Dorset Community Safety Partnership Terms of Reference

Purpose

The Dorset Community Safety Partnership (CSP) aims to reduce crime and the fear of crime, address risk, threat and harm to victims and local communities and facilitate the strengthening of Dorset's communities in the delivery of local initiatives. 

It is the statutory community safety partnership body required under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and subsequent legislation1, and is accountable for all statutory duties placed on community safety partnerships. 

It also acts as the domestic abuse local partnership board required under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. 

The Dorset CSP co-ordinates partners’ community safety activity in the Dorset Council area. 

Function

The CSP fulfils the following functions: 

• accountability – acts as the legal body for community safety partnership and domestic abuse local partnership board work in the Dorset Council area, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and addressing community safety issues. 
• governance – ensures systems and processes are in place amongst partners to deliver their duties and address issues. 
• leadership – sets priorities, determines policy and sets strategic direction. The CSP’s leadership role also involves addressing issues and blockages that can’t be managed in other parts of the structure.

Statutory Duties 

The Dorset CSP is accountable for the statutory duties placed on community safety partnerships and domestic abuse local partnership boards by legislation. These duties include:  

• preparing Partnership Strategic Assessments (Crime & Disorder Act 1998; Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• preparing and implementing Community Safety Plans (Crime & Disorder Act 1998; Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• preparing and implementing Reducing Reoffending Strategies (Crime & Disorder Act 1998) 
• duties relating to community engagement and consultation (Crime & Disorder Act 1998; Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• having in place an information sharing protocol (Crime & Disorder Act 1998; Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• conducting Domestic Homicide Reviews (Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 as amended) 
• reviewing the persons who attend the CSP to ensure they have the requisite knowledge and skill to exercise the functions (Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• reviewing expenditure of any partnership monies (Crime & Disorder Formation & Implementation of Strategies Regulations 2007) 
• providing advice to Dorset Council about the exercise of its functions under section 57 of The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
• providing advice to Dorset Council about the provision of other local authority support in its area (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)

Responsibilities 

In addition to the functions and statutory duties set out above the CSP will: 

• determine the wider community safety partnership structure, including any sub or working groups, whilst retaining overall statutory accountability. 
• manage performance and monitor outcomes against the Community Safety Plan and any emerging issues / priorities. 
• develop and maintain strong links with other partnerships with similar objectives including through regular meetings with their Chairs (for example, the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CSP and local Safeguarding Boards). 
• work with the Council’s statutory Crime & Disorder Scrutiny Committee including providing the committee with a formal report annually. 
• ensure strong links with leadership groups within partners’ individual organisations so the work of the CSP and partners’ contributions is understood. 

Membership

The membership of the CSP consists of core members who represent the responsible authorities under legislation and have voting rights, and invited members who do not have voting rights.

Core with voting rights

Invited without voting rights

Representatives will hold a senior position within their organisation. 

The membership is supported by relevant officers. Other partners and colleagues will be invited to attend meetings according to items of business. 

The quorum of the CSP is two core members. 

Chairing Arrangements

The Chair of the group will be the Dorset Council representative who is the Portfolio Holder for community safety. 

The Chair has specific responsibilities in relation to Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) as set out in the relevant statutory guidance. 

The Vice Chair will be drawn from the core membership at the first meeting of each financial year. 

Decisions

Decisions will be taken in a democratic manner with all partners equal. Each core member has one vote.  If there are equal numbers of votes for and against, the Chair will have a second or casting vote. 

Invited members, other attendees and observers do not have voting rights. 

Accountability and Governance 

Meetings will be held at least quarterly with meeting dates set a year in advance. 

The CSP will provide an annual report to Dorset Council’s formal Crime & Disorder Committee, in line with legislation. 

Members of the group retain responsibility for meeting their individual statutory duties and responsibilities. 

Working with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset

There are various duties set out in legislation relating to CSPs and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). As a result of the duties: 

• Dorset’s PCC must have regard to the priorities of the Dorset CSP.
• the Dorset CSP must have regard to the police and crime objectives set out in the Dorset PCC’s police and crime plan.
• the CSP and PCC must act in co-operation with each other in exercising their respective functions. 
• the Dorset CSP must send a copy of its Community Safety Plan to the PCC. 
• the PCC for Dorset can require core members of the Dorset CSP to attend a meeting to assist in the formulation and implementation of strategies relating to the area. 

Dated: October 2021