1.       To receive an update from Victoria McGeough, Partnership Lead Manager, Torbay Council on the following:

 

·                 Strategic Assessment

·                 Prevent

·                 Modern Slavery

 

2.       To receive an update from Superintendent Hayley Costar, Devon and Cornwall Police on serious and organised crime.

 

3.       To receive an update from Shirley Beauchamp, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Commissioning and Strategy Lead, Torbay Council on domestic abuse and sexual violence.

 

4.       To receive an update from Lincoln Sargeatnt, Director of Public Health, Torbay Council on Torbay Combatting Drugs Partnership.

Safer Torbay (Torbay’s Community Safety Partnership) Overview

 

Victoria McGeough, Partnership Lead Manager, Torbay Council presented the submitted overview report which provided an update on the following work of Safer Torbay:

 

• Strategic Assessment
• Prevent
• Modern Slavery

 

In response to questions, Members were informed that there are clear pathways of support in place for young people who were at risk of terrorism which would lead to multi-agency support.  Where online bullying was identified Members were told that appropriate responses were put in place by schools and where necessary Police and Children’s Services.  A lot of the work was identification around having conversations and identifying when behaviours or activities sounded like they had changed for the individual without explanation.  When working with individuals in the Prevent space it was about challenging views and offering a counter narrative to address dangerous and or toxic narratives.  Work with schools was good and Torbay’s referral rates were at the level expected and were appropriate as a result of the support that was in place.  There is a programme called ‘Act Early’ where family and friends could find information and be aware of how to report concerns to prevent radicalisation and extremism by acting early (see https://actearly.uk/).  It was noted that risk from radicalisation was a form of exploitation in its own right and individuals were often known to agencies through existing vulnerabilities and were often vulnerable to any form of exploitation including county lines, modern slavery and human trafficking.  Torbay works in partnership with Devon on modern slavery and human trafficking with Plymouth and Cornwall joining to help increase awareness and support what people do moving forward.  It was important to encourage people to understand what they were looking for and how to report, work has included campaigns for taxi drivers, hotels, leafletting and working with the Children’s Services Exploitation Team.  The charity ‘Unseen’ was the leading charity in this area and a key partner in this work (see https://www.unseenuk.org/about-us/unseen-history).  The British Transport Police have carried out training for train workers, and have undertaken joint work with the Police and Children’s Services, and taxis present at the train stations to raise awareness and identification of risks, particularly young people’s movement around different areas. This was part of a positive partnership approach to challenges faced.  Training was provided to schools via the Learning Academy.  Schools also have good relationships with Children’s Services and Community Safety, with Multi-Agency Forums including representatives from schools.  The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) was the place to refer concerns which were then reviewed by multiple partners within 24 hours with specialist referrals for certain crimes.  This works to a National Standard which requires understanding if a child was being exploited.  There was a perception that trafficking was for foreign nationals, but this was not the case it could be local e.g. people in the same street.  It involves children and adults with the split of demographics depends on the type of modern slavery.  Incidents of cuckooing were referred Police and to the single point of contact for Adult Social Care.

 

Members were advised that there was no evidence of higher toxic incidents towards women in Torbay compared to other areas.  It was important to talk about how to change perceptions and have conversations around the topics and challenge some perceptions, including early conversations to mitigate gender-based violence.

 

Serious and Organised Crime

 

Superintendent Hayley Costar, Devon and Cornwall Police gave a verbal update on serious and organised crime.  It was noted that this was nationally defined as individuals planning and co-ordinating or committing serious crime.  The Police were mapping the problem and trying to understand what role people played within an organised crime group and the impact they have in Torbay.  Not all people mapped to Torbay will commit crimes in Torbay.  The proportion of crimes was mapped biannually.  50% of people impacted by organised crime related to drugs, 10% fraud, 10% exploitation and 30% serious violence and antisocial behaviour. 

 

Members were advised that the Police work on a four ‘P’ approach: pursue, prevent, protect and prepare working together with partners.  Torbay has strong partnerships and a Strategic Assessment which replicates the priorities for the area.  Police hold a tactical co-ordination meeting each month, with monthly activity driven by the business to see sustained outcomes.  This was measured in multiple ways including conviction and disruptions to the person and the place involved, which helped to stop incidents happening where successful disruptions were achieved.  Last year across South Devon there were 88 disruptions, £370,000 of drugs was seized, 89 weapons were seized, 88 arrests and £100,000 cash recovered.  The cash was invested through a national pot and £20,000 was given back to the Police to invest in South Devon to support local communities.  There were 5 convictions in the last twelve months totalling 19 years relating to three crime groups.  

 

The Board noted the actions for the next twelve months were to continue the approach with regular weeks of intensification focussing on areas such as cyber-crime, knife crime week, sexual exploitation, county lines and business crime interventions on shoplifters.

 

Members asked questions in relation to what formular was used for the proceeds of crime for seized cash and was £20,000 fair for South Devon; how did the crime figures compare to last year; how do our statistics compare to the rest of the country; and how was harm measured.

 

In response to questions, Members were informed that some of the money from proceeds of crime funds economic crime staff and that £20,000 back to South Devon seemed fair.  The crime figures were viewed in terms of the overall threat assessment type which had stayed the same as last year, but the impact of the crime had increased.  Analysts had a harm index and also a recency, frequency, gravity matrix which provided a score of the harm being caused by the crime.

 

Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

 

Shirley Beauchamp, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Commissioning and Strategy Lead outlined the submitted papers in respect of domestic abuse and sexual violence (DASV).  The DASV Executive Group had agreed the following three priority areas for specific focus:

 

1.         Communications

 

To develop a communications plan that raises awareness and also educates people about domestic abuse and sexual violence in the context of relationships; and ensures victims and survivors know where to get support and trust that they will be believed. 

 

2.         Workforce Development

 

To review the range of learning offers available, content and format.  To identify, test solutions and make recommendations to address the challenges the system is experiencing in maximising uptake of learning offers.

 

3.         Disruption

 

To focus on ways to identify and disrupt the person causing harm as early as possible.  This included prevention and initiatives in communities (including in the Night Time Economy) as well as seeking resources to put in place sustainable behaviour change interventions that are currently not available due to a lack of funding.

 

Prior to the meeting Members of the Board received a paper on funding for DASV services.  Members acknowledged that a significant amount of funding for DASV services ended in March 2025 and until the Government had confirmed the allocation to Local Authorities, it was not clear how services would be funded in the future.  This was also impacting on funding for support services, advocacy and criminal justice services which could take up to 18 months to get through if the perpetrator pleaded not guilty.  Partners work with the Safer Rainbow Service on behalf of the whole of Devon and they have seen the complexity of cases referred to the service increasing month on month.  Members also noted the submitted letter from the Chief Executive Officer from Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services raising concern over future sustainability of their services, which currently had an office in Torquay.  The risks around future funding was included on the risk register and reviewed monthly.

 

The Board was concerned over the lack of certainty and sustainable funding for DASV services which impacted on the most vulnerable people in Torbay and their families and sought assurance that this would be escalated.

 

Members asked questions in relation to the impact on charities and organisations caused by lack of certainty around funding for DASV support services; what work was being done to show people what healthy relationships look like; were children able to be recognised as being victims of domestic abuse; and what was the best message Councillors could give around DASV.

 

Members were advised that there was a real risk to some organisations that would impact on critical services if they had to cut their costs and would have to give notice to staff which may result in services not being delivered locally.

 

In response to questions, Members were advised of the Healthy Relationship programme in schools, although there was a statutory requirement to allow parents to opt their children out of taking part.  There was not a consistent approach across all schools and Officers would like to see this being consistent.

 

It was noted that Torbay Council enables a child in their own right to be referred to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) via the single assessment process if they were a victim of domestic abuse.  They would also be a child in need for their legal status but would be seen as a victim of domestic abuse in their own right.  This was also covered in the Risk Assessment for Children.

 

The Board was advised that there was an officer Domestic Abuse Champion who sits in the Safeguarding Hub and was available for consultation and to talk and engage with young people on how they respond and help young people to realise if they were a victim of domestic abuse.

 

Members were encouraged to challenge and use the bystander approach if they see any inappropriate behaviour, to work with their local primary and secondary schools to raise awareness and to consider the appointment of a Domestic Abuse Member Champion.  There was an Interpersonal Trauma Response Service – Fear Free (see https://www.fearfree.org.uk) based in GPs to help people affected by domestic and sexual abuse through trained practitioners which Members could also promote.

 

Torbay Drug and Alcohol Partnership

 

Lincoln Sargeant, Director of Public Health presented the submitted paper on the work of the Torbay Drug and Alcohol Partnership, which had been in operation for two years and had arisen from the Government’s 10 Year Drug Strategy. 

 

Members asked questions in relation to what work was being done around alcohol misuse; was there a link between people who abuse alcohol at home and domestic abuse; was the use of Buvidal combined with therapy; with the increased use of synthetic drugs and spice in vapes, had there been an increase in the number of people being spiked with them and was Torbay seeing a link with an increase in sexual violence towards girls as a result; would most of the drug alerts happen at the weekend; was there anything that could be done to encourage people to receive support and make them aware of the impact of drug and alcohol misuse on their family and children; was there evidence of alcohol misuse in young people; and were the assessments and treatments for drugs and alcohol still clinically based.

 

In response to questions, Members were advised that Torbay’s Drug and Alcohol Strategy included alcohol as that was one of the challenges in Torbay with a lot of people being addicted to alcohol but not recognising it in the same way as people do for drugs.  Often people who misuse alcohol drink at home and appear to be unaffected so may not be picked up until they visit their GP with liver or other health problems.  Alcohol misuse was the focus of a previous Public Health Annual Report and outreach work was being used to bring people into the Service to receive support. 

 

Members were informed that, although there was visible use of alcohol in the Town Centres with associated antisocial behaviour, alcohol treatment services could only help when people were ready to engage.  People cannot be treated unless they were ready to receive support.  Members were advised of the good partnership arrangements with Criminal Justice where courts may mandate as part of a person’s sentencing that they have a treatment order which gets them engaged in support. 

 

Addictions often develop in people who already have other issues and there was a wider need to help them manage their issues as well as their addictions.  This could be seen particularly with Children’s Social Services working with Youth Justice and Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services to address the complex needs of these young people who undertake therapy together, they make connections and then open up social connections.  When people have criminal convictions and addictions, they find it difficult to secure employment and there was a need to try to help remove some of those barriers to help with their recovery and secure employment.  When people from different socioeconomic backgrounds undertake therapy together, they can make connections and open up positive opportunities as a result.

 

The Board informed that the use of Buvidal was combined with other therapy in the same way that methadone was prescribed as part of a treatment package.  Part of the reason for the Government’s 10 Year Drug Strategy was due to the increase in drug related deaths which have increased year on year since 2012.  The risk of drug related death was now heightened further, due to the presence of synthetic opioids being identified within the drug supply nationally.  Some variants have been found to be much stronger than traditional opioids, increasing the risk of adverse reactions and/or overdose. There was further danger as naloxone which was given to reverse the effect of opiate overdose would be required in higher volumes to be effective at reversing an overdose.  There have been incidents of this in Bristol, Plymouth and North Devon but not yet in Torbay. 

 

During working hours there was a system to send an alert to key partners when there were concerns about potential harms due to drugs and this was co-ordinated between Police, Drug and Alcohol Services, Public Health and community safety.  It was acknowledged that the current alert system was not set up to respond out of hours, and as such a contingency was being explored for this.  The Jatis Project provide 24-hour support for adults in Torbay who had experienced drug and alcohol problems and the Council was exploring a mechanism for how Jatis staff could help communicate the threat and harm reduction advice to vulnerable people out of hours. This process also relies on Torbay’s out of hours emergency helpline, delivered by SWISCO to act as a conduit for communicating the alert and the viability of this was currently being explored.  The Police on the beat were being trained to administer naloxone and to carry packs with them.  There was no evidence to support that alerts would most likely occur out of hours - they could happen at any time.

 

It was noted that the majority of drug and alcohol assessments and treatments took place in clinics but more outreach was being explored, where appropriate.  Members noted the Multiple-Complex Needs Alliance was responsible for drug and alcohol services and additional funding from Government had been available through the Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) grant.  The Alliance would have to look at how grant funded services would be delivered if grant was not extended.

 

Members were informed that the vast majority of children and young people who use drugs and alcohol do not have an addiction.  Many young people experiment with alcohol as they grow up.  However, a young person who has a lot of personal issues may be at greater risk of having a drug and/or alcohol problem.  There were risk markers and some of those who had engaged with Council Services often engage in multiple risky behaviours.  Ketamine was emerging as substance of abuse because it was cheap compared to others and cannabis use could be a gateway to harder drugs in at-risk young people.  Public Health was working with Trading Standards around alcoholic ciders etc. and there was a need to support families to help inform them and young people about the harms of alcohol and drugs and how to deal proportionately and sensibly with these concerns.  There was also work with schools.  Substance misuse was a concern for Torbay but not out of proportion in comparison to other areas with similar characteristics.  Members noted the problems with misuse of prescription drugs being higher than illegal drugs and the need for better awareness and communication between partners to support people affected.

 

Resolved (unanimously):

 

1.         that the Overview and Scrutiny Board notes the updates provided at the meeting in respect of Safer Torbay and continues to receive an annual update each year;

 

2.         that the Safer Rainbow Group be requested to present to an all Member briefing on their work;

 

3.         that the Cabinet be advised of the concerns of the Overview and Scrutiny Board on the lack of sustained funding for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (DASV) as part of their budget build to support services after April 2025, that the Priority and Resources Review Panel be requested to consider the funding for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Services as part of the budget review for 2025/2026 and that Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Commissioning and Strategy Lead be requested to provide Members with appropriate background information on the service providers;

 

4.         that the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Board be requested to add a key line of enquiry around women’s safety as part of their work on the Public Health Annual Report Focussing on Women’s Health;

 

5.         that the Democratic Services Team Leader be requested to progress the Bystander training scheduled a part of the Member Development Programme for 2024/2025;

 

6.         that the Cabinet be recommended to appoint a Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Member Champion; and

 

7.         that the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator be requested to write to the local Members of Parliament to ask them what the proposals are around the base funding for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence services from 2025/2026 and raise awareness of the risk of loss of critical services in Torbay.