Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member for Communities

In Staffordshire the implementation of Prevent was overseen by a multi-agency Prevent Board, chaired by the County Council’s Commissioner for Safety and Families. The Prevent Board reported to the Staffordshire Contest Board, which oversaw all of the counter-terrorism strands of activity and was chaired by Staffordshire Police.

The Select Committee were informed that the Prevent Board was the mechanism by which the quality of progress in relation to Prevent delivery was monitored, impact assessed, and challenges identified and addressed.  A refreshed Prevent Delivery Plan had been presented to the Prevent Board in October 2018. The Plan had been reviewed and updated to reflect the national Contest Strategy (2018), the recommendations within the Staffordshire Counter Terrorism Local Profile (2018) and relevant local activity. Members also heard details of how the delivery Plan was actioned through partnership working. They also noted that Staffordshire’s partnership arrangements had been recognised as good practice and were referenced as a case study within the Home Office “Prevent Duty Toolkit for Local Authorities”.

Members received details of school responses to the specific Prevent related questions which had been included in the mandatory audit of schools undertaken by the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board.  Around 85% had actioned all of the requirements with regard to their Prevent Duty. 2% had been unable to confirm that they had all the expected elements in place and Officers were working with these schools to address this. Equally follow-up action would be taken with those schools who had not responded to the survey to ensure they were aware of and addressing their Prevent responsibilities.

Members raised the issue of online safety and shared their concerns over how radicalisation could be prevented on-line. They were informed that this was part of a broader safeguarding agenda looking at Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), gangs and radicalisation. Work was being undertaken with schools and other agencies looking at how to keep children and young people safe on line. Schools were also encouraged to address these issues, with Ofsted expecting schools to be able to account for how safe their children were on line. Work was also ongoing around community engagement, with schools having a key role to play in this. Members noted concern was around the growth in home grown extremists, including those on the far right, and the vital importance that no one community should feel unfairly scrutinised but that all communities should feel supported.

RESOLVED: That:

a)    the ongoing work around the implementation of Prevent be noted; and

b)    an update report be brought in 12 months time outlining the progress and developments made around Prevent in Staffordshire.