Agenda item

Claire Rai, Head of Community Safety, explained that the Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation Strategy had been written in response to a change in focus from the Home Office. There was now more interest in tackling exploitation and the Hammersmith and Fulham strategy included that. The strategy was intended to last for 5 years but would be reviewed annually by members of the partnership to ensure that it was working well.

The trend in Hammersmith and Fulham over recent years had been for a significant reduction in youth violence, although the past three years had shown slight increases. Hammersmith and Fulham had an average level of youth crime for a London borough, whilst public perception of youth crime being a significant problem was low.

The strategy had six priorities which were: Prevention, Diversion and Early Intervention; Engagement; Enforcement; Gangs Exit and Resettlement; CSE, Girls and Gangs, and; Information Sharing, Governance and Partnership Working.

Claire Rai explained that the committee’s views on the strategy were welcomed and that after these had been considered and incorporated the Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation Partnership would put the plan into action.

The Chair asked whether the strategy was aligned with the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, as the two seemed likely to have significant crossover. Claire Rai said that they did overlap in many ways and appropriate links had been included in the strategies.

The Chair asked whether the council worked with other authorities to provide housing for those fleeing gangs. Jody Grogan, Metropolitan Police, explained that the London Gang Exit Service now provided housing as part of its package.

Councillor Holder felt that the strategy needed to emphasise the positive role of the police more noting that police officers were often the first officials gang members and their families experienced and so it was important that that this was a good one and that the strategy recognised this. Claire Rai agreed to add more information about the role of the police to the strategy; she explained that the four new council funded safer schools officers would be working with Secondary Schools and Pupil Referral Units to try to engage young people likely to be engaged with crime. Jody Grogan explained that the police also worked hard to engage and reassure victims of gang crime.

Councillor Dewhirst asked officers and the police whether the level of gang violence seemed to have risen or fallen over the past few months. Jody Grogan said that there had been a problem with gangs from neighbouring boroughs operating in Hammersmith and Fulham since the early part of 2016; this was continuing to be dealt with by police, for example, by using more high visibility patrols in areas where gangs operated.

The Chair asked whether officers in the safer schools team had a good knowledge of the borough. Jody Grogan said that some of the officers in the team had worked in the borough for many years and so had very good local knowledge and experience. Councillor Fennimore explained that the recruitment process for the additional members of the team funded by the council had been rigorous.

A resident asked what age members of gangs tended to be and whether their parents were given support. Alison Saberoche, Manager of the Youth Offending Service, said that gang members were typically between 10-17 years old and that parents were given support and advice. It was common to have more than one gang member in a family so often the service worked with the whole family. The Chair asked whether children became gang members as a result of poor transitions from primary to secondary school. Alison Saberoche said that there were issues with transitions and that schools could do more to support those who might become gang members.

Councillor Fennimore said that the work which would be done to implement the strategy was a very important part of the council’s commitment to young people and families. She thought that the strategy was very impressive and hoped that the youth offending service could now deliver a more complete service and intervene earlier. She praised the work of Queen’s Park Rangers Football Club in helping to tackle gang s and felt that the partnership would help to reduce gang violence and exploitation.

Councillor Cartwright highlighted the importance of Hammersmith Youth Court to ensuring that justice could be delivered in the community. He was concerned that residents might have to travel as far as Hendon or Highbury if it were closed, as was the government’s current proposal. There would also be delays to cases being heard. This would impact on the strategy. Claire Rai noted that the proposal was currently being consulted on and that officers were drafting a response to object to the closure.