Agenda item

The Chair introduced the report which outlines issues of interest to the Board not covered under the other items on the agenda,including our work on COVID-19 and ongoing work in relation to the Domestic Abuse Bill.

Alongside the report the Chair highlighted that earlier on in the week she had met with Lord Toby Harris, Chair of National Trading Standards and discussed the following:

·       The range of NTS’s activities and some of the major cases it has prosecuted.

·       Challenges councils had faced with resources especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

·       The relationship with NTS and the police, regarding fraud cases and understanding the tangible link to serious organised crime and serious violence.

·       A future white paper expected to seek to address NTS’s unique constitutional status.

·       That she proposed to invite Lord Toby Harris to attend a future Board meeting to provide an update for all members.

Additionally, the Chair raised that in light of the recent Sarah Everard case, the Home Office had decided to reopen its consultation on Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. The LGA would circulate their original response and invite Board members to submit additional comments by close on Monday 22March, to provide a revised and updated submission. The Chair raised that earlier on she had sent around a call for action to Lead Members, to gather an agreement from Board members to the principals of the call to action.

Following the discussion, Members made the following comments:

·       The issue of Male Violence against Women and Girls needed to be addressed at the next or a special meeting, to discuss practical measures councils can take to protect women and girls further. This was supported by members; the Chair responded in agreement and asked officers to include this as an item for a future meeting.

·       The prevalence and normality of sexual violence against women in the media is concerning. More work needed to be done with the media to address what was and wasn’t acceptable and how making these stories/scripts feel everyday was damaging to society. 

·       Further clarity was needed from government on the perpetrator programmes, as local authorities needed to understand the expected outcomes from them and how they fit into the wider criminal justice system, and that funding for these programmes needs to be separate to victim support programmes The role local authorities play needed to be recognised including how using community enforcement as well as police powers would be valuable.

·       It was important to consider that men also suffer from domestic abuse and that this may be difficult for men to address.

Members agreed on the proposals put forward by the Chair on the consultation on Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

The Chair introduced Cllr Kate Haigh to address the Board. Cllr Haigh informed the Board that as a Licensing Champion on behalf of Safer and Stronger Communities Board she chaired the Licencing conference in February and most recently supported work on the Gambling Act 2005. Alongside this, she had also worked with the All-party Parliamentary Group and attended a number of peers for gambling reform group meetings and concluded that:

·       A radical reform was needed on gambling and what we think is gambling, particularly addressing loot boxes.

·       The role of local authorities and public health needed to be strengthened.

·       Gathering a strong set of data was needed to establish how much harm is being done within our communities.

Cllr Haigh also informed the Board that she would be stepping down at the forthcoming election and this was therefore her last Board meeting. The Board agreed that Cllr Jeanie Bell should take on the role from Cllr Haigh as licensing champion alongside Cllr Allen, pending the appointment of new champions in September.

Finally, Cllr Rhodes noted the update on modern slavery transparency in supply chain statements and that this was an important area of work for councils.

Decision:

Members of the Safer and Stronger Communities Board noted the report.

            Actions:

·       Officers to prepare a response to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy consultation.

·       Officers to invite Lord Toby Harris to the next Board meeting.