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Community Safety Partnership

 

 

Meeting: 16/04/2025 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 123)

123 Community Safety Partnership pdf icon PDF 590 KB

Purpose          

To note the activities of the West Oxfordshire Community Safety Partnership during 2024/2025 and the latest insights around crime and the fear of crime in West Oxfordshire and the county as a whole. 

 

Recommendation      

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to:

1.         Note the report

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Geoff Saul, the Executive Member for Housing and Social Care, introduced the item. The Executive Member stated that West Oxfordshire had one of the lowest crime rates in the Country but that there had been a recent increase in rural crime. The Executive Member highlighted the work of the rural crime project in addressing this, which was a joint project across West Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

 

In discussion, the following points were raised;

  • A Member briefing would be held with the Chief Constable on 5 June. The Community Wellbeing Manager encouraged all members to attend this briefing, and pose their questions to the Chief Constable directly.
  • Drug offences were discussed, which were not broken down by the type of substance. One member raised a perceived police inaction over cannabis use in Housing Association properties and the need for Housing Associations to be informed if rules were breached. The Officer stated that they would take this away to request details.
  • Concerns were raised over the fact that the peak age group for victims of sex offences was 11-14, and that the peak age for suspects of many types of crime was 18-21. Members asked whether more engagement with schools was needed over this, and suggested councillors who are also teachers could help support outreach activities. The Community Wellbeing Manager also stated that a Youth Development Officer was now in post and that they could work on this area.
  • Awareness Campaigns such as Ask for Angela were still in place but relied on constant communication due to the high turnover of staff in sectors such as hospitality.
  • Concerns were raised over the 65% increase in common assault.
  • The work of Police Community Support Officers was valuable but there were insufficient personnel.

 

Resolved: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the report.

 

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