Agenda item

This report sets out the integrated working and achievements of the Arun District Council Community Safety and Housing teams between 2016 /18. 

The Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing Councillor Clayden introduced this item to the Working Group.

The Community Manager provided Members with a detailed overview of the review report that set out the integrated working and achievements of the Arun District Council Community Safety and Housing teams between 2016/18.

The key points highlighted were;

§  The joint working that was outlined in the report was directed through the priorities set by the Safer Arun Partnership (SAP), as it was outlined in its partnership plan.

§  To ensure the team achieve the Vision, SAP agreed the following 18/19 strategic priorities, that encourage and support joint working;

§  Tackle & reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB)

§  Street Communities

§  Serious and Organised Crime with a specific focus on ‘Cuckooing’

§  Neighbourhood Development

§  2016/17 saw ASB Caseworkers work with 367 individual perpetrators of nuisance in their communities and 245 in 2017/18. Over the two performance years an average of 97% success rate was achieved in effectively reducing and stopping ASB by identified perpetrators

§  One of the key achievements for the ASB and Housing teams was with supporting statements from Sussex Police successfully obtained six partial Closure Orders in Littlehampton and Bognor for Council properties between December 2017 and August 2018. .

§  Street community refers to a specific cohort of individuals who choose to congregate and conduct their social life in public areas, usually typified by consumption of alcohol and / or drugs which gives rise to public concerns and / or disorder. Street communities can be rough sleeping, insecurely housed or may have their own accommodation.

§  Arun Street Community Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) is where key partners regularly meet to discuss individual cases agreeing on delivering actions that would mitigate and or reduce risk factors.

§  From April 2016 to September 2018 MARAC had proactively assessed risk and developed shared action plans for 148 individuals.

§  Increases in the number of  rough sleepers and  the exponential increase of individuals using Class A drugs presents all partners including the Housing and Community Safety with complex challenges and underpins the importance of all teams working together

§  Since April 2016 - to date 64 individuals have been discharged from MARAC meetings as they have sustained good progress in reducing risk factors.

§  43 individuals have also been re-housed – 8 within Arun District Council properties: 35 in RSL/private let or other.

§  Cost benefit analysis shows that the project has delivered a cost saving of £471,657 to criminal justices agencies ( in relation to reduced demand to address crime and anti-social behaviour) and a cost benefit of £129,075 by removing rough sleepers from the streets (source: Manchester Unit Cost Database 2015 v1.4).

§  Serious and organised crime mainly relating to County drug lines is a major contributor to the violent crime experienced within Arun. This is a significant ongoing problem for the district.

§  Associated with County lines, is cuckooing, this is a type of crime whereby a vulnerable individual or family are befriended by a drug dealer who goes on to take over their home in order to conduct illegal drug activity. There are currently over 70 known properties that have been cuckooed in the last year, resulting in joint interventions between the Police, ASB and Neighbourhood Housing team and local Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). Approximately 27% of these were ADC housing properties in 2017/18.

§  Integrated working for this area is key to being successful – it is important to continue working in this way moving forward.

The following comments were made:-

§  Confirmation was obtained from the Community Manager that the teams also work with Stone Pillow and Turning Tides in Littlehampton. The data from the report is from the Street Community and is not inclusive of the work Stone Pillow and Turning Tides complete.

§  There was some concern raised regarding rough sleepers at The Sunken Gardens in Bognor. This had been seen as a reoccurring issue last summer but there seemed to be very little awareness about the problem at the time and thereafter. The Community Manager explained that the Council need people to report anti – social behaviour and / or any type of criminality. The Council and the Police have completed joint patrols however ongoing allocation of resources are driven by reports that are received from the local community and public. There is awareness of this issue and the Council and the Police resources permitting, will take proactive measures.

§  Further concern for the Homelessness strategy surrounding the cuts that have been approved by WSCC were raised. The Council are working closely with parties involved to assess the impact and where possible to preserve this. However due to these discussions being ongoing it was not possible to comment further.

The Working Group agreed;

                        RECOMMEND TO CABINET – That

(1) the integrated working between the Council’s Community Safety and Housing teams is endorsed and the importance of partnership working in contributing to reducing anti-social behaviour, creating safe environments and addressing Street Community issues is recognised; and

(2) recognition is given to the work of Community Safety, Housing and the Safer Arun Partnership in contributing to the delivery of the Council’s strategic priority “supporting people in our district who need our help” and “serving our communities well by delivering the best services we can afford”.