Agenda item

Consider report by Group Manager – Safer Communities and Homelessness. (Copy attached.)

5.1         There had been circulated copies of the Quarterly Performance Report by the Group Manager- Safer Communities and Homelessness which covered the period 1 April 2022 to 31 December 2022.  The Group Manager – Safer Communities and Homeless, Mr Graham Jones, presented the report and provided an update on Safer Communities activity, highlighting that a feasibility study into a new CCTV system across the major towns of the region had been discussed within SBC.  The Safer Communities team would be involved in the process.  Whilst Homelessness Services had been brought into the Safer Communities Team, work was ongoing to ensure that an end-to-end system was in place to fully support individuals.  System migration was ongoing to ensure that the necessary anti-social behaviour management information system was part of the corporate IT systems, which would provide staff with better information and promote connections with other services.  Regarding Domestic Abuse services, final accreditation from Leading Lights was expected, with submissions made, and with answers provided to  follow up questions.  Translations of leaflets and other information into Ukrainian and Russian had been produced to help provide support to Ukrainian refugees who may experience domestic abuse.  Where required interpreters could be engaged to help refugee’s access support and services.  Members thanked Mr Jones for the update and highlighted that excellent work had been taking place across his team to tackle domestic abuse issues and ensure that Ukrainian refugees were welcomed and provided safe living conditions.  Mr Jones explained that weekly assessments of the DAAS service were undertaken, and regular conversations were held with Police Scotland to ensure that victims of domestic abuse were supported, provided safety and given the confidence to report crimes.  In response to a question regarding support for victims of crime throughout the court process, Mr Jones agreed that no victim should be withdrawing from the process due to a lack of support, explained that the Scottish Government had provided funding for court advocacy arrangements, and highlighted that within the Safer Communities Team there were now 4 accredited advocates able to provide support to victims of domestic abuse.  Mr Jones undertook to discuss further publicity of the full range of support available to people going through the court process with the DAAS Service Manager. 

5.2         The number of domestic abuse incidents reported to Police Scotland in 2022/23 to date was 896. That represented a 7.2% decrease compared to the same period of the previous year.   The number of referrals to Domestic Abuse Advocacy Support (DAAS) service in 2022/23 was 277, 86 referrals lower than the previous year.  Repeat referrals to the DAAS service stood at 28.6%, an improvement compared to the rate of 30% in the corresponding reporting period of the previous year.  The number of clients contacted within the agreed timescale was 96.3%, considerably higher than the 80% baseline.  There had been a decrease of 16.9% in the number of anti-social behaviour incidents, a decrease of 704 fewer incidents recorded.  The number of Group 1-5 recorded crimes and offences had decreased by 7.1%, a reduction of 200 fewer victims.   The number of new cases accepted at the Anti-Social Behaviour Core Group by partners in 2022/23 was 1110, 32 cases lower than the equivalent period in the previous year.  64 fewer monitoring cases were closed in 2022/23 compared to the corresponding period in 2021/22, a decrease of 38%.   The anti-social behaviour unit has been reviewing the interventions format to further improve case closure, and re-wording formal letters to emphasise the consequences for non-engagement.  The number of early interventions made by ASB partners had decreased by 7.8%.  Efforts were being made to increase capacity to mediate in cases, a key component of early interventions.  285 fewer people were being monitored for anti-social behaviour compared to the same period in 2021/22, a decrease of 22.9%.  The number of referrals to the mediation service for 2022/23 was 16.  90% of referrals were unable to be progressed in 2022/23.  The reason why a referral cannot be progressed was recorded, which would allow analysis of the reasons behind referrals not progressing.  Mr Jones explained that in terms of mediation, if one party did not participate then no mediation meeting would be possible.  

DECISION

AGREED to note the update.