Review of Community Safety Priorities & Action Plan
Stage 1
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Yes / No |
Date |
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Councillor engagement / input from Chair prior to briefing |
No |
10/10/25 |
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Commissioner engagement (if report focused on issues of concern to Commissioners such as Finance, Assets etc) |
No |
10/10/25 |
|
Relevant Group Head review |
Yes |
14/10/25 |
|
MAT+ review (to have been circulated at least 5 working days before Stage 2) |
Yes |
10/10/25 |
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This item is on the Forward Plan for the relevant committee |
Yes |
10/10/25 |
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Reviewed by |
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|
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Finance comments (circulate to Finance) |
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|
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Risk comments (circulate to Lee O’Neil) |
Yes |
04/11/25 |
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Legal comments (circulate to Legal team) |
CU |
17/10/25 |
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HR comments (if applicable) |
N/A |
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For reports with material financial or legal implications the author should engage with the respective teams at the outset and receive input to their reports prior to asking for MO or s151 comments.
Do not forward to stage 2 unless all the above have been completed.
Stage 2
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
|
ITEM |
Completed by |
Date |
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Monitoring Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
LH |
20/10/25 |
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S151 Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
TC |
20/10/25 |
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|
|
|
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Confirm final report cleared by MAT |
TC |
04/11/25 |
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Title |
Review of Community Safety Priorities & Action Plan 2025 |
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Purpose of the report |
To acknowledge progress update contained in this report |
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Report Author |
Will Jack – Community Safety Manager |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards |
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Exempt |
No |
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Exemption Reason |
Not applicable |
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Corporate Priority |
Community |
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Recommendations
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Committee is asked to: Acknowledge progress update contained in this report |
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Reason for Recommendation |
The purpose of this report is to inform the Committee of current crime levels, highlight areas of improvement or concern, and outline ongoing initiatives aimed at reducing crime and enhancing public safety across the borough. This report provides Members with an update on crime statistics in Spelthorne for the 2024/25 reporting year. It summarises key trends, progress to date, and actions taken in partnership with Surrey Police and other community safety stakeholders. The Committee is asked to note the contents of this report and the progress achieved during the reporting period. |
1. Executive summary of the report (expand detail in Key Issues section below)
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What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
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• The Community Safety team has an agreed Community Safety Priorities & Action Plan in place with a process in place to review the plan every year. |
• To complete the agreed action as defined in the original plan which is A requirement of Section 5 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998. |
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This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
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• Note the progress within updated plan incorporating statutory and local crime and disorder reduction measures through the Spelthorne Safer Stronger Partnership. |
• Consider and acknowledge the update report. |
2. Key issues
2.1 This report covers two issues. The first being the legal requirement to maintain an active Community Safety Partnership. In this borough this is referred to as Spelthorne Safer Stronger Partnership or (SSSP). The Community Safety Team are agents of the SSSP and as such represent the SSSP at various partnership groups and meetings pertaining to the reduction of crime & disorder throughout the borough. They are also responsible for safeguarding victims and creating processes to actively prevent harm to all.
2.2 The second section of this report outlines the local priorities, which form the focus of partnership efforts to reduce crime and disorder. Some priorities are determined by national government, while others are derived from the findings of the annual Crime Strategic Assessment, the Organised Crime Local Profiles, and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.
2.3 This section also provides an update on progress against the Borough’s Community Safety priorities, including the incorporation of new actions arising from recent analysis of the Ashford Crime Hotspot.
2.4 The updated Community Safety Partnership Plan and Priorities 2024-26 is attached at Appendix A.
3. Options appraisal and proposal
3.1 The plan is a three-year strategy; the priorities were agreed at the commencement of the plan in 2024. The risk to not continuing with the plan is that of increased crime & disorder, a reduction in public confidence and community support. There are also associated risks with failure to address key priorities to resourcing.
3.2 The plan evidences a focus on partnership direction when seeking to meet the needs of the communities affected, In real terms this means that community issues that centre on crime & disorder are discussed with all partners and the appropriate responses implemented.
4. Risk implications
4.1 Strategic and operational risks are covered within each operation and crime & anti-social behaviour reduction initiative. These will be created as collaborative risk assessments based on the key responses in each joint-agency operation. There are no financial risks identified within the plan.
4.2 Legal compliance is at the heart of Community Safety and additional training on new and changing legislation is undertaken regularly to mitigate those legal risks. Finally, reputational risks are managed by ensuring that the published plan is adhered to and the community is regularly updated with ongoing progress.
Reviewed by Lee O’Neill
5. Financial implications
5.1 There are currently no financial risks identified. The Community Safety Team receives external funding for specific initiatives, such as the Football Project. All funding bids are managed collaboratively through the external fund holders and the Borough Finance Unit, ensuring transparency and accountability through established scrutiny processes.
6. Legal comments
6.1 Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, sets out a statutory requirement for local authorities, and other key responsible authorities, to work together to reduce crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour and minimise re-offending in local areas.
6.2 Under s6(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, as amended, responsible authorities for a local government area are required to formulate and implement: a) a strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder in the area (including anti-social and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment), b) a strategy for combatting the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in the area, c) a strategy for reducing re-offending in the area, and d) a strategy for preventing people from being involved in serious violence in the area and reducing instances of serious violence in the area. This Act also gives statutory responsibility to local authorities, the police and key partners to reduce crime and disorder in their communities, and local authorities are required to lead on the production of a comprehensive Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy.
6.3 The Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a Serious Violence Duty which requires organisations to work together to share information, analyse the local needs of an area, and to come up with solutions, including the publication of a strategy to prevent and reduce serious violence on a local basis.
6.4 In exercising these functions, responsible authorities are required to have due regard to the police and crime objectives set out in the Police and Crime Plan which comprises or includes that local government area.
6.5 There are no apparent legal risks in noting the contents of this report and the progress achieved during the reporting period.
Corporate implications
7. S151 Officer comments
7.1 The S151 Officer confirms that all financial implications have been taken into account and that the recommendations are fully funded from within the current and future years budget.
8. Monitoring Officer comments
8.1 The Monitoring Officer confirms that the relevant legal implications have been taken into account.
9. Procurement comments
9.1 There are no procurement implications arising directly from this report.
10. Equality and Diversity
Equality and diversity remain key considerations within the Community Safety Priorities and Action Plan review. The Crime and Disorder Reduction process actively engages with all communities, irrespective of race, gender, ability, or religious belief. Particular attention is given to vulnerable individuals and those from ‘hard-to-reach’ communities, who are often disproportionately affected by offences such as hate crime, a key priority identified within the Action Plan review.
10.1 Partnership Action Days (as mentioned in the review) are invariably targeting Environmental Crime such as fly-tipping, littering and the management of waste carrier licenses. This has a significant positive impact on the borough.
11. Other considerations
11.1 There are no other considerations currently.
12. Timetable for implementation
12.1 The action plan, agreed upon in 2024, has been implemented and is subject to annual review to ensure its continued effectiveness.
13. Contact
13.1 Will Jack – Community Safety Manager. w.jack@spelthorne.gov.uk.
Background papers: There are none.
Appendices:
Appendix A – Review of Community Safety Priorities & Action Plan 2024-2026
Appendix B – Police Crime Statistics