The Safer Neighbourhoods and Active Communities Scrutiny Board were scheduled to meet to discuss Sandwell's draft Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2026–2030, antisocial behaviour and low-level crime with a focus on drug dealing, and the Housing Complaints Annual Report. The board was also scheduled to consider its work programme.

Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy

The board was scheduled to consider Sandwell's draft Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy 2026–2030. The draft strategy sets out a commitment to:

• Prevent harm by tackling misogyny, harmful norms, and online risks.
• Protect victims and strengthen safeguarding, recovery, and long-term support.
• Pursue perpetrators through stronger investigations and justice outcomes.
• Create accountability through governance, data, and culture change.

The strategy is structured around five thematic pillars :

• Domestic Abuse
• Sexual Assault, Abuse & Exploitation
• Stalking & Harassment
• Women & Girls' Safety
• Misogyny & Harmful Attitudes

The report pack notes that tackling VAWG is a statutory responsibility under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, the Serious Violence Duty (2022), and the national VAWG Strategy (2021–2024). The report pack also notes that the West Midlands Police and Crime Plan (2025–2029) sets a bold ambition to halve violence against women and girls.

The draft strategy builds on engagement carried out as part of the recent Domestic Abuse Strategy refresh (2024), where an external specialist was commissioned to conduct victim‐survivor interviews, focus groups, practitioner engagement sessions, and an online public survey.

Antisocial Behaviour and Low-Level Crime

The board was scheduled to consider a report providing an overview of drug-related crime in Sandwell, with a particular focus on drug dealing and its links to anti-social behaviour (ASB), criminal exploitation, and cuckooing¹.

The report was scheduled to draw on police and partnership data (2021–2025) to highlight trends in drug offences, enforcement outcomes, and associated safeguarding risks.

The report pack notes that drug dealing and associated harms remain a national priority for policing and community safety, and that the UK drug market is estimated to be worth £4.9 billion annually, fuelling organised criminality and exploitation.

The report also notes that the government's 10-Year Drug Strategy (2021–2031) sets out ambitions to reduce drug use, break supply chains, and reduce the harms to communities.

The report pack also notes that the West Midlands Police and Crime Plan (2025–2029) makes clear that tackling drug markets is central to disrupting organised crime and reducing serious harm.

Housing Complaints Annual Report

The board was scheduled to consider the Housing Complaints Annual Report. The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) requires landlords to produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge, which must include:

• The annual self-assessment against this Code to ensure their complaint handling policy remains in line with its requirements.
• A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the landlord's complaint handling performance, including a summary of the types of complaints the landlord has refused to accept.
• Any findings of non-compliance with this Code by the Ombudsman.
• The service improvements made because of the learning from complaints.
• Any annual report about the landlord's performance from the Ombudsman.
• Any other relevant reports or publications produced by the Ombudsman in relation to the work of the landlord.

The report pack notes that the number of complaints received has increased significantly over the last 12 months, and that as a result, response times have not been good enough. The report also notes that a contractor has been appointed to address the backlog of outstanding repairs.

The report pack also includes a copy of Sandwell's HOS Complaint Handling Code Self-Assessment.

Work Programme

The board was scheduled to note the work programme that set out matters to be considered by the Board in 2025-2026, and to consider whether any changes or additions are required to its work programme.

The report pack notes that a public consultation ran on the Consultation Hub from 4 April to 9 May 2025, and that chief officers were also consulted at the leadership meetings on their views on where scrutiny could have a valuable input into their strategic priorities.

The following items were scheduled to be discussed at future meetings:

• Play Area Strategy
• Council and Voluntary/ Community Sector Relationship
• Housing Allocations Policy
• Visitor Services Review
• Marketing and Promotion Strategy for Events
• Report of the Tenant and Leaseholder Scrutiny Group
• New Neighbourhood Working Model

The following briefing notes were scheduled to be provided:

• Housing Cooperative
• Trading Standards and associated challenges
• New Neighbourhood Working Model
• Emergency Planning Strategy

The following briefing sessions were scheduled to be held:

• Crime Trends
• CCTV Deployment Strategy