Safer Communities Partnership working in Scotland: Developments, challenges and opportunities Richard Whetton Improvement Service

Community Safety Partnerships: What I hope to cover. Developments - A Brief Historical Overview - Community Safety Partnerships Organisational Structures - What Community Safety Partnerships Work on - Common Principles of Practice - Different Approaches in Scotland - General Performance and Value Challenges and Opportunities - Some specific areas of challenge and opportunity - Summary

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships History of preventative Partnership working between Police and Partners Locally based problem solving orientated crime and injury prevention 1980’s/1990’s growth in crime prevention involving more than the Police Increase in Physical Prevention – CCTV, Target Hardening, Safer Cities Emergence of Social Prevention – Neighbourhood Watch, Multi-Agency The term crime prevention is often narrowly interpreted and this reinforces the view that it is solely the responsibility of the police. The term community safety is open to wider interpretation and could encourage greater participation from all sections of the community... We see community safety as having both social and situational aspects, as being concerned with people, communities and organisations including families, victims and at risk groups, as well as with attempting to reduce particular types of crime and the fear of crime. (Morgan Report, 1991)

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships 1998 Crime and Disorder Act – England and Wales 1999 Safer Communities in Scotland – Scottish Executive 2000 Safe and Sound – Audit Scotland - Community Safety Partnerships Established Across Scotland - Range of Improvement Recommendations – Data, Planning, Governance 2000 Threads of Success – Scottish Executive & COSLA - locally ensuring reaction and management as well as prevention - locally ensuring community safety is a clear priority - nationally reinforcing community safety as a priority - nationally provide funding and support practice

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships 2003 Local Government Act – Community Planning - Community Safety became a thematic priority 2004 Anti-Social Behaviour Act - A range of additional powers – ASBO, Closure Orders, Dispersal Notices Significant Ring Fenced Funding provided to Partnerships in Scotland - Local Partnerships showed significant improvements and best practice - Practitioner networks became well-established – SCSN, ASBOF, CCTV - Service and Policy development on a range of issues – ASB, CCTV etc 2009 Concordat and the end of ring fenced funding for Community Safety - Partnerships remained key thematic of local Community Planning - Services have changed, adapted but still active

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships 32 Community Safety/Safer Communities Partnerships/Boards Obvious differences in size and scale Resources differ as do approaches Broadly - Main Partnership - Thematic Groups - Problem Solving - Emergence of practical service model - Preferred practice or principles

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Organisational Structures

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Scottish Community Safety Network Report 2013 Highlights variety of structures and approaches Wide range of partners – local and national

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Policy Areas What are the priorities, what work do they oversee and do: Crime Prevention, Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction, CCTV, Violence Reduction, Violence Against Women, Road Safety, Injury Prevention, Fire Safety, Home Safety Close policy and working connections to: Resilience (Emergency Planning), Youth Justice, Community Justice, Drugs and Alcohol, Social Work (Children and Families, Criminal Justice), Housing & Regeneration

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Strategic Planning National Community Planning Priority for Scotland -Safer Communities and Reducing Offending - All the 32 Community Planning Partnerships reflect this Safer Communities Strategy and Action Plan or Plans in place Two Thirds use a Strategic Assessment as the Evidence Base

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Common Principles of Practice Partnership interventions and campaigns (prevention and reaction) Multi Agency Problem Solving – SARA, POP, VOL, PASD Shared Assessment – NIM Based Success in information sharing – both Practical and Strategic Use of Case Conferencing for support and management of individuals Performance Monitoring – Dashboard, RAG Status, Highlight Community Focus - Locality, Place Focus, Engagement and Reassurance Multi-Agency Co-location – Temporary, Project. Partial and Full Service

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Multi-Agency Co-location – Temporary, Project. Partial and Full Service Aberdeen, West Lothian, Glasgow, Scottish Borders, Midlothian, Dundee, Fife, Angus, Edinburgh, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire Variety of approaches aiming to improve multi-agency working Small scale to very large represented and some in development Presents a contrast to areas with similar profiles

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Shared Assessment Developed Practice (non-statutory) Community Safety Strategic Assessment National Intelligence Model ‘Twenty one CSPs use the strategic assessment process to develop strategic plans; the remainder use a workshop- based approach to developing priorities.’ SCSN 2013 This is a statutory duty in England and Wales through Amendment to the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act by the Police and Justice Act 2006

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Different Localities and a Variety of Approach – Urban/Rural West Lothian- Safer Communities Board and Strategic Steering Group - Co-location/creation of Safer Communities Department - Intelligence led with regular tasking and coordinating - Prevention, Enforcement, Intelligence, Rehabilitation (PIER) - Fire and Road Safety, ASB and Hate Crime - Violence Reduction and Protection of vulnerable people - Reducing the impact of Serious and Organised Crime - Environmental Enforcement

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Different Localities and a Variety of Approach - Urban Glasgow - Company Owned by City Council and Police Authority - Unique approach – Community Safety Glasgow - Charitable body and company limited by guarantee - Co-location – Direct Service Provision - CCTV, Neighbourhood Dispute, Mediation, Noise Nuisance - Community Enforcement Officers, Offender Management - Graffiti Removal, Restorative Justice, Alcohol & Drugs Team - Information and Intelligence Unit, Problem Solving Focus

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Different Localities and a Variety of Approach - Rural Scottish Borders- Community Safety Partnership Board - Co-located Community Safety Unit within SBC - Joint Funded Manager – Police Officer (Chief Inspector) - Police/Council Community Safety, Public Protection - Intelligence Led and use of joint tasking - Road Safety, ASB Reduction, Home Safety, - Crime Prevention, Domestic Abuse, Drugs and Alcohol

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Performance and Value National long term trends suggest that Scotland is Safer What Works to Reduce Crime: A Summary of the Evidence (Scottish Government. 2013) Suggests – Situational Crime Prevention, addressing underlying causes of crime, early interventions, addressing drug and alcohol misuse, reducing the opportunity, diversionary work, campaigns, deterrent activity have contributed towards a safer Scotland.

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Performance and Value Local Monitoring of Performance Majority of CSP Strategic and Operational work monitors output and outcomes Generally a quantitative focus on intended reductions or increases - Reduction in Anti-Social Behaviour, Road Casualties - Increase in reporting of Domestic Violence Qualitative information also available linked to particular approaches

The Development of Community Safety Partnerships Performance and Value

Aberdeen City - Safer Aberdeen Phone App Aberdeenshire – Winter and Summer Safer Streets Angus – Getting Us Safe Argyll and Bute Anti Social Behaviour - Problem Solving Partnerships Edinburgh – Operation Cipher/Risk Factory Glasgow – Clean Glasgow Dumfries and Galloway – Legal Highs Dundee – E- Safety Campaign East Dunbartonshire – Be Your Own Boss Falkirk – Safe Drive Stay Alive Fife – Cedar Project Highland – Older People Stay Safe Midlothian – Families Intervention North Ayrshire – Problem Solving Groups North Lanarkshire – Fire-reach/Friday Night Project Perth and Kinross – NHS Fire link Officer Renfrewshire – Safer Communities Hub Scottish borders – New Drug Trend South Ayrshire – Wreckless Driving Wrecks Lives South Lanarkshire – Safer Rutherglen Stirling – Safe Base West Dunbartonshire – Westcliffe Public Reassurance West Lothian – Straight to the Point The Development of Community Safety Partnerships

Challenges and Opportunities for Community Safety Partnerships Public Spending is under pressure and this has and will effect CSPs Organisational pressures potential barrier to true collaboration of services Pooling of resources between partners remains difficult but essential Police and Fire Reform has resulted in changes both strategic and operational Local authorities have or are undertaking service reviews - different results National Reforms - Community Justice Authorities Greater expectations for Community Planning A need to focus collective effort in areas of greatest need Community Empowerment and a focus on Wellbeing Greater need than ever to prove efficiency and best value

Summary Community Safety is a Community Planning Priority across Scotland It is directly linked to the Scottish Governments National Framework Partnerships exist in each Local Authority Area There is a huge variety in leadership, resources and approach There is a great deal of activity linked to performance and intended outcomes There is innovation and good practice in CSP working Public Sector Reform has and will effect these partnerships +/- It is an area that would benefit from further study

Thank you