The Place Scrutiny Board of Calderdale Council is scheduled to meet on 16 October 2025 to discuss a range of topics, including the council's work programme, the Prevent strategy, community safety partnerships, and fly-tipping. Councillor White, Chair Place Scrutiny Board will chair the meeting. The board will consider the delivery of Prevent work across the borough, and a member report into fly-tipping within Calderdale.

Prevent Strategy in Calderdale

The Place Scrutiny Board is scheduled to discuss a report outlining Calderdale's approach to the national Prevent strategy¹, including the implementation of an action plan and delivery plans following the removal of Home Office funding. The report pack states that the council has a statutory responsibility to:

1. Partnership: Establish or utilize existing multi-agency groups, such as Community Safety Partnerships, to coordinate Prevent activities.
2. Risk Assessment: Conduct local risk assessments to understand the threat of radicalization and terrorism in their area.
3. Action Plan: Develop and implement action plans to address identified risks.
4. Staff Training: Ensure that staff are trained to recognize signs of radicalization and know how to respond appropriately.
5. Use of Resources: Allocate resources effectively to support Prevent activities.
6. Collaboration: Work with other areas and agencies to share information and best practices.
7. Referral Pathways: Establish clear referral pathways for individuals at risk of radicalization.
8. Channel Panel: Participate in Channel panels, which provide support to individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

The report from Ian Day, Director Public Services, notes that Calderdale has historically been a Prevent-funded local authority, but funding will be withdrawn from the end of the 2025/26 financial year as the Home Office no longer considers Calderdale to be among the 20 highest risk local authorities.

The report pack states that the work of Prevent in Calderdale is focused on addressing vulnerability through education and awareness raising, and is not focused on gender, ethnicity or any particular ideology. It notes that online spaces continue to pose a high risk, particularly among young people, and that extremist groups actively exploit digital platforms to disseminate hate and conspiracy theories. The report pack also states that the majority of Calderdale Channel cases have demonstrated an online footprint, with many of these individuals presenting with neurodivergent conditions and are considered vulnerable.

The report pack includes several appendices, including a Prevent training offer and Prevent newsletters and bulletins. The newsletters cover topics such as the 764 Com Network, keeping children safe online, and the manosphere.

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be asked to consider the delivery of Prevent Work across the Borough, acknowledge the progress on work undertaken in implementing the Prevent agenda in Calderdale and its approach to supporting vulnerable people, and provide any reflections on the future delivery of Prevent as a non-funded local authority area.

Community Safety Partnership

The Place Scrutiny Board will also discuss the work of Calderdale's Community Safety Partnership (CSP). The report pack includes a report from Derek Benn, Community Safety Partnership Manager, CMBC, which provides an overview of the CSP and how its strategic priorities link into the Police and Crime Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan.

The report pack states that the duties of a CSP, as defined by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, are to deliver a Strategic Assessment, to agree the Strategic Priorities, and to ensure that the outcomes as defined by the Strategic Priorities are achieved.

The report pack notes that the CSP is currently in the process of reviewing its Strategic Assessment as part of the tri-annual refresh, and that this aligns with the refresh of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan.

The report pack identifies a number of key focuses and challenges for the CSP, including the Serious Violence Duty, the Safety of Women and Girls, the Summer Surge, Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO), Community Tensions, and the Bonfire Period Response.

Fly-tipping in Calderdale

The Place Scrutiny Board will consider a member report into fly-tipping within Calderdale. The report pack states that in March 2025, the Place Scrutiny Board formally considered Calderdale Council's approach to addressing the financial costs and environmental detriment caused by fly-tipping, and that this was prompted by the implementation of a revised approach to the collection and enforcement of fly-tipping, first introduced in 2024.

The report pack includes a report from Councillors Sue Holdsworth, Peter Hunt, Katie Kimber, and Stuart Cairney, which makes a number of recommendations to the council, including:

• Continuing pro-active conversations between Calderdale Council's legal department and Community Safety Team as well as the Probation Service, with the aim of Calderdale Council's Community Enforcement Team becoming a place where offenders can undertake community payback.
• Continuing to explore external funding opportunities to garner the appropriate financial support for preventative measures and evidence gathering in relation to fly tipping.
• Giving serious consideration to the implementation of a waste carrier accreditation scheme in Calderdale, and holding open discussions with Local Authorities who have already implemented a similar scheme.
• Continuing to promote the work of the Community Enforcement Team in order highlight the positive work being undertaken, where appropriate, using data to stress the scale of the work being undertaken, keeping residents informed on particularly high-profile instances of fly tipping and the most appropriate ways for a resident to report fly tipping.
• Making educational resources on the impact, costs and laws surrounding fly-tipping available to local schools and community groups to help inform people of the implications that arise from fly tipping.

Other Items

The agenda for the meeting also includes:

• Substitutes nominated for this meeting and apologies for absence
• Members' Interests
• Admission of the Public
• Minutes of the Place Scrutiny Board Meeting held on 14th August 2025 to be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair
• Deputations
• Work Programme 2025/26