Agenda item

To receive an update from the Head of Community and Digital Services.

The Head of Community and Digital Services presented the Crime and Disorder updated in conjunction with the Community Services Manager and Inspector Paul Barrell, Dover District Police CSU lead.

The presentation covered the following points:

·         The work of the Community Services team

Ø  Work to support the local voluntary sector groups who provided food support across the district

Ø  Supporting the voluntary sector with grants and advice

Ø  Represented on East Kent Food Poverty Action Group (councils) and the East Kent Food Alliance (voluntary sector)

·         The work of the Community Safety Unit

            Latest Dover Crime Figures

Ø  Members were advised that the Dover District had the 2^nd lowest reported crime rates by volume in East Kent and the district was consistently one of the highest performing districts in Kent for solving crime and delivering positive outcomes for victims.

Ø  In terms of specific crimes, burglary was down 22%, serious violent crime was down 9% and weapon offences were down 2% compared to the previous year. The robbery rate was the lowest in East Kent. 

            Areas of Continued Focus

Ø  Domestic Abuse - encouraging reporting of domestic abuse, improving safeguarding, improving post-incident support and increasing victim ‘buy in’ for positive Criminal Justice outcomes.

Ø  Violence against women and girls - ensuring that the Dover District nighttime economy was a safe place for females to work and socialize.

            Safer Winter Plan

Ø  Operation GRIP funding from the Home Office had secured more than 300 hours of extra high visibility police patrolling in the district.

·         CCTV/Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

Ø  Members were advised that a full digital upgrade of the CCTV provision had been undertaken and CCTV had 61 new fixed cameras, 5 ANPR cameras and additional fully integrated rapid deployment cameras.

Ø  Port of Dover cameras were integrated with the CCTV system

Ø  The new multi-purpose Emergency Centre had been utilized regularly

Ø  Dedicated 24/7 phone line for ASB reporting

Ø  The Top 3 reported ASB incidents for 2021 were domestic noise; drugs and acts (other).

Ø  There were 287 safeguarding incidents between 1 April – 31 December 2021

·         Household Support Fund

Ø  The Council had issued grants of £171,826 to local voluntary sector groups to support households with essentials over the winter. This had included Foodbanks, Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau and support for rough sleepers in severe weather

·         Inspire / Inspire Families

Ø  Inspire is a project to provide funding to enable children aged 5 – 16 years of age to create new friendships, introduce them to healthy lifestyles and open new doors into work with opportunities to learn new skills through activities such as sports and arts and crafts.

Ø  Inspire Families is a family-based package designed to improve the wellbeing of the family unit by enabling families to take part in activities that would normally be unattainable due to financial or personal circumstances.

·         Acquire

Ø  An externally funded project for 1 year to improve employment outcomes and prospects for future employment targeted at district residents who had been unemployed or facing barriers to work.

·         Aspire

Ø  A free programme to support people in improving their health and wellbeing and access work through increased skills. It was based at Bechange in Aylesham and was open to anyone over 18 years of age who was either unemployed or in temporary insecure work

·         My Community Voice

Ø  This was a messaging service that assisted residents, businesses, and community groups in keeping in touch with their local policing teams.

Members discussed the My Community Voice service and ward ASB and crime concerns.

Councillor C D Zosseder advised the Committee that the next Crime and Disorder Update would be held as a single item agenda.