Safer Arun Partnership meeting minutes 27 January 2026

Tuesday 27 January 2026 - 2pm
Held via MS Teams

Attendees:

  • AB Cllr. Alan Butcher - Chair
  • CR Carrie Reynolds - Communities & Wellbeing Manager, Arun DC
  • AOK Alex O'Keefe - Community Safety Manger, WSCC
  • AMC CI Adam McCaig - District Commander, Sussex Police
  • AC Adrian Carter - Group Manager, WSF&RS
  • NW Nicola Walker - Partnership Manager, Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
  • SL Suzzanne Ley - Senior Probation Officer, Probation Service
  • DO Dax O'Connor - Community Safety Manager, Arun DC
  • KB Kate Belbin, Partnership Manager, Sussex Police

Apologies given:

  • AG Annabelle Goodenough - Regional Manager, Crimestoppers

These notes are intended to provide an overview of the meeting discussions rather than a full and detailed account. The wider information exchanged is operationally and personally sensitive so is not recorded within these publicly available notes.

Agenda item 1:

Welcome
Chair welcomed all attendees and facilitated introductions.

Agenda item 2:

Apologies
Confirmation of apologies given as set out above.

Agenda item 3:

Declarations of interest
None declared.

Agenda item 4:

Minutes of Previous Meeting (21 October 2025)
Approved with no amendments.

Agenda item 5:

WSCC Community Safety (Alex O'Keeffe)

  • Fraud awareness leaflet drops ongoing in Arun.
  • DA Small Grants Scheme awarded to local voluntary sector providers.
  • Strategic Intelligence Assessment underway.
  • Custody Navigators Project:
    • Approx. 40 engagements to date.
    • ~6 children received onward community support.
    • Positive model, strong custody staff support.
    • Challenges: short-term funding, recruitment/retention risks.

Action:

  • Ongoing monitoring of Custody Navigators; feedback to be shared when full reporting available.

Police Update (CI Adam McCaig)

  • Operation Redeem (Bognor): ASB and violence - sustained progress.
  • Operation Sonar (Littlehampton): ASB enforcement, closures, partnership working.
  • Operation Broadmark: Youth violence and exploitation - safeguarding focus.
  • Upcoming:
    • Mobile engagement pod (March - dates TBC).
    • Live Facial Recognition deployments.
    • E-scooter and bike enforcement days of action.
    • Media communications planned to build public confidence.

OPCC Funding Update (Nicola Walker)

  • Police settlement significantly reduced.
  • CSP funding not guaranteed at current levels.
  • Possible reduction; consultation expected if severe cuts proposed.
  • Zero funding unlikely but possible.

Action:

  • CSP to plan on assumption of reduced funding and use reserves responsibly.

Police - VAWG & Vulnerability (Kate Belbin)

  • New Home Office VAWG strategy published (Dec 2025).
  • West Sussex selected as pilot for spiking intelligence kits.
  • Assaults on Emergency Workers awareness roadshows planned.
  • Behavioural Detection Officers deployed (night-time economy).
  • Hate Crime engagement activity planned throughout year.

Fire & Rescue (Adrian Carter)

  • Local Risk Management Plans aligned to 4-year CRMP.
  • Night-time economy fire safety visits following European fatal fire incident.
  • Positive feedback received on targeted education work.

Probation (Suzanne Ley)

  • Awaiting details on sentencing review implications.
  • Updates to follow at a later meeting.

Agenda item 6:

Community Safety Action Plan (Draft)

  • Draft Strategic Action Plan for next 2.5 years presented.
  • Broad support for having a clear, measurable plan.
  • Key feedback:
    • Ensure performance measures are achievable.
    • Identify data owners, data sources, and reporting frequency.
    • Add prioritisation column (what is immediate vs longer-term).
    • Avoid over-burdensome monitoring.

Agreed:

  • Action Plan not yet adopted.
  • Partners to review and confirm:
  • What data they can provide.
  • Which actions they can realistically lead on.

Actions:

  1. Dax O'Connor to:
    1. Refine plan (add ownership, data source, prioritisation).
    2. Circulate updated draft ahead of next meeting.
  2. Partners to review and provide feedback before next meeting.
  3. Final adoption targeted for next meeting (April).

Agenda item 7:

Community Cohesion Workshop - Feedback

  • Workshop held with town/parish councils and partners.
  • Strong focus on community strengths and positive identity.
  • Good practice example: Angmering community network.
  • Mapping exercise identified assets, risks, and opportunities.
  • Community Safety Grant promoted as a tool for local ownership.

Agreed:

  • Community cohesion now a standing agenda item.
  • New fortnightly Arun & Chichester Community Tensions Meeting established (Police, Councils, Countering Extremism).

Actions:

  • Dax O'Connor to:
    • Collate workshop outputs and circulate summary.
    • Develop next stage of cohesion work.
  • Partners to flag emerging community tensions.

Agenda item 8:

Funding Update

Current Position

  • £6,500 allocated to Arun Sanctuary Scheme.
  • Remaining balance: £36,444.
  • Community Safety Small Grant Scheme
  • Up to £2,500 per project.
  • Total fund pot agreed: £15,000.

Actions:

  1. Dax O'Connor to:
    1. Launch grant scheme.
    2. Promote alongside community cohesion work.
    3. Amend OPCC funding return to show £15,000 allocated (not held as reserves).

Agenda item 9:

Youth Outreach Mobile Project (Funding Bid)

  • Proposal: approx. £30,000 for mobile youth outreach van + staffing.
  • Strong support for detached youth outreach in principle.
  • Significant concerns raised about:
    • Ownership and liability of the van.
    • Sustainability beyond year one.
    • Asset risk, storage, insurance, maintenance.
    • CSP's uncertain future funding position.

Agreed:

  • Proposal not approved at this stage.
  • Bid to be paused and revised.

Actions:

  1. Dax O'Connor to:
    1. Feed back partnership concerns to applicant.
    2. Explore alternative models:
    3. Funding outreach workers only.
    4. Seeking capital funding elsewhere for vehicle.
    5. Longer-term sustainability plan.
  2. Revised proposal (if any) to return to a future meeting.

Agenda item 10:

Any Other Business

  • Junior Citizens Event confirmed:
    • Venue: Goodwood Racecourse (free of charge).
    • Over 1,000 Year 6 pupils across Arun & Chichester.
    • Multi-agency workshops (Police, Fire, Coastguard, Road Safety).
  • Adrian Carter advised this was his final meeting:
    • Replacement: James Mackay (from March).
    • Thanks recorded for contribution and best wishes for new role.

NEXT SAFER ARUN PARTNERSHIP MEETING

Tuesday 21 April 2026 - 2pm - Arun Civic Centre