Agenda and minutes

None.

Select Committee Public Open Forum ~ Guidance

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No submissions were received.

To familiarise the Committee with their Crime and Disorder Scrutiny responsibilities – Short Presentation by the Scrutiny Manager (attached).

Background Information: Welsh Government Guidance for the Scrutiny of Crime and Disorder Matters – Wales.

Hazel Ilett delivered the presentation.

To discuss Community Safety in Monmouthshire with the chair of the Community Safety Partnership (Safer Monmouthshire), through presentation of the Safer Monmouthshire Plan.

Chief Inspector John Davies gave a brief overview of his role and Safer Monmouthshire. Sharran Lloyd, Andrew Mason and John Crandon delivered the presentation and answered the members’ questions with the Chief Inspector.

Challenge:

Regarding crime recording, those are Home Office categories? But there is no overall Home Office category for domestic abuse – they are mostly recorded under ‘Violence With/Without Injury’?

A sexual offence would still be that, though considered as domestic abuse-related: a substantive offence in a domestic setting with two co-habiting adults over 18 would be tagged as a domestic abuse incident. It is a domestic abuse ‘tag’ which is part of HO statistics that links it to being a domestic abuse crime. A domestic-related incident could involve a number of different strands, which is why they are the primary crime, then tagged with the domestic abuse part of it.

Per head of population, incidences of rape and other sexual offences are the second highest in Gwent?

Yes, Monmouthshire is the second highest, despite our relatively low population. It could be that people are more confident in reporting here, compared to some of the other authorities.

When talking about concentrations of domestic abuse and violence, there is reference to socio-economic factors. However, incidences in Mill (Magor West) are higher than in Dewstow, and Mill doesn’t have particular issues in socio-economic terms.

Socio-economic reasons for domestic abuse have been pointed to over the years but we have seen a huge amount of under-reporting in areas where socio-economic issues haven’t been particularly stark. This is important for us to note as our work progresses. We are one of the few boards at this level that’s taking it so seriously.

Will implementation of a 20mph speed limit be scrutinised by the Community Safety Partnership?

We are setting up a road safety traffic group to look at this in more detail, so hopefully we will have more to say on that in the future.

The reason for apathy in reporting is clear: so many feel that it isn’t worth calling the police, as they don’t believe that their call will be followed up, or that anything will be done. This is one of the main things that needs to be addressed.

Placement of resources is done on basis of threat and risk. Dedicated neighbourhood resources…When we look at the threat and risk, we have come out of Covid into a different landscape, including things like placement of people into hotels….These are things we have to learn to react to. Through the Partnership arrangements we are trying to have more joined up thinking….cause and effect of that decision needs to be understood…might end up being offenders. They often go into those locations and end up as victims…Our new partnership arrangements are to ensure that we are more joined up in our decision-making.

We do have issues about people being able to contact us…..There is a massive piece around reassurance, where we aren’t communicating the positives as much as we should be….sits within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Dementia Services will be scrutinised on 28^th November, with Health Board and Gwent Regional Partnership Board in attendance. The committee could consider a future item on the role and remit of the Integrated Services Partnership Board. Also reviewing the efficacy of the Early Years Transformation Plan. Revisiting today’s report will go on to the work programme for the future.

The minutes were confirmed and signed as an accurate record, proposed by Councillor Stevens and seconded by Councillor Jones, with the following amendment:

Councillor Bond noted that her question/suggestion regarding role-modelling behaviour in the use of plastics included Coleg Gwent i.e. whether the college could be influenced to reduce their plastics use.

Monday 28^th November, 10.00.