chairs of the regional boards to understand policy drivers and
alignment to CSPs; (APB, VAWDASV, Gwent Criminal Justice, Safeguarding Board,
CONTEST, Gwent ASB Board, YOS LMBs) discussions to include:
-
Governance &
accountability
-
Strategy &
delivery (prevention and early intervention)
-
Data &
commissioning
-
Resources &
support
-
Service users/Public
engagement
· Consolidate
the information, review findings, and bring recommendations back to PSB
The
working group, supported by Safer Gwent, will provide highlight and exception
reports to the Board once the framework, timeline and workplan has been
developed.
6. RESOURCES
There is no
additional resource / on-going officer capacity at present to undertake the
review. Officers listed as part of the
working group, Safer Gwent and other key stakeholders, to date, have committed their
time to assist with conducting the review.
Report Authors:
Names: Sharran Lloyd (MCC)
Kate Williams (TCBC &
Chair of Safer Gwent)
Emails: Sharranlloyd@monmouthshire.gov.uk