Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chair of the Safe City Partnership detailing the Annual Review.

Councillor C Lambert - Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City, Rob Henderson - Chair of the Safe City Partnership, Chris Brown - Head of Stronger Communities, Anna Harbridge - Service Manager, Youth Justice and Chief Inspector Chris Douglas - Hampshire Constabulary, were in attendance and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

Rob Henderson provided an overview of the report detailing some of the specific areas where progress has been achieved since last year’s update and the ongoing challenges facing the Southampton Safe City Partnership.

Members were informed by the representatives in attendance that the Safe City Partnership Plan had been refreshed to provide greater focus to the work of the partnership, the Youth Justice Board had been incorporated into the Safe City Partnership, and that a Partnership Executive Group had been formed, chaired by the City Council’s Chief Executive, and with senior representatives from strategic partners in the city, to work collectively to address key city wide challenges.

The work of the partnership was now more data driven, with greater sharing of operational data between partners.  This was underpinning the focussed deterrent model employed to reduce youth violence and the deployment of Designated Neighbourhood Officers that continue to evidence a positive impact on local communities.

The issue of public confidence in the Safe City Partnership and Hampshire Constabulary was raised.  Chief Inspector Douglas raised Let’s Talk, the constabulary’s new community survey initiative that aims to understand the needs of local communities and enables the public to share concerns with the police.

Public confidence had risen following the nationwide disorder in the summer of 2024. This provided the police and partners with a number of learning opportunities, particularly on the effective and timely sharing of information with communities.

The Committee noted the update and made additional comments with regards to the following:

• The absence of Designated Neighbourhood Officers in some areas of the city, notably the Banister and Polygon ward.

• The hope that the Council’s review of Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings would lead to improved community engagement.

• Effectively informing partners and the public about the impact of Safe City Partnership initiatives on crime and disorder.

• The lack of detail relating to arrest and conviction rates within the dataset provided.

• The importance of prevention and addressing the wider determinants of crime in Southampton.

Resolved

1)  That, to provide additional context to the crime data presented to the Committee, formal action taken rates are included within the report presented to the OSMC in 2025/26.

2)  That, consideration is given by Hampshire Constabulary to appointing a Designated Neighbourhood Officer for the Banister and Polygon Ward

3)  That, reflecting concerns about the lack of awareness of the positive actions and outcomes achieved by the Safer Streets 4 programme in Southampton, the communications plan for Safer Streets 5 is circulated to the Committee.

4)  That, members of the Committee who are interested in taking up the offer from Chief Inspector Douglas to accompany him on a night-time economy patrol are requested to contact the Head of Stronger Communities.