Decision Maker: Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: March 31, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 9.1 Community Safety matters to people in every part of Sheffield. Everyone has the right to feel and be safe. Feeling and being safe in Sheffield underpins the ambitions that we have set out in our City Goals and in our 2024-28 Council Plan.   The Council has a statutory duty, along with other partner organisations, to formulate and implement a Strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder.   The priorities in the draft Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2025-28 have been formulated using an intelligence assessment alongside partner engagement and public consultation.   The adoption of the new Strategy is a function reserved to Council. Community Parks and Leisure Policy Committee are responsible for the preparation and recommendation of the Strategy to Council.     9.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee:-   (a)  considers the draft Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2025-28, as set out in Appendix 1;   (b)  recommends adoption of the Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2025-28 to Council for consideration at its meeting on 2nd July 2025; and   (c)  delegates authority to the Director of Customer Engagement and Communities, in consultation with the Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee, to approve minor amendments to the Strategy.     9.3 Reasons for Decision     9.3.1 Adoption of a Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy is reserved to Full Council under section under section 3.2.1 of the Constitution. Strategy and Resources Committee approved that Communities, Parks, and Leisure Policy Committee should be responsible for the preparation and recommendation of the Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2025-28 to Council.     9.3.2 The formulation and implementation of the Strategy is a statutory requirement under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The absence of a strategy would mean the Council would be in breach of its statutory obligations and risk not having effective crime reduction strategies in place.     9.3.3 The Joint Strategic Intelligence Assessment, partner engagement and public consultation have, together, been used to identify the proposed priorities and supporting actions. These are represented in the Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy and will be a key component in driving activity, monitoring progress, and ensuring emerging threats are highlighted.     9.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     9.4.1 Alternative Option 1: Do nothing   There is, in theory, the option to ‘do nothing’ and allow the 2022-25 strategy to lapse without formulating a revised Strategy. This option has been rejected as it would leave the Council and its partners in breach of their statutory duties.