Issue - meetings

To provide an overview to Members of the activities of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership (CSP), January 2023 for the the period of 2021-22, and developments for 2022-23.

To accept the report, noting the observations and supporting the priorities and direction of the work to the future.

The report was submitted by the Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being, Senior Safeguarding, Quality Assurance and Mental Health Manager and the Senior Operational Officer, Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership. Attention was drawn briefly to the following principal points: 

-      It was noted that this report detailed the 2021-22 period.

-      It was explained that the partnership had been established in line with Local Authorities' statutory duty to work in partnership with the police, Health Service, Probation Service and the Fire and Rescue Service in line with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Police and Criminal Justice Acts 2002 and 2006.

-      It was explained that the partnership was looking at crime and disorder, substance misuse and reducing reoffending.

-      It was explained that the partnership's priorities for the 2023-24 year was to prevent crimes and anti-social behaviour, tackling violent crime and serious organised crime, and safeguarding and building resilient communities and maintaining public safety.

-      It was stated that the partnership had faced challenges over the past year. Specifically, the partnership had lost all of its grants as they had come to an end or had moved to a regional level (whole of North Wales). In addition, technological developments meant that new types of crimes had now reached the Gwynedd and Anglesey area. Although these counties were some of the safest places to live, incidents of Organized Crime Groups and county lines in the area with the partnership being aware of them.

-      It was elaborated that shoplifting had increased 53.8% in Gwynedd, compared with 2021/22. It was believed that this derived from the general increase in living costs and it was expected for these types of crimes to increase in the coming months.

-      A summary was provided of the partnership's work over the past year:

o   Training sessions were held by the Police's Economic Crimes Unit for Local Authority staff who worked with vulnerable people to draw attention to scams used by fraudsters.

o   The Safer Streets 2 project was completed in Bangor, with the installation of 42 additional CCTV cameras and more lights in the Hirael/Deiniol area of the city.

o   A SOC Group had been introduced for Gwynedd and Anglesey.

o   The regional group had been attended regularly to develop the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy in both Councils.

o   The Violence Against Women and Girls group was established in March. The partnership attended meetings regularly to provide input into the work of fostering confidence between women and the police.

o   A Regional Prevent Delivery Group was developed.

o   Cyngor Gwynedd received a White Ribbon Accreditation following the work of the Corporate Support Department.

o   The police were consulted to investigate the possibility of extending the current Safe Spaces Scheme provision.

-      It was confirmed that all of these projects would continue to run over the next year and the partnership was going to continue to support all regional meetings and projects. The partnership was aware of the cost-of-living crisis which was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5