Attendance 

Apologies

• Andrea Breen, Dorset Council 
• Vanessa Read, NHS Dorset
• Cllr Peter Barrow, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority 
• Stewart Dipple, Dorset Police
• Dean O'Connor, Dorset Police, 
• Adam Harrold, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
• Charlie Pack, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

No 1

Welcome and Introductions 

1.1 Cllr Carr-Jones welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

No 2

Minutes of the Meeting held on 13 July and Matters Arising 

2.1 3.3. Detailed discussion into ASB and Mental Health has been added to the forward plan and will be discussed at the next meeting.

No 3

Progress Against Strategic Priorities 

3.1 Ian introduced the item setting out partners’ delivery planning work for the strategic priorities for the forthcoming year.

3.2 Ian gave the group an update of the key headlines coming from the domestic abuse delivery plan, with Andy Frost providing an update on Stalking, and Serious Sexual Offences. There was a focus on intelligence insights, priority activity, and performance management. A particular theme across the three priorities was to focus on preventative work, notwithstanding, responding to risk, much of which is now core business.

3.3 Andy explained it had been helpful to work through the SARA process as it helps ensure the work being done is based on a detailed understanding of the issues.

3.4 Richard Bell gave some further recent intelligence which showed a decrease in domestic abuse crimes, concerning increases in serious sexual offences, and some improvements to positive outcome rates. Richard noted the work to address the delays in the criminal justice system which should help improve positive outcome rates.

3.5 Lisa Reid was keen for Children Service’s to engage in the work of the CSP, particularly when it comes to prevention, and any work to improve conviction rates, ensuring support is accessible and timely. Lisa noted the work already in place to seek the views of children and young people and felt important the CSP was involved in that. The group agreed it was important to listen to the views of people, particularly younger people, also ensuring the CSP is plugged into other groups that are undertaking similar work, for example; the Victims and Witnesses Group of the Dorset Criminal Justice Board who are working on attrition rates. Emma Pleece agreed to make sure Andy was made aware of relevant work and groups.

• Action - Emma Pleece

3.6 Graham Duggan asked whether Public Health Dorset needed to be included in progressing this work given links to alcohol and substance misuse. Andy confirmed Public Health attend the CSP’s Strategic Priority Delivery Group (SPDG).

3.7 Molly Rennie emphasised that whilst much of partners’ domestic abuse work is now core business, it was important to not become complacent. Molly also stressed the importance of improving understanding of sexual violence issues in our domestic abuse training offer.  

3.8 Cllr Graham Carr-Jones requested a presentation from the Council’s Education Team about prevention work being done in schools. Cllr Carr-Jones stressed the need to establish strong links with education and the CSP, noting the importance of getting in early to support young people. It was agreed to add item to the Forward Plan.  

• Action - Andy Frost

3.9 Andy informed the group that he was in the process of recruiting an analyst for his team. Once in post, the resource would help partners develop a better understanding of issues.

3.10 Graham Duggan referenced a recent media article that suggested domestic abuse refuge spaces were in short supply. It was confirmed there were refuge spaces available in Dorset.

No 4

Community Safety Update

4.1 Andy introduced the community safety update presentation which focused on the new Serious Violence Duty under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

4.2 The duty requires local areas to complete a needs assessment and strategy for serious violence. Statutory guidance is currently being drafted along with secondary legislation.

4.3 Andy highlighted the recent change in government’s approach, with certain issues like serious violence and domestic abuse becoming mandatory for CSPs, which was in contrast to them being able to determine their own priorities.

4.4 Andy explained that under the legislation, PCCs (Police and Crime Commissioners) have a role to provide financial assistance to CSPs to help them address serious violence.

4.5 Legislation dictated the specific partners responsible for delivering the new statutory duty but not the partnership. Members of the group agreed the CSP was best placed to lead on the duty.

4.6 David Webb queried the mechanism for dealing with serious violence case reviews, stressing the importance of joining them up with other reviews, and having a common methodology with other local authority areas i.e. BCP. Andy explained that guidance had yet to be published but agreed the importance of making links to partner’s wider work.

4.7 Richard Bell explained there would need to be separate needs assessments for the Dorset and the BCP areas, given variations in the problems for each area. Richard informed the group that analytical work had already been plotted for serious violence and was happy for that to be included in any future work.  

4.8 Cllr Carr Jones asked how we can integrate the new duty with other existing functions. Andy explained that whilst we needed to wait for the guidance, it would seem possible to incorporate any needs assessment into the annual Partnership Strategic Assessment and strategy into the three year community safety plan.

No 5

Domestic Homicide Reviews 

5.1 Members of the group discussed work on Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs).  

5.2 Di Evans provided details of the number of notifications received by the CSP, how many had resulted in a review and the types of abuse.

5.3 Di ran through the challenges associated with conducting reviews including the complexity of some cases, clarifying the purpose of DHRs and the function of other reviews / investigations, links with the coroner, the vagueness of statutory guidance and the fact reviews can take a long time to complete.

5.4 Di explained that she was hoping to explore the potential for an annual joint learning event with BCP, where partners can look at shared themes and approaches, in line with the Pan Dorset DA Standards and Training Framework that Ian and Kay worked on previously,

5.5 Andy reiterated the challenges with DHRs, including the role of the Home Office, which is creating some confusion with how DHRs are managed locally, often becoming complex and taking time to deal with.

5.6 All agreed it was important for the Government to complete its review of the current statutory guidance as this should ensure greater clarity.

No 6

Forward Plan

6.1 Members of the CSP agreed the forward plan, which would be updated to include an update from education on work in schools.

Future Meeting Dates

• 10am, 15 September 2022 quarterly meeting
• 3pm, 19 October 2022
• 12pm, 16 November 2022
• 10am, 21 December 2022 quarterly meeting
• 10am, 18 January 2023
• 10am, 15 February 2023
• 10am, 15 March 2023 quarterly meeting