Agenda item - MOPAC Police & Crime Plan

Agenda item

MOPAC Police & Crime Plan

To receive an update from the Chair of the Safer Neighbourhood Board, Tim Fellows.

Minutes:

The Chair of the Safer Neighbourhood Board, Tim Fellows, provided an update on the MOPAC Policing and Crime Plan and the response to it which will be sent on the behalf of the SNB.

 

Tim Provided the following points (in bold) and the Board approved, amended or disapproved them:

1)    The priorities proposed in the plan seem in line with what we might expect locally in Enfield, pending the completion of the Strategic Assessment.

This point was approved by the Board.

2)    The “vulnerable localities” reference is welcomed as Enfield has historically suffered from under resourcing based on figures on demographics and crime which are now outdated and do not currently allow for some of the greatest challenges in London.
This point was approved by the Board.

3)    Agree that the Capital Cities Grant should be paid in full given that Local Authorities in London will face up to 63% cuts by 2020
This point was approved by the Board.

 

4)    Pleasing that the policing levels are to be maintained, however the “additional Ward Officers” in the most vulnerable wards must surely be drawn from existing Borough resources this is not helpful as Enfield is currently under resourced in terms of officers.

This point was approved by the Board.

5)    Police BCUs “pilot” areas seem to herald the widespread introduction of clustered Boroughs with a single Borough Commander which is believed to be likely to the detriment of the partnership in Enfield. Concerns have been raised that a merged area BCU might be too weighted in favour of Haringey.
Councillor Dines questioned what the likelihood of Enfield merging with another borough was. The Borough Commander informed the Board that trials are taking place across London which would see boroughs merge and have one borough commander for the area. A formal decision for Enfield will be made between July and September 2017.

 

Following this, the point was approved by the Board.

 

6)    Welcome the plan to put Victims at the heart of local policing. Will the services commissioned from Victim Support and other front line services be reviewed in light of this new focus? Will the Independent Victims Commissioner Role be linked with existing third sector providers?
The Board felt this was particularly important considering their role in the voluntary sector. The Board approved this point.

7)    Welcome the extra 100 officers commissioned from BTP to support the Night Tube introduction.
This point was approved by the Board.

 

8)    The plan looks at Criminal Justice and the consultation runs in parallel with the David Lammy MP report on the treatment of Black and Minority Ethnic Groups in the CJS due to be published in 2017. Will the Mayors Plan incorporate agreed recommendations?
The Board felt they would need to see the recommendations of the Report but felt that it was important that the recommendations were considered by MOPAC so approved this point.

 

9)    Amid the general redevelopment of some prison buildings and courts closures, how will victims and witnesses be supported to travel further to contribute to a court case?
This point was approved by the Board.

 

10)While we welcome any pan London provision of IDVAs and ISVAs in London we would request that the allocation decisions about placing new resources does not penalise boroughs where they have invested already in tackling VAWG from local area funds.
This point was approved by the Board as Enfield had funded a number of IDVA posts they felt Enfield should not be penalised.

 

11)Also welcome the sustaining of rape crisis centres and SARCs.
This point was approved by the Board as it was felt it was not only important but essential.

 

12)In relation to Tackling Hate Crime and Extremism there are of course Prevent Engagement Officers already in place. How will these officers fit with the proposed “enhanced ward engagement”?
This point was approved by the Board.

 

13)Welcome the development of a Hate Crime Advocate and look forward to the results of the pilots at Westminster and Hackney.

This point was approved by the Board.

The points would be used for the SNB response to the MOPAC Police and Crime Plan, but individual responses may be sent to MOPAC directly until 23rd February 2017 through their website.

 

Supporting documents: