Members received the Head of Environmental Services, Licensing and Community Safety’s annual report which provided information on the work of the Rother Community Safety Partnership [known as the Safer Rother Partnership (SRP)] for the Committee to review, scrutinise and make reports or recommendations to the responsible authorities of the SRP, in line with the Council’s statutory responsibilities under the Police and Justice Act 2006.

Members were advised of the key initiatives delivered during 2021/22 to reduce crime and the impact of crime and Anti-social Behaviour (ASB), which included: providing support for high and medium risk victims of ASB through multi-agency monthly meetings; a range of initiatives delivered by the Domestic Abuse Group and a pan East Sussex Violent Crime Group; reduce the occurrence and impact of young people involved in crime and ASB and as victims; road safety; and Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

The joint Board met quarterly to identify changes in crime and ASB of strategic significance to both areas, wider trends and review the work delivered against these priorities. The Board was co-chaired by Councillor Brian Drayson and his Hastings Borough Council counterpart (Councillor Paul Barnett).

The Rother Joint Action Group (an officer group) met monthly to oversee the delivery of the local priorities for Rother which in 2021/22 included: ASB and youth crime; rural crime; County Lines; acquisitive crime within retail (which had been stalled because of the closure of businesses under the COVID restrictions and the associated reductions in this type of crime); White Ribbon campaign; tackling modern slavery (project Discovery); ASB neighbour disputes; issues arising at beaches; safeguarding of both adults and children; COVID-19 compliance; and funded crime reduction equipment.

The Chairman welcomed Chief Inspector Sarah Godley to the meeting who drew Members’ attention to the main points of the report.  There were 5,237 crimes in Rother reported to Sussex Police during the 12 months to the end of January 2022, which was 12 fewer than in the previous year. The Rother crime data reported to Sussex Police during 2021 saw the highest percentage reductions on the previous year in March 2021, with a 17.1% reduction 1,058 fewer reports. This mirrored the pattern of reports in Wealden, albeit a month later in Rother. Hastings had seen percentage increases in November, December 2021 and January 2022; East Sussex and the Force (Sussex wide) had only seen increases in December 2021 and January 2022.

Most crime types had seen decreases in the 12 months to the end of January 2022. However, the following had seen increases: theft from a vehicle (only started to increase in December 2021); racially aggravated crime; domestic abuse reports classified as crimes. Agencies providing services and support to victims of domestic abuse reported increases in cases of coercion and control and end of relationship violence and suicide; violent crime against a person; and harassment.

Reports of ASB to the Council, police and housing providers increased during COVID-19 as more people were at home, noticed more behaviour and whose tolerance reduced as they experienced more incidents.

In 2021/22, the SRP funded a range of projects to address priorities in Rother, namely: youth intervention; Sidley Recreation Projects; Our Time 2 Talk; enabling easy sharing of the Black Cat Radar Box (speed recording of vehicles in rural areas) by Parish Councils; Up Grade training; Statutory Safeguarding and Exploitation Training for Taxi Drivers in Rother.

The SRP Joint Action Group agreed the priorities for 2022/23 at its February meeting: ASB and Youth Crime; Rural Crime; and Drug Related Harm.  Domestic Abuse and Road Safety would be included for specific focused work.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 required a review of Council and partner agencies’ responsibilities under this legislation. This work had started and would be a focus for the multi-agency Domestic Abuse Group.  Further work was also required to develop Council duties and practices for safeguarding adults and children in line with legislation and good practice.  Work would be carried out  through continued engagement with Adult Social Care (East Sussex County Council) structures, Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and partners to delineate between East Sussex, pan Sussex work and that required at a local level on a number of crime and safeguarding related issues.

Further training for Council staff and partners on a wide range of issues such as Prevent, Child Sexual and Criminal Exploitation, Modern Slavery, Domestic Abuse and changes in legislation would be considered a priority for 2022/23.

Members had an opportunity to put forward questions and the following points were noted:

•           to distinguish between reported/perceived crime and actual crime, an engagement officer within Sussex Police regularly monitored comments and reports made on social media and compared with crime data;

•           reports could be made on the Sussex Police website (www.sussex.police.uk) of any areas where residents felt vulnerable;

•           Members were concerned that in many areas, such as Sidley, CCTV cameras were not being used correctly and suggested that an email reporting system be set-up in order for residents to alert camera operators of an incident taking place.  Banks of cameras from across Sussex were monitored by three operators in a central control room, but due to a lack of resources it was not possible to observe all constantly.  Any incidents reported through 999 or 101 calls would be focused on.  Members commented that a residents’ alert system be further investigated;

•           Members were concerned that not all computer and telephone fraud was being reported accurately, as fraud data was very low in the report;

•           Members suggested that more focus be given to rehabilitation of offenders in the report;

•           Members requested that there be more police presence in rural areas of the district.  Members were advised that, due to the size of the area, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) targeted areas where they were most needed, but requests for a presence could be made on the Sussex Police website.  Sussex Police also made contact with councils to determine priorities;

•           graffiti, tagging and egg throwing had become a problem in some areas.  Emergency situations should be reported using 101 or 999, otherwise parish and town councils should email Sussex Police to report incidents, in order that patterns and emerging risks could be identified;

•           residents were encouraged to report incidents of ‘cuckooing’ and there were multi-agency arrangements in place to help support victims, who would not automatically be charged with an offence;

•           Members were concerned that the lack of police presence in Rye had led to an increase in crime.  Sussex Police were aware and one individual had recently been charged with 19 burglary offences in the town.  It was acknowledged that there was still work to be done; and

•           Members were requested to encourage their residents to report any instances of crime to Sussex Police.

The Chairman thanked Chief Inspector Sarah Godley for her update and praised the outstanding partnership working that was taking place.

RESOLVED: That: 

1)         the Chair of the Safer Rother Partnership be requested to consider the issues raised from the report;

2)         the Council’s work in relation to Anti-Social Behaviour, crime reduction and Community Safety be noted; and

3)         the possible impact of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 be noted.

(Councillor Maynard declared a Personal Interest in this matter as Chairman of the  East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the meeting during the consideration thereof).