A presentation and verbal update on the annual Community Safety strategic assessment, which is an analysis of crime and anti-social behaviour data for the Sevenoaks District.

The Chairman welcomed Chief Inspector Tim Cook, Kent Police Sevenoaks District Commander to the meeting.

The Chief Officer Communities & Business explained that the Strategic Assessment was the result of considerable data received from partner organisations and resident surveys and panels, running from October to September each year. The data would be made available to Members through the Members’ Portal. Officers sought to find patterns from the data and would put together a Community Safety Action Plan, to be brought to the next meeting of the Committee.

Over the previous 10 years the District had consistently been among the 3 lowest districts in Kent for crime. The largest form of crime was criminal damage at 19.3% of reported incidents. Vehicle crime had risen 8% on the previous year. Burglary had risen 29.6% and was at the second highest levels across the county. If included then, Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) was the largest recorded issue but it was still the lowest level in the county. In the District there had been a reduction in ASB of 8.2%, compared to a fall of 14.9% across Kent. Together the Community Safety Partnership had set 8 priorities for the District, namely substance misuse, domestic abuse, vehicle crime, burglary, ASB, young people, road safety and theft (including shoplifting).

The Chief Inspector highlighted that the increase in reports of domestic abuse (up by 1.8%) could be seen as demonstrating increased confidence for victims to come forward. The reporting age had recently reduced to 16. Reports were also received sooner. Officers confirmed that most local services catered for male victims as well as female but there was a low level of reporting and there was no male refuge in the County. The Partnership was working in schools and with bodies like Mankind to promote awareness of abuse of men. Kent Police had recently held a conference about abuse within the Gypsy and Traveller communities and the Police had a Gypsy liaison team. The Council provided a private room on its site in Hever Road, Edenbridge and there were monthly visits from a trained HERO Officer.

Theft of vehicles was down; theft from vehicles was up, with a particular concern in Swanley from criminals often travelling in from London. Kent Police were keen for residents to mark their property to give a more realistic prospect of prosecution for burglary.

The Chief Inspector advised that predictive policing, by targeting Officers to likely hotspots, had reduced crime by 2%. However the District was very affluent and so certain crimes such as burglary of dwelling and vehicle crime were always higher than the average in the County. Levels of robbery and criminal damage were the lowest in the County. The crime rate was only 39 per 1000 residents.

A Members asked whether the 8 priorities should be ranked. Officers felt that each priority was discrete and different actions would be set against each. Some resources, such as Speed Watch groups, were not transferrable between priorities.

Although Kent County Council intended to turn off further street lights, Kent Police had been consulted and crime rates in those areas would be reviewed.