Archived decisions

SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD IMPLEMENTATION

1 The Authority has received an update from the Chief Constable with regard to progress towards delivering Neighbourhood Policing - known locally as "Safer Neighbourhoods" - across the Force area by April 2007. Neighbourhood teams have to be in place on every Operational Command Unit "OCU" by that time in order to achieve the requirement agreed previously by the Constabulary's ACPO Team and the Police Authority, in accepting the accelerated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) recruitment funding.

2 The minimum requirements agreed are that communities will:-

(a) See increased numbers of PCSOs patrolling their streets, addressing anti-social behaviour issues and building relationships with local people.


(b) Have information about how their local Force will be policing the local community and have a point of contact for the Neighbourhood Team.


(c) Have had the opportunity to tell the police about the issues which are causing them concern and help shape the response to those issues.


(d) A requirement to make public (on the website) performance data at OCU or CDRP level on key outcomes and priorities.

3 The Safer Neighbourhoods Project is governed through the Neighbourhood Policing Citizen Focus Programme Board chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Territorial Operations, with representation from Hampshire Police Authority and the Community Safety Practitioner's Forum. In addition each OCU has a Project Team or Steering Group in place to manage local implementation, coordinated through OCU Safer Neighbourhood Change Managers of Superintending rank.

4 The Authority was pleased to learn that the Force is on course to achieve the agreed April 2007 milestone and have undertaken a sustained programme of planning and preparation to achieve initial implementation of Safer Neighbourhoods across the Constabulary area by this milestone.

5 The minimum requirements outlined above are those associated with initial implementation and delivery expectations rise steeply over the following year, up until the final implementation date of April 2008. By April 2008, Safer Neighbourhood Teams are expected to be fully staffed and operating at full potential.

6 154 geographic neighbourhoods have been defined covering the whole of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The neighbourhood boundaries have been decided at OCU level in liaison with partners and communities to provide geographic neighbourhoods that are of a size and character which best serve the needs of communities and the effective delivery of local services. The diversity of the communities within Hampshire Constabulary means that neighbourhoods vary in size and type according to local circumstances.

7 Each neighbourhood will be covered by a Safer Neighbourhood Team that is appropriate in size and composition for the needs of that particular neighbourhood. The proposed staffing in the 154 Safer Neighbourhood Teams in 2007/08 will be 96 Sergeants, 402 Police Constables and 333 PCSOs. These break down by OCU as follows:-

8 Many Safer Neighbourhood Teams will also include other members of the extended police family such as Special Constables and volunteers, and will be augmented by close working relationships with partner agency staff such as Accredited Community Safety Officers, Wardens and Rangers. The Teams will work with partners and the public to identify and solve the problems of crime, disorder and community safety that matter most to local communities, and to improve neighbourhood conditions and feelings of safety and security. Sustainable long-term problem resolution will help break the circle of demand and ultimately result in reduced calls for service.

9 Each Safer Neighbourhood Team will be accessible to the public. Members of the public will be able to identify their local Team, see a photograph of the Sergeant and details of the other Team members, together with the O845 045 45 45 contact number and Team email addresses.

10 In developing Neighbourhood Teams across the Force area, considerable partnership working has been undertaken to support the move towards neighbourhood management and improvement across partner agencies. Joint neighbourhood training events have been held across the Force area and partnership tasking and coordinating groups now exist Force-wide.

11 The Authority had been pleased to note the progress being made in the implementation of Safer Neighbourhoods across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

M.J. ATTENBOROUGH-COX

Chairman

4IR290507