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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 22nd January 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting.
RESOLVED to: · Consider and scrutinise the performance of the Community Safety Partnership in co-ordinating activities, with the aim of improving Community Cohesion within the Borough. · Consider and scrutinise the multi-agency approach to increasing Community Cohesion and the relationships developed between services, which underpin the effective operation of the process.
The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the meeting and extended her welcome to Inspector Richard Gardiner, South Wales Police. Apologies for absence were received from County Borough Councillor H Gronow, K Webb and W Treeby.
In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, there were no declaration of interest pertaining to the agenda.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 22nd January 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 22nd January 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to: · Consider and scrutinise the performance of the Community Safety Partnership in co-ordinating activities, with the aim of improving Community Cohesion within the Borough. · Consider and scrutinise the multi-agency approach to increasing Community Cohesion and the relationships developed between services, which underpin the effective operation of the process.
The Head of Community Wellbeing and Resilience Service presented the report to Members which provided an update on the current position of community cohesion in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) and outlined the key challenges and opportunities. The report also outlined regional collaboration activity across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region in tackling community tensions, preventing extremism, and promoting shared values across communities. The Officer highlighted that community cohesion is about ensuring that people from all backgrounds feel valued, respected and able to live together harmoniously. The Officer referred to section 5 of the report which outlined the challenges to community cohesion including economic inequality, social and cultural divisions, discrimination and prejudice, lack of shared spaces and interaction, poor communication, environmental issues and crime and safety concerns. In response, RCT have adopted a multi-agency intelligence led approach and work is aligned with the Council’s Corporate Plan. The Officer also referred Members to section 6 of the report which outlines some key interventions and a summary of the contents of this section was shared with Members. Particular attention was drawn to section 6.8 of the report. Members were informed that it is well recognised that crime and anti-social behaviour can significantly undermine community confidence. In RCT there are robust structures in place to address the challenges, including the daily meeting of anti-social behaviour teams to review incidents and co-ordinate responses, supported by fortnightly multi agency meetings and monthly problem-solving groups chaired by South Wales police. These forums ensure that local concerns are addressed collaboratively and effectively. Members were informed that RCT’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) service supported 112 high risk victims last year with 99% of the high-risk victims reporting they felt safer at the conclusion of the intervention. The Officer also shared that RCT are responding to a small but concerning rise in hate crime. In 2024/25 RCT cohesion officers, along with South Wales Police, delivered hate crime awareness training to a total of 1037 individuals. Supported anti-racism initiatives and worked closely with schools and communities to raise awareness and encourage reporting. The Officer also outlined the importance of partnership working as contained within section 6.9 of the report. Members were informed that the Clear, Hold, Build model that was implemented in the Cae Fardre estate is a strong example of how multi-agency collaboration can change a community. Members were also informed that the perception of safety is recognised as being just as critical as recorded crime statistics. The annual survey conducted via the “South Wales Listens” platform shows that 82% of respondents stated they felt safe in their locality which is encouraging but Officers are committed to improving this figure further. The Officer also referred to collaboration with the South Wales cohesion partnership and the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Community Safety Partnership which ensure that RCT are not working in isolation. In concluding the presentation, the Officer shared that Community cohesion in Rhondda Cynon Taf remains a priority given the area’s growing diversity and socio-economic challenges. The Officer highlighted how teams are committed to ensuring that Rhondda Cynon Taf is a place where every resident feels safe, valued and empowered. In their scrutinisation of the report, a Member referred to the Clear, Hold, Build model referenced in the report and asked whether there were any plans to expand this model and replicate in other estates and communities across the county borough. The Head of Community Wellbeing and Resilience Service shared that it is a Home Office model and RCT were the first in Wales to implement this model in Cae Fardre. It is based on crime statistics and the need for a proactive model however it has been successful and is one that RCT and South Wales Police would support being rolled out to other areas. The Inspector South Wales Police (SWP) also added that the model requires a lot of resource but where it is required it is worthwhile. The Inspector also shared that reflection is also undertaken about the need for this model and work is undertaken to prevent it being needed in the first place. Another Member queried in relation to the RCT Community Cohesion Group and asked how this group was made up and how will they approach the objectives. The Inspector SWP shared that as a result of the rising tensions across the UK, the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) recognised the need to be on the front foot. Community Cohesion Officers and SWP meet weekly to review national and local media and social media to identify potential issues in communities. Members were also informed of a new reporting format which is being rolled out including to elected Members being able to report awareness of issues to be raised through the relevant channels. A Member referred to the use of e-bikes in town centres and raised concerns about the impact these have on residents safety and perception of safety. The Inspector confirmed further discussions in relation to individual incidences will continue outside of the meeting however he also added that there are plans ongoing to tackle the problem utilising CCTV and facial recognition. However, he also shared that there is an element of legislation changes required to take the matter further. The Head of Democratic Services also shared work ongoing through the Democratic Services Committee in relation to the recognised importance of elected Members role in sharing intelligence and feeding this into the wider system. Another Member referred to the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) group that meets on a monthly basis and the information in the report that states the group works towards an agreed action plan that is submitted to Welsh Government on a quarterly basis. The Member requested information on the plan and the effectiveness of this is measured. The Officer shared that details of the plan can be shared with Members where quarterly updates can also be provided. The Director also added that there is a partnership approach to raising awareness and through raising awareness and encouraging victims to come forward will enable the authority to be more proactive in their response. The Member also referred to the statistics within the report for Violence without Injury – Domestic Violence related incidences and noted the rise in figures and requested any further information on a reason for this increase. The Officer acknowledged that domestic violence is a large issue across the whole of the United Kingdom and figures show a sharp increase in these. The category can include long term harassment where it can take victims a long time to report these. Therefore, the increase in numbers reflects that more victims are coming forward which there is an element of positivity to be taken from this. Another Member recognised the statistics in the report show an increase in hate crime across RCT and asked regarding bullying initiatives in schools and whether there are any initiatives regarding tackling this in primary schools. The Officer shared that the pilot initiative was undertaken at an RCT primary school so it is identified that primary school age is vital to tackle this problem. The Officer also added that the YEPS service is encompassed within community safety. The service area are looking to move from a focus on the YEPS service as a secondary school service but to also incorporate the primary to secondary transition phase. The service are working with primary schools to identify most vulnerable pupils during this phase to ensure the required support is available. A Member commented on the potential correlation between domestic violence within families and the impact on children’s attendance at school and requested information be provided on a ward level to identify any potential areas requiring further support. The Director shared that the use of data is being used more and more to inform tactical and awareness raising approaches and can be shared on a geographical basis. A Member highlighted that local communities benefit from the presence of PCSO’s and Council Wardens to enhance their perception of safety. The Member also added that when they are not available the impact is noticed and requested information regarding staffing levels within communities. The Inspector acknowledge this is a challenge for South Wales Police and the nature of the role requires more flexibility regarding location day to day. It is recognised that there are benefits provided through the local knowledge of PCSO’s working together with local Members and Members were informed that there has been a large recruitment campaign within South Wales Police which is hoped to see an impact on the stability in numbers of PCSO’s. The Director also added that Members and local residents are always encouraged to report incidents via 999 or 101 as this information informs staff resourcing and partnership arrangements rely on information being provided to build a clear picture of the requirements in local communities. Another Member discussed the levels of communication between South Wales Police and Local Members when incidents occur as a way of being able to provide reassurance to local residents regarding safety. The Inspector South Wales Police informed Members of the current process regarding informing and updating Members however due to the volume of calls it is not possible for every incident to be notified depending on the nature. The Inspector reassured Members of their confidence in the current process. A Member asked a question regarding notable the increase in the mis and dis-information being spread on-line as outlined in the report. The Member requested information on what partners are involved in responding to misinformation, and the role of each partner. They also requested further information on how it is ensured that the response doesn’t unintentionally amplify the original misinformation. The Officer shared that predominantly the responsibility lies with their team and South Wales Police but they then bring in partners relevant to the incident such as housing associations as referenced in the report. The Officer added that it is key to not amplify the situation and therefore work closely with RCT Communication team and South Wales Police Communications to ensure factual based information is shared in a timely manner. The Officer also provided clarification on the terms mis-information and dis-information and shared with Members the process for reporting issues via an online form. Following consideration it was RESOLVED to: · Consider and scrutinise the performance of the Community Safety Partnership in co-ordinating activities, with the aim of improving Community Cohesion within the Borough. · Consider and scrutinise the multi-agency approach to increasing Community Cohesion and the relationships developed between services, which underpin the effective operation of the process.
The Chair thanked Officers for presenting the report and shared Members appreciation for Inspector Gardiner attending on behalf of South Wales Police to provide valuable insight and reassurance in response to Members questions. The Chair thanked Members for their contributions to discussions.
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