Agenda item

Report by Lee Harris, Acting Chief Executive.

The Committee is asked to review the current partnership approach to County Lines, understanding the scale, scope and impact of this form of exploitation and consider whether the partnership response and multi-agency activity is currently effective in addressing the threat, risk and harm posed to individuals and communities in West Sussex.

The Chairman will summarise the output of the debate for consideration by the Committee.

131.1The Committee considered a report by Acting Chief Executive (copy appended to the signed minutes).

131.2Jim Bartlett, Contextual Safeguarding Manager, introduced the

report with a presentation (copy appended to the signed minutes), which set out the Safer West Sussex Partnership current strategic priorities and how six of these seven priorities have links to County Lines.

131.3Jo Banks, Detective Superintendent, Sussex Police, defined the term County Lines in more detail and explained the current situation in Sussex and its links to serious organised crime.

131.4Georgina Bouette, Community Safety Manager, Arun District Council, spoke of the success in the multi-agency approach to reducing the County Lines harm, for example, reducing the risk to vulnerable individuals falling victim to “cuckooing”.

131.5Sara Pordham, Youth Offending Service Manager, spoke of the links to child exploitation and the impact that this has on the whole family and the training available to professionals. Also explained the ways in which children are vulnerable to exploitation.

131.6Junior Smart, Business Development Manager, St Giles Trust spoke about the “SOS Project” and the intensive relationship-building work that is carried out as part of the intervention work.

131.7The Committee made a number of comments including those that follow. It:

·         Requested that future reports contain more detail on the evidence of scale of the problem to give the Committee more information in advance of the scrutiny.

·         Welcomed the fact that Sussex Police is working with the Metropolitan Police on the upstream activities and not just targeting the suppliers on the ground but with the purpose of dismantling a line as well.

·         Was concerned that there is no direct funding of the partnership.

·         Was pleased to hear that the performance of the 101 service was improving and that waiting times have dropped by 50%.

·         Noted the strong link between school exclusions and serious organised crime, including County Lines.

The Chairman asked the Cabinet Member to speak and he asked that a Member Day on this subject be arranged to raise awareness of what signs to look out for and who to contact.

Resolved – That the Committee:-

1.   Requested that this work is properly resourced and that the Cabinet Member asks Cabinet to take this into account in budget discussions with particular focus on Not in Education, Employment or Training, (NEETS) which has also been highlighted by the Children and Young People Services Select Committee.

2.   Welcomed the reintroduction of dedicated Police Community Support Officers for each area, given their vital role in gathering intelligence from communities.

3.   Requested reinstatement of the Neighbourhood Panels (linked to 2 above).

4.   Requested that West Sussex Connections is used to publicise the various reporting channels available to residents for reporting criminality and that the districts & boroughs are encouraged to do the same with their newsletters.

5.   Requested that professionals and county councillors receive training in how to spot the early signs of exploitation, what to look for and how to report.  For councillors this should be as part of the Member Day offered by Cabinet Member.

6.   Welcomed the SOS Project events which work with young people exposed to or at risk of violence, vulnerability and exploitation, and requested that Committee members be kept aware of events arising in their areas, with aim for members attending. 

7.   Asked that district and borough councils look at the issue of high-density housing and what restrictions can be imposed on these, given that these are vulnerable areas.