Issue - meetings

To consider a report from the Director of Adults’, Health and Care on the Hampshire Community Safety Strategy Group and to receive a joint presentation on Serious Violence from the Director of Public Health and Hampshire Constabulary.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adults, Health and Care (Item 6 in the Minute Book) providing an update on the work of the Hampshire Community Safety Strategy Group and progress towards agreeing the Hampshire County Agreement for Community Safety.

Members were made aware that the County Council re-established the Hampshire Community Safety Strategy Group (HCSSG) in July 2018 which had met quarterly over the past 16 months. Its work had focused on the preparation of the Community Safety Agreement based upon priorities stemming from strategic assessments prepared by the strategy groups across the county. 

Members were informed that the Hampshire County Agreement for Community Safety 2020-23 was currently in preparation following strong partner engagement and progress since March 2019 through the HCSSG. This would be completed in January 2020. The purpose of the Agreement was to ensure visibility at a countywide level of the strategic risks and the actions to address and mitigate them.

The Committee received a summary of Public Health’s Annual report which centred around the theme of reducing serious violence, with four areas of specific focus. The Interim Director of Public Health highlighted the actions being taken by the department to prevent serious violence.

The Interim Director also reported on the work of the Serious Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) which was recently set up with the help of Home Office funding (Hampshire Constabulary is one of 18 forces to receive funding in 2019/20).

The Committee heard that the Unit would focus on tackling the root causes of violence through a programme of early intervention with young people and local communities. Working with relevant partners and agencies including health, education, social services, probation, policing and Community Safety Partnerships, the VRU would bring together existing multi-agency work already taking place into one system, or network, of evidence, support and intervention to prevent violence.

Councillor Jackie Porter declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item as she is a trustee of Street Reach Winchester, a charity involved with reducing serious violence.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the leadership of the County Council in promoting community safety with partners through the Hampshire Community Safety Strategy Group (HCSSG) be noted.

2.    That the arrangements for establishing a Hampshire Violence Reduction Unit be noted.

3.    That the presentation on the Serious Violence Reduction Unit be noted.