The Leicestershire and Rutland Safer Communities Strategy Board met on Friday 21 November 2025 to discuss a range of community safety initiatives and performance updates. Key decisions included approving a trial for a new anti-social behaviour recording system and increasing contributions to the Domestic Homicide Review process. The Board also reviewed performance data for the second quarter of 2025-26 and received updates on the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner's activities and the HMIP inspection of the Probation Service.

Community Safety Partnership Domestic Homicide Review Contributions

The Board approved a proposal to increase the annual contribution from each District partner and Rutland County Council to £5,000 to fund Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs). This decision was made following a report highlighting the increasing number and complexity of DHRs, which has placed a significant strain on Leicestershire County Council's resources. While Leicestershire County Council contributes substantial officer time and resources to the DHR process, including a permanent Domestic Abuse Related Death Review Support Officer post, the funding arrangements had not been reviewed since 2013. Concerns were raised by some members regarding the lack of detailed costings and the potential impact of the increased contribution on District Council budgets. An alternative suggestion that funding contributions should depend on the number of DHRs required in a particular district was disagreed with, as it was argued that DHR work often spans multiple districts.

Safer Communities Performance 2025-26 Quarter 2

The Board received an update on the Safer Communities performance for the second quarter of 2025-26. The report indicated an ongoing reduction in overall crime, with total crime and violence with injury figures showing improvement over the previous two years. Residential and business burglaries, along with vehicle offences, had stabilised over the past year. The report also highlighted that Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) repeat referral rates remained within the recommended range. However, there was a slight increase in ASB Environmental incidents, while other ASB figures remained stable. The number of hate crimes reported remained low, though a decline in resident agreement that people from different backgrounds get on well was noted.

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Update

Sajan Devshi, Partnerships and Commissioning Officer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), provided an update on the OPCC's activities. Key developments included the launch of the Out of Court Resolutions (OOCR) commissioning tender, with a new combined contract set to go live in April 2026. The OPCC's Community Action Fund, offering grants of up to £10,000 to tackle specific issues, was highlighted, with the first grant round focusing on Rural Crime. The report also detailed funding allocations to Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) for 2025-26, with a note that Oadby and Wigston was the only area yet to begin spending its allocated funds. Various projects being funded across different CSP areas were outlined, including initiatives for nighttime economy safety, early intervention teams, and support for victims of domestic abuse.

HMIP Inspection of Probation Service

The Board received an update on the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMiP) inspection of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Probation Delivery Unit (PDU). The inspection found the overall outcome for LLR to be Inadequate, a picture mirrored in many other PDUs nationally. Strengths identified included clear priorities, public protection, and reducing reoffending, alongside specialist teams for women and young adults. Areas for improvement included levels of experience, Senior Probation Officer capacity, practitioner confidence, and the gathering of information from safeguarding partners. Six recommendations were made, focusing on improving risk assessment, practitioner skills, management oversight, and the use of the in-house safeguarding hub. A regional approach is being taken to address some of these recommendations, with a safeguarding audit planned for LLR.

New Anti-social Behaviour Recording System - ECINS

Gurjit Samra-Rai, Strategic Lead – Safer Communities, Leicestershire County Council, provided a verbal update on the progress of the ECINS (Empowering Communities Inclusion and Neighbourhood System) anti-social behaviour recording system. While progress was being made, data migration issues were still being addressed, with ongoing meetings with ECINS and Leicestershire Police to troubleshoot problems. A public reporting form had been created, and Leicestershire and Rutland was noted as being ahead of other CSPs in its approach to ASB.

Community Safety Partnership Domestic Homicide Review Contributions

Gurjit Samra-Rai also presented a report proposing an increase in contributions to the Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) management process. The report detailed the history of DHRs, the current delegated arrangements involving the Safeguarding Partnership Board Office (SPBO), and the increasing number and complexity of cases. The current funding arrangements, established in 2013, were no longer sufficient to cover the costs, which included the recharge by the SPBO and the costs of DHRs themselves. The report recommended an increase in the annual contribution for each District partner and Rutland to £5,000.

LRSCSB Action Log

The Board noted the status of actions on the LRSCSB Action Log, with most actions being addressed on the current day's agenda.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 25 September 2025 were confirmed as a correct record.