Agenda item

·         Acquisitive Crime: Burglary and Vehicle Crime Priority

·         Largest burglary reduction in over a decade and best performance since 2006 (-20%);

·         Largest vehicle crime reduction in over a decade and best performance since 2006 (-27%).

·         Violence Against Women & Girls Priority

·         Increasing number of victims being identified, aided in part by improved recording standards;

·         This is helped identify an increasing number of repeat victims for interventions;

·         Development of VAWG Strategy and strategic board to deliver on this agenda.

·         Romford Town Centre Priority

·         Rates of crime have fallen below that of comparable centres, including Bromley, Kingston and Sutton;

·         Romford has the fastest declining rate of violence within the night-time economy of all regional town centres.

·         Serious Group Violence (SGV) emerging Priority

·         Havering identified as one of the 10 new areas to receive support from the Home Office Ending Gangs & Youth Violence Team;

·         Acquired funding from MOPAC to support the prevention and early intervention;

·         Expanded the work of the SGV Panel and devised a SGV strategy.

·         Cross-Cutting Theme: Community Engagement & Public Confidence

·         First borough to develop the Safer Neighbourhood Board;

·         Continue to raise awareness and protect victims through initiatives such as Safe Zones;

·         Increasing proportion of survey respondents reported contact with police and community safety through organised events.

·         Cross-Cutting Theme: Integrated Offender Management

·         Increased the number of offenders being managed across Havering through the IOM, SGV and DIP panels.

The Sub-Committee was advised that a number of pressures had been identified:

·         Total population expected to increase by 1,900 each year, with projected increase to 281,100 by 2033;

·         Need for an additional 795 homes each year to accommodate this;

·         Those aged 15 and under projected to grow +21.1% by 2026, compared to 12% increase regionally;

·         Rising property prices and rental values and changes to housing benefit will continue to inward migration (Havering is the 3^rd most affordable borough);

·         Unemployment remains above the national average;

·         Increasing proportion of children living in poverty (23% in 2014, an increase from 19% in 2009);

·         Latest ONS data also shows Havering to have the 12^th highest proportion of lone parent households claiming out of work benefits in London;

·         Increasingly diverse population, faster BME growth amongst the youth population;

·         Continued budget cuts affecting services, changing socio-economic demographics producing additional cost pressures;

·         Policing levels and community safety funding from MOPAC both significantly below regional average.

Officers advised the Sub-Committee that since the last assessment the borough had seen:

·         Increasing:

o   Domestic Abuse +1,047

o   Violent Crime +510

o   Sexual Offences +87

o   Shoplifting +67

o   Arson/Deliberate Fires +42

o   Criminal Damage, Hate Crime & Serious Youth Violence

·         Reducing:

o   Burglary -519

o   Vehicle Crime -496

o   Robbery -72

o   Theft Person (exc. We R Festival) -38

Furthermore since the last assessment there had been a number of key changes:

·         Victims:

o   Increased level of recorded violence affecting those under 18;

o   One of the highest levels of repeat victimisation rates for domestic abuse in London;

o   Repeat victimisation rate for ASB higher than London average;

o   Increased proportion of residents worried about ASB, particularly drug misuse and dealing.

·         Offenders:

o   Less young people accused (charged) of crime, contrasting increase in young victims;

o   Reduction in proportion of offenders citing finances, drugs and accommodation as criminogenic needs, increased citing emotional wellbeing;

o   Information on those at-risk of gang or serious group violence related activity improved;

o   Havering one of the few boroughs to record an increase in serious youth violence (+24%);

o   Reoffending rates increased, but remains lower than regional averages.

·         Locations:

o   More deprived wards have experienced more notable increases in violence and domestic abuse (North East / South West of Havering).

The Sub-Committee was advised that the Havering Community Safety Partnership had agreed to adopt the following priority areas for 2014/15:

1.    Protecting vulnerable individuals/victims;

2.    Supporting the most prolific and/or high harm offenders;

3.    Creating safer locations; and

4.    Community engagement and public confidence.

The Sub-Committee has noted the report.