Agenda item

Invitees:

-          Rhys Cornwall (Strategic Director)

-          Janice Dent (Policy and Partnerships Manager)

-          Dr Carl Williams Local Policing Area Commander, Chief Superintendent – Gwent Police)

The Strategic Director and the Policy and Partnerships Manager gave a brief overview of the report.

Members asked the following:

·         The Committee asked if the Safer Newport Partnership considers environmental hazards and if Natural Resources Wales (NRW) should be included in the partnership.

The Policy and Partnerships Manager explained that they are part of the One Newport Partnership, but it only includes statutory partners. The Strategic Director clarified that the Community Safety Partnership has a specific role.

·         The Committee emphasised the importance of designing areas with the environment in mind, prioritising safety over preventing crime.

The Strategic Director explained that while the partnership doesn't specifically focus on design, they work closely with the police and encourage collaboration with them on security issues. The Local Policing Area Commander highlighted that the police can influence planning in terms of designing out crime. They also suggested that Natural Resource Wales could be incorporated into the Strong, Resilient Communities Partnership. The Committee reiterated the crucial role of designing communities with safety in mind.

·         The Committee acknowledged the significant focus on the city centre but questioned the partnership's approach to rural areas.

The Policy and Partnerships Manager explained that there are subgroups focusing on the city centre and Newport-wide projects, with Safer Streets projects targeting specific areas of concern. The Local Policing Area Commander added that individual officers also focus on certain areas and raise issues internally within the police tasking processes. The Policy and Partnerships Manager emphasised that feedback from the different groups is shared with the Intelligence Hub to avoid a reactive approach and enable a more targeted use of resources.

·         The Committee requested police involvement in regeneration projects to address existing issues before new projects are implemented.

The Local Policing Area Commander agreed that officers should attend these meetings and can be included in incidents where they haven't been previously.

·         The Committee enquired about the partnership's funding and obligations to use resources to address issues.

The Strategic Director explained that funding is available on a case-by-case basis, with some additional funding secured for specific projects in recent years. The Local Policing Area Commander noted that there are statutory duties to follow, and the partnership has a responsibility to use its resources effectively. The Policy and Partnerships Manager added that the Police and Crime Commission is responsible for ensuring the partnership delivers on its commitments. The Strategic Director emphasised that NCC and Gwent Police work well together operationally, not just to meet statutory requirements.

·         The Committee asked about the source of funding for keeping the streetlights on and whether it is ongoing or capital funding that supports the Safer Streets work.

The Policy and Partnerships Manager explained that the funding comes from capital funding. The Strategic Director noted that there have been challenges in balancing statutory requirements with making the streets safer, especially with additional lighting and CCTV. They also explained that some funding is available for prevention work, but there are also specific project funds available.

·         The Committee asked about the feedback received from the community work approach.

The Local Policing Area Commander mentioned that an event was held with partners such as NCC, Youth Service, and the Police, which was well-received by the community. They also mentioned that the Street Night ambassador scheme, which deals with issues such as violence against women, is very well-received.

·         The Committee asked whether Newport County and Community should be part of the partnership. The Strategic Director noted that an update can be provided.

·         The Committee acknowledged the report which outlined the intended course of action and sought clarity on the timeline for relaying the outcomes back to the Committee.

The Policy and Partnership Manager emphasised that the present session's objective was not only to establish a feedback mechanism but also to incorporate viewpoints from the Councillors. The Strategic Director proposed a blend of bi-annual reports and real-time reports to address issues as they arise.

The Committee thanked the officers for attending.

Conclusions

·         The Committee wished to thank the officers and partners for their attendance and for the report received. Members requested if future reports could incorporate case studies and examples of partnership working.

·         The Committee wished to be involved in the working group to help shape the working plan, which would develop the strategic needs assessment, associated strategies and the work programme.

·         The Committee were pleased to hear about the quality work from the Newport Intelligence Hub. It was requested if an informal meeting could be arranged with the Newport Intelligence Hub Manager to set up a presentation to explain the heat maps on incidents and anti-social behaviour. Comment was made that this would be beneficial, especially for the newer Committee Members.