Issue - meetings

Response to Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review - Gangs and Knife Crime

Meeting: 20/01/2021 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Response to Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review - Gangs and Knife Crime pdf icon PDF 179 KB

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Decision:

Cabinet agreed the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as below:

 

Collaborative working

 

2.1.3   That the current work and programmes undertaken by the Community Safety Team regarding knife crime is continuous and becomes more strategic

 

2.1.4   That the Community Safety Manager is charged with working with all relevant organisations and agencies so that they collaborate and enhance joint bids for funding in respect of dealing with gangs and knife crime.

 

2.1.5   That Northampton Borough Council works with other Agencies and Groups in the town to coordinate the youth provision/offer in the Borough.

 

2.1.6   That Northampton Borough Council leads on Multi Agency Training, regarding issues relating to gangs and knife crime, to bring all Multi Agency work together.

 

2.1.7   That a meeting with the Community Safety Team, NBC, and Community Courtyard is convened regarding involving its work.

 

Facilities for Young People

 

  2.1.8   That all potential funding streams are investigated so that youth clubs, and other facilities for young people are brought back into the town.

 

2.1.9   Funding is the core as all activities cost money and it is ensured that the costs should not be passed onto the young people.

 

2.1.10 That in recognising that the most difficult area appears to be liaising with families, when safe to do so, the Community Safety Team has a stand at a family fun day; or a similar event is organised remotely.

 

Best Practice

 

2.1.11 That the Community Safety Team liaises with Officers at Merseyside regarding their best practice initiatives in dealing gangs and knife crime and aim to mirror such initiatives in Northampton.

 

2.1.12 That all Councillors are provided with the link to the short film produced by young people, via Free2 Talk  - Knives end Lives:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCnUZyfekL4and encouraged to watch it.

 

Minutes:

The Director of Customers and Communities outlined the report responding to the recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny regarding guns and knife crime.  The Community Safety Manager had already started to progress these recommendations, although some were reliant on working with the unitary council and other agencies.

 

Councillor Duffy expressed the view that early intervention in schools was key to avoid Northampton youth from resorting to gangs and the temptation to carry a knife as a form of defence.

 

The Director of Customers and Communities advised that these comments would be taken on board.  Best practice initiatives from Merseyside were being implemented and a link to a Free to Talk video had been provided.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Cabinet agreed the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as below:

 

Collaborative working

 

2.1.3   That the current work and programmes undertaken by the Community Safety Team regarding knife crime is continuous and becomes more strategic

 

2.1.4   That the Community Safety Manager is charged with working with all relevant organisations and agencies so that they collaborate and enhance joint bids for funding in respect of dealing with gangs and knife crime.

 

2.1.5   That Northampton Borough Council works with other Agencies and Groups in the town to coordinate the youth provision/offer in the Borough.

 

2.1.6   That Northampton Borough Council leads on Multi Agency Training, regarding issues relating to gangs and knife crime, to bring all Multi Agency work together.

 

2.1.7   That a meeting with the Community Safety Team, NBC, and Community Courtyard is convened regarding involving its work.

 

Facilities for Young People

 

  2.1.8   That all potential funding streams are investigated so that youth clubs, and other facilities for young people are brought back into the town.

 

2.1.9   Funding is the core as all activities cost money and it is ensured that the costs should not be passed onto the young people.

 

2.1.10 That in recognising that the most difficult area appears to be liaising with families, when safe to do so, the Community Safety Team has a stand at a family fun day; or a similar event is organised remotely.

 

Best Practice

 

2.1.11 That the Community Safety Team liaises with Officers at Merseyside regarding their best practice initiatives in dealing gangs and knife crime and aim to mirror such initiatives in Northampton.

 

2.1.12 That all Councillors are provided with the link to the short film produced by young people, via Free2 Talk  - Knives end Lives:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCnUZyfekL4and encouraged to watch it.