Decision details

Cabinet had before it a report * from the Corporate Manager for Public Health, Regulation and Housing on the Devon Serious Violence Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure outlined the contents of the report with Particular reference to the following:

·         The Devon Preventing Serious Violence Strategy was a new strategy which outlined the Safer Devon Partnership’s framework for preventing and reducing serious violence in Devon.

·         It was grounded in a public health response to violence which was recognised that addressing the root causes of violence is crucial for prevention. It outlined the overall vision, priorities and intended impacts for work to prevent violence. A delivery plan exploring work towards these priorities and its impacts would accompany the strategy and provide details about specific actions and activities.

·         This Preventing Serious Violence Strategy outlines our collective ambition for keeping people, families and communities in Devon safe from the risk and experience of violence.”

·         Here, violence is defined as “the intentional use of physical, sexual or psychological force or power (including threats of violence, and including coercive and controlling behaviour).”

·         Work was completed last year through the Safer Devon Partnership to commission the Special Needs Assessment and agreed five core strategy components:  Overall vision, Definition of violence, Priorities and intended impacts for work to prevent violence, Focus areas, and Principles and timeline for a delivery plan.

·         These components were agreed at the Safer Devon Partnership Executive meeting including all Community Safety Partnerships across Devon in November last year.

·         The strategy vision has been further refined within the final publication version as: “Our vision is for people, families and communities in Devon to thrive, safe from the risk and experience of violence.”

·         The report set out the three stages of prevention and the core priorities which have been simplified and are now set out across seven areas, separated into core and cross-cutting approaches.

·         For the next steps, all Community Safety Partnerships will be working with the Safer Devon Partnership to define achievable actions, outputs, outcomes and impacts, with the subsequent long-term changes we aim to see in our communities, in an overarching strategy delivery plan. This will be developed during 2024 following publication of the Strategy.

·         In order to discharge our duties under the Serious Violence Duty we are required to agree publish a strategy and governance arrangements that underpin delivery going forward. The Devon Preventing Serious Violence Strategy has been developed by the Safer Devon Partnership including East and Mid Devon Community Safety Partnership as Safer Devon Partnership Executive members. The strategy utilises a public health approach over the next five years to address the key areas identified through the Special Needs Assessment.

Discussion took place regarding:

·         The unfortunate language used in the report when referring to children in care as it appeared they were being demonised.

·         The definition of violence and the wording “intentional” use of physical, sexual or psychological force or power (including threats of violence, and including coercive and controlling behaviour).

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that:

1.    The adoption the Devon Preventing Serious Violence Strategy 2024-29 as attached in Annex A to enable delivery by as appropriate by the Council’s Community Safety Partnership (as a specified authority under the Serious Violence Duty).

(Proposed by Cllr D Wulff and seconded by Cllr J Buczkowski)

Reason for Decision:

The overarching vision and aims underpinning the strategy is for residents, families and communities in Devon to thrive, safe from the fear and experience of violence. It sets out to work with our communities to prevent harms as early as possible, address the impacts of harms that have occurred, and work to strengthen people’s wellbeing, resilience and opportunities in life.

Note: * Report previously circulated.