Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Councillor Dafydd Meurig

To consider the report

To accept the contents of the report and the appended documents noting the observations.

The priorities and the future direction of the work were supported.

The Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being submitted a report by the Senior Operational Officer of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership. It was explained that the Partnership was required to report formally to the Committee every year, presenting an overview of the Partnership's main strategic developments over the year, together with the commissioning work that set the framework for the priorities which were based on a strategic assessment. It was reiterated that this ensured that the Partnership fulfilled its obligations in accordance with sections of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2006, by working with the Police, the Health Service, the Probation Service and the Fire and Rescue Service. Attention was drawn to the main messages resulting from the activities undertaken in 2020/21 together with the year's main achievements. 

The main milestones for 2020 – 2021 were highlighted and the Scrutiny Committee was asked to support the priorities listed in the report together with the future direction of the work. 

Gratitude was expressed for the report.

In response to an observation regarding concerns that crimes using scams were on the increase and the need to raise further awareness on how to identify, avoid or report them, it was reported that the Police and the Trading Standards Unit were carrying out work to promote this. It was noted that the Communications Team had conducted several campaigns to draw attention to the matter on the Council's website and on social media, but there was a need to avoid overwhelming the audience with too much information. It was reinforced that the matter was being addressed by the Safeguarding Panel and that the Older People Commissioner had identified it as a national matter with several attempts made to raise awareness.

In response to an observation regarding the Police's lack of resources and the Council not having sufficient enforcement resources to deal with matters and offences related to traffic and highways, it was noted, that although traffic matters were not within the Partnership's remit, that the Police and the Council had collaborated well recently (over the period of the pandemic) to deal with these matters, but that there was room for improvement. 

In response to an increase in substance misuse and that the use was going under the radar in a number of communities, it was highlighted that work was being done regionally to increase support. An observation was made that the Partnership was only reporting on the number of reported crime, nevertheless, it was collaborating well with County Lines to gather information to gain an understanding of the situation in order to make interventions. Members were encouraged to share any knowledge of local matters with the Police to respond / investigate the incidents.

During the discussion, the following observations were submitted by members:-

·         Legalising drugs would free up money to undertake preventative work rather than spending money on policing the problem. Need to look at innovative ways of dealing with the situation.

·         It was suggested that the Police should present a training session again for the members on the work being done to tackle County Lines.

·         Needed police presence in our communities - more powers locally to deal with local matters and to prevent antisocial behaviour.

·         That the Home Office should consider abolishing the Police Commissioner function and create a Mayor post for north Wales - need to consider where the matter could be discussed.

RESOLVED

a)    To accept the contents of the report and the appended documents noting the observations

b)    The priorities and the future direction of the work were supported.