Agenda item

Mark Norris, Principle Policy Adviser, introduced item five. 

Mark stated the paper sets out the proposals for the SSCB’s priorities and work programme for 2019/20.  These proposals are based on corporate LGA priorities and options for broader work based on a continuation of ongoing Board work (including responding to recent policy announcements made by Government) and areas of interest previously indicated by Board members.  The LGA’s Executive would be considering the LGA’s declaration of a climate emergency and adoption of the UN’s sustainable development goals at its annual meeting in the summer and would be considering what work individual Boards do in this area. 

Members made the following comments:

Member questioned if crematoria and the CMA investigation should be a priority of the Board.  Mark responded that this investigation may have a significant impact on local authority revenue from provision of these services. 

Members discussed adding a work stream on neighbourhood policing.  The Chair reminded members the Board had considered the issue before and there had been meetings with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners as well as with the College of Policing.  Mark also started that there would be further Home Office work on the provision of more front line policing linked to the spending round announcements.    Members questioned if it would be possible to reach agreement on what should be done to strengthen neighbourhood policing and highlighted the links with Police and Crime Panels and their Police and Crime Commissioners. 

Members questioned if points raised in paragraphs 19.1 – 19.4 will fall under the Fire Services Management Committee (FSMC).  Mark stated that the FSMC falls under the SSCB. 

Members questioned if mental health and community safety – points raised in paragraph 18.6 – should be split up (although recognised this as a cross-cutting issue). Mark confirmed the wording needed to be revised here and that they would be two different strands of work.

Members requested that points raised in paragraph 18.1 should be opened up to males? Members agreed that this is a heavily gendered crime, but that men are victims of domestic abuse too.  Members also raised the point of perpetrators of domestic abuse and early intervention.

Members discussed how paragraph 18.4 is linked to the possibility of a GRT Member Champion. 

Members discussed paragraph 18.2, and questioned how the LGA can help local authorities reduce violence against children and young people who are victims of County Lines.  Members questioned if there needs to be a public health and child protection approach.  The Chair supported this statement, and stated that whilst the Children’s Act helps to stop the abuse of children, it is designed for intra-familial violence and doesn’t protect the most vulnerable from issues such as County Lines, which also has distinct links to modern slavery. 

Members held discussions over adopting public health approaches in other areas – such as licensing and regulation.  This was supported by the Chair, who reminded members that the Government is now taking a public health approach to tackle serious violence. 

The following action was noted during the discussion:

-       Officers to re-word paragraph 18.6 and take forward two different work streams on mental health and community resilience in the coming year.

Decisions

1.    The SSCB agreed to the Board’s priorities and work programme for 2019/20.

2.    Members agreed to the recommendations set out in paragraph 15.