Safer Arun Partnership meeting minutes 28 January 2025

Tuesday 28 January 2025 - 2pm
Held via MS Teams

Attendees:

  • AB - Cllr. Alan Butcher - Chair
  • CR - Carrie Reynolds - Communities & Wellbeing Manager, Arun DC
  • KB - Kate Belbin - Partnership Manager, West Division, Sussex Police
  • NW - Nicola Walker - Partnership Manager, Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
  • AOK - Alex O'Keefe - Community Safety Manager, WSCC
  • MS - Magdalena Steele - Partnership Analyst, WSCC
  • WKJ - CI Will Keating-Jones - District Commander, Arun and Chichester, Sussex Police
  • NW - Neil Worth - Communities and Business Partnerships Manager, Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
  • AL - Abi Lepine - Service Manager, Early Help, WSCC
  • AG - Annabelle Goodenough - Regional Manager, Crimestoppers
  • DOC -Dax O'Connor - Community Safety Officer, Arun DC

Apologies:

  • RW - Insp. Ross Wickings - Arun Neighbourhood Policing Team, Sussex Police

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

CR declared an interest in agenda item 8 as it was submitted on behalf of Arun DC.

AB declared and interest as a Littlehampton town councillor.

Agenda item 4:

Minutes and matters arising from previous meeting on 29 October 2024

Meeting notes agreed as accurate reflection of the meeting. Actions completed.

Agenda item 5:

Partnership Plan 2023-2025

DOC introduced this agenda item, noting we are entering the final 12 months of our 3 calendar year partnership plan. A review of the current strategic priorities is required so that a new plan can be agreed and implemented at the start of 2026. By raising this now, partners have an opportunity to carry out a full review.

A copy of the strategic priorities and intended measures was sent out prior to the meeting so that partners can consider what relevant data sets are available.

MS gave a thorough demonstration of the partnership data dashboard and highlighted a number of categories that can be accessed to provide data in relation to current SAP priorities. All agreed that this is a great tool and will be hugely beneficial to the partnership.

NW asked about year on year comparisons and whether cybercrime data was included. MS noted that yearly data is available for some data sets, back to the start of 2023, but not others. This is dependent on how agencies recorded them over the years. Cybercrime data is being worked on, and it is anticipated that it could be available in April.

CR commented that having data to measure the impact the partnership has had on each of the priority areas is necessary to understand what is being achieved, but to also spot any other trends and emerging issues we should consider.

NW referred to data highlighted around robberies in the district and whether we have any additional information around it. CR replied by saying that this is where partners will be asked to provide some narrative around data because some could show a drastic 100% increase, but this could be a rise from 5 incidents to 10. Narrative is a must to give us the reasoning around whether something is still a priority.

WKJ gave an insight into some of the work being done locally around robberies, but noted that context is important as previously said, alongside month by month comparisons - police data shows that both Arun and Chichester areas had between 30% and 40% reductions month on month in the last 3 months.

AG and MS identified an opportunity to share organisational insights and data.

ACTIONS:

  • DOC and MS to pull out relevant data from the dashboard and share with partners when available
  • MS to present latest Strategic Intelligence Assessment at next CSP meeting
  • AG and MS to arrange a discussion outside of this meeting

Agenda item 6:

Arun Neighbourhood Policing Team updates

WKJ gave the following updates -

Op Ceremony remains a high priority for policing across Arun and Chichester - addressing serious violence amongst youths. Enforcement activity includes arrests and community protection notices.
Police are looking ahead at issues that are likely to arise, including unauthorised encampments. Officers to deliver briefings to partners to provide information about what police can and cannot achieve, and to share the approach to be taken. DOC confirmed that Insp. Wickings is leading an all members briefing for district councillors on 3 March 2025 alongside district and county council officers.

There is some really good work going on to reduce the number of robberies in the district. As mentioned previously, month on month reductions is being achieved although still higher than the team would like.

Mobile community engagement van is being chased for deployment in hotspot locations to provide visible presence and engagement. Potential for towns and parishes to bid for the van.

Agenda item 7:

Funded activities update

DOC shared details of partnership funding spend on projects for 2024/25 - 

Item Amount (£)
Carried forward from 2023/24 98,034
PCC grant funding 2024/25 48,171
Violence Reduction Partnership grant 10,000
2024/25 opening balance 156,205
Income and opening balance
Contribution to WSCC Analyst 4,000 4,000
Additional ASB security patrols (Barnham) 3,427 3,427
The Arcade CCTV match funding (Littlehampton) 675 675
Knife harm intervention project (39 Youth Club) 1,000 1,000
Youth Worker support at the Friday Night Project (The Wave) 8,640 8,640
Violence Against Women and Girls safety equipment 4,000 4,000
Contribution to Arun BCRP Manager 12,000 12,000
Protecting community assets (towns and parishes) 6,500 6,500
Graffiti removal support (BRTC, LTC, Arun DC) 12,000 12,000
Road safety 5,000 709
Youth diversionary activities 3,000 940
Knife crime education equipment (Police youth officers) 2,000 1,605
Youth outreach and engagement 65,880 21,222
Safer schools (lived experience in-school talks) 20,000 1,840
Totals 154,122 78,558
2024/25 projects and allocated funding
2024/25 projects and allocated funding Allocated (£) Spend to date (£)

The following proposals were submitted in relation to the current underspend - 

Item Amount (£)
Continuation of youth outreach and engagement work 44,658
Continuation of safer schools talks 12,500
Continuation of youth diversionary activities fund 2,205
Ringfence contribution for Arun BCRP Manager (2025/26) 12,000
Mobile CCTV cameras (see item 8 below) 2,639
Proposals submitted in relation to the current underspend

Proposals were unanimously agreed, confirming commitments totalling £152,560. Balance of £1,562 to be carried forward to 2025/26.

NW confirmed that the Police and Crime Commissioner funding position for 2025/26 is currently unknown but will confirm as soon as possible. PCC keen that funding provided is in line with the partnership's strategic priorities and consideration given to the police and crime plan too. Positive to note support to business crime initiatives.

Agenda item 8:

Funding support application

CR presented a funding application on behalf of the council's Housing team for the provision of 4 CCTV cameras and recording equipment. Bid total £2,639.

The Housing team manage around 3,800 properties and as the landlord, has a duty to ensure that anti-social behaviour is managed effectively by a dedicated ASB officer who works under housing specific legislation. New CCTV cameras that can be installed in communal areas where ASB and/or crime is being reported are required as current ones are old and do not work properly. Cameras would help to manage the ASB caseload and support tenancy enforcement action, as well as reducing behaviour and providing reassurance to residents.

There is a lack of funds within the housing budget to purchase these cameras. The behaviour affecting residents does also affect the wider community and so the application is made in line with the partnership's priority of Tackling Anti-social Behaviour.
NW asked whether the cameras would be for the partnership rather than an individual body. That way, they could be used for other purposes and at other times where ASB occurs. Suggestion also made about utilising mediation services in West Sussex for neighbour disputes.

WKJ commented that police may have unused cameras that could be used in this way. Further exploration needed as to whether they would be compatible for the intended purpose.

ACTIONS:

  • WKJ to explore possibility of surplus cameras within Sussex Police.
  • DOC to update partners in due course for funding decision.

Agenda item 9:

AOB

AOK referenced the recent drug demand report from public health that was presented to the last CSP meeting. As a result, it has been suggested that local working groups should be established to look at make use of the analysis and how agencies can use that information to reduce harm. This is part of the learning from a previous similar piece of work in Bognor Regis.

DOC shared a link to the report in the meeting chat and said that there is a need to make sure that partners participate in the forum so that actions are delivered. It is noted that there is already lots of work going on to combat drug use and harm and so by sharing this information we can avoid duplication.

ACTION:

  • DOC to email partners setting out purpose of local focus groups and invite sharing of strategic and operational work already being done.
  • DOC to include matter as an agenda item at next partnership meeting.

Next Safer Arun Partnership meeting

Tuesday 29 April 2025 - 2pm - MS Teams