To enable the Cabinet to consider the recommendations made to it by the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the findings of the Crime and Disorder Task and Finish Group (Familial Violence/Abuse).

RESOLVED that the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and that the response of the Assets and Community Safety Portfolio Holder thereto be endorsed.

Members were made aware that the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee (“the Committee”) at its meeting held on 15 April 2025, had considered a final report from its Council’s Crime and Disorder Task and Finish Group, which had been submitted following that Group’s conclusion of its enquiry concerning crime and disorder (familial violence/abuse).

The Committee had recommended to Cabinet that:-

(1)     the Council’s Community Safety Team undertake analysis of data from the National Centre for Domestic Abuse in relation to familial abuse in order to conclude whether that data provides the basis for a broader consideration of these matters by the Task and Finish Group.

(2)     encouragement is given to the Community Safety Partnership to advocate and champion local support services for survivors of domestic abuse in the District.

(3)     the County Wide Strategy Workshop is utilised to ensure that the importance of tackling Domestic Abuse is addressed by the proposed Mayoral Combined County Authority for Greater Essex from its creation and the intended new unitary councils across Essex from 1 April 2028.

(4)     the Council’s Community Safety Team ensure training about types of domestic abuse and how to signpost individuals to domestic abuse support services are available to Reception and Admin staff across the Council.

(5)     local refuge services for domestic abuse survivors and their children are advocated and championed for; and ensure that all available materials are reviewed and the updated materials are then made available to District Councillors and to Town and Parish Councils for their use.

(6)     encouragement is given to the Community Safety Partnership to urge school and academy leaders to take up the ‘Healthy Relationships’ sessions provided by the Police and Fire Joint Education Team;

(7)     to encourage the leaders of Secondary schools and academies in Tendring to participate in the Stronger Together Teenage Show 2025 (funded by Tendring District Council seeking to combat violence against women and girls and challenge toxic teenage cultures; and

(8)     engagement is made with other Local Authorities in relation to domestic abuse and priorities are in line with local government reorganisation proposals for Greater Essex and sharing best practice.

The Task and Finish Group’s final report was attached as an appendix to the reference report (A.3).

Cabinet had before it the formal response of the Assets and Community Safety Portfolio Holder to the Committee’s recommendations as follows:-

“May I thank the members of the Crime and Disorder Task and Finish Group for their work on an important and interesting topic.

I am happy to support the recommendations being made to Cabinet. Following Cabinet’s acceptance, I will invite Officers to engage with our partners to take action to incorporate the recommendations into our plans and enact them for those matters that are directly within the Council’s control. For those matters that lay outside the Council’s control, I will work with Officers and our partners as to the best way(s) to bring those recommendations to fruition.”

Having duly considered the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee together with the contents of the Task and Finish Group’s final report:-

It was moved by Councillor Kotz, seconded by Councillor Baker and:-

RESOLVED that the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and that the response of the Assets and Community Safety Portfolio Holder thereto be endorsed.