Agenda item

A report will be submitted in relation to the refresh of the Kirklees Strategic Intelligence Assessment and the priorities for the Communities Partnership Plan for 2025-2026.

The report also highlights the intention to undertake a full review of the Strategic Impact Assessment and the Communities Partnership Plan during 2025 and includes highlights of some of the work that has taken place in 2024-2025.

Contact: Sarah Mitchell, Head of Communities

Jill Greenfield, Service Director, Communities and Access Services

A report was submitted in relation to the refresh of the Kirklees Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA) and the priorities for the Communities Partnership Plan (CPP) for 2025-2026. It highlighted the intention to undertake a full review of the SIA and the CPP during 2025 and included highlights of some of the work that had taken place in 2024-2025.

Councillor Amanda Pinnock, the Portfolio Holder for Education and Communities and Chair of the Communities Safety Partnership, was present at the meeting and gave an introduction to the item explaining that the Communities Partnership Plan was overseen by the Communities Board. She welcomed the work that was taking place with key partners, guided by in-depth data and intelligence, across the whole of Kirklees. It was important to understand the root causes of the challenges being faced by communities in terms of crime, anti-social behaviour and community safety so that an appropriate, effective and sustainable response could be progressed, including robust early intervention and prevention. The priorities set out in the report were those areas identified, led by the evidence, as the focus for resources through the partnership approach to achieve the required outcomes. Feedback from the Committee would be presented to the Communities Board for consideration.

Sarah Mitchell, the Head of Communities presented the report alongside Jill Greenfield, the Service Director for Communities and Access Services.

Also in attendance, to respond to questions and comments from Members were; Superintendent James Griffiths, District Commander - West Yorkshire Police; Dale Gardiner, District Commander - West Yorkshire Fire Service, Liz Cussick, Kirklees Highways; Chris Walsh, Safer Kirklees and Jaqui Theaker – Data and Insight Enablement Lead.

The following points were highlighted:

·       It was proposed that the current priorities be retained whilst a full review of the Strategic Impact Assessment and the Communities Partnership Plan was undertaken over the next few months, with a view to implementation of the new plan in 2026/27.

·       Work was being undertaken in respect of revised Key Performance Indicators to ensure that progress and performance was constantly monitored.

·       It was acknowledged that the perception and fear of crime impacted on local communities and there was more still to be done to ensure people felt safe but noted that Kirklees had the lowest average crime rate per 1000 of the population in West Yorkshire. It also compared well statistically with other areas in the country with a similar make-up to the district. Total crime in the district had reduced by over 7% in the last twelve months, including reductions in the areas of violent crime, violence against women and girls, and neighbourhood crime.

·       A high-level overview of the data within the four strategic themes and the areas of particular focus for 2025/26, which would be subject to regular review in light of the performance data:

(i) Tackling Violence, Abuse and Exploitation:

Domestic Abuse and Violence against Women and Girls.

(ii) Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour and Neighbourhood Crime:

Anti-Social Behaviour; personal, nuisance and environmental.

(iii) Building Resilient and Inclusive Communities:

Community Tensions, Hate Crime, Preventing Extremism, Migration and Inclusive Communities.

(iv) Reducing Risk.

·       The next steps, including engagement with all Councillors on the full review and revision of the CPP during Summer/Autumn and the submission of a draft to the Committee, for pre-decision scrutiny, in late 2025.

Questions and comments were invited from Committee Members, with the following issues being covered:

·       In respect of exploitation and modern-day slavery, it was acknowledged that this could be a particular area of risk for asylum seekers. The partnership approach included working with the asylum seeker accommodation provider (as the first point of contact) to implement training on this issue. Work also took place alongside Third Sector Leaders to ensure awareness amongst volunteers, and with frontline workers as an integral part of training.

·       In relation to fly-tipping, further information in respect of the capacity of the Greenspace Action Team would be provided to Members. The view was expressed that further work should be undertaken to address fly-tipping with CCTV cameras focussed on ‘hotspots’. It was noted that there was an element of raising awareness for residents of the impact and implications of fly tipping, in which ward councillors could take a lead.

·       In respect of the perception of the ‘Prevent’ programme, work was ongoing with this small team to progress wider forms of engagement with local communities. Frontline workers were also trained to ensure awareness and work was continuing with faith and belief organisations with the primary focus being to aim to safeguard individuals from becoming involved with extremism.

·       The use of 20mph zones and the implementation of this speed as default for residential roads, such as had been adopted in Wales.  Kirklees’ current approach was to target priority locations where this was considered to be the best solution for road safety but the research and results from areas that had done so would be considered and evaluated. Thirty-five schools and two Sure Start Centres in Kirklees had been targeted for a review of highway safety and speed limits and the ambition was to undertake an audit of the highway network outside all schools, including talking to parents and children about active travel.

·       The positive work being undertaken by the Probation Service in respect of the reduction in adults re-offending and the community payback work was noted.

·       The Youth Justice Board took a comprehensive multi-agency approach to first time entrants to the criminal justice system, there was a robust understanding of the issues and the Youth Justice Service was undertaking effective initiatives to support individuals and divert them from re-offending.

·       The increase in the numbers of people willing to report hate crimes was welcomed; it was considered that this was associated with an increased assurance that they would be listened to and taken seriously. Work in addressing extremism was led by the Police with intelligence gathered at national and regional level. Information was shared and the Board was fully sighted on any concerns, with no significant issues locally at this point in time.

·       Gang crime was included within the ‘serious violence’ priority. A very robust structure was in place and there was a continuous partnership approach considering the issues both operationally and strategically. Weekly meetings took place to review any incidents. It was noted that the more information that was made available to partners the better equipped they were to address the issue.

·       The Kirklees Vision Zero Board was planning a workshop with partners in June with the first full Board meeting taking place in in July. This body would report into the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Board.  It would become the delivery route for road safety initiatives and provide strategic direction and targeting of resources to progress a holistic approach.

·       It was noted that a significant amount of enforcement took place on the road network, which had a recognisable impact. Although there was still work to be done, the statistics in terms of the number of collisions with injury had peaked in September 2023 and had been reducing since then in Kirklees due to the work being undertaken across the partnership. This included work to provide education within schools and colleges.

·       The aims of Vision Zero and the joined-up approach being implemented was welcomed.

·       In response to a question about a proactive/preventative rather than reactive approach it was noted that this required a collective approach which included every individual driver and pedestrian. Vision Zero was the ambition and funding was focussed on areas where the intelligence indicated that there was the greatest risk, in order to try and prevent future incidents. As the work developed the level and depth of the intelligence would increase and become more useful.

·       Further information could be provided to Members in respect of the enforcement of parking restrictions and resourcing.

·       The new partnership plan would be developed over the next 6 to 8 months and officers would engage with all Councillors to share information and listen to concerns and this would feed into the plan. Learning from the place-based standard work and the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Perception Survey would be also be considered, alongside insight from frontline teams, to shape the understanding about how communities were feeling. Work would also take place with Third Sector Leaders to try and ensure a rounded offer of engagement.

RESOLVED –

(1)  That the Cabinet Member, representatives of partners and officers be thanked for attending to present the update.

(2)  That the priorities for 2025/26, as set out in the report, be supported.

(3)  That the progress made by the partnership during 2024/25 be noted.

(4)  That the proposal to undertake a full review of the Strategic Impact Assessment and to develop a new Communities Partnership Plan for the period 2026 to 2029 be supported and the proposed engagement with all Councillors and with scrutiny, at an early stage, be welcomed.