Violence Reduction Unit

Local Government Association

Knife Crime Conference

Thursday 6th February 2020

Local Violence Reduction Action Plans

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

The London Context

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

Knife Used to Injure

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

2017• 32 London Boroughs and Community Safety Partnerships

• Each borough has a different profile of violence

• Each borough has local priorities set by elected politicians

• Boroughs have different service structures

• Mayor launches London Knife Crime Strategy - Knife Crime Action Plans

• Different formats, different emphasis, no consistency

• Could not compare activity across London, difficult to draw out good practice, emerging innovation and risk

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

2018• Single template for plans – Governance and six themes

• Joint City Hall, MPS, London Councils work to determine action plan content

• Included Chief Execs, Heads of Community Safety, Directors of Children’s Services, Directors of Public Health

• Action plans contain limited number of essential actions, menu of optional action and ability to include local activity

• Need to have consistency but also enable local flexibility to shape work to locality, encourage innovation and identify emerging themes

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

Governance

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

Example section

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

2019• Violence Reduction Unit now the City Hall lead

• Local Plans refreshed May 2019

• All plans reviewed through joint team of VRU, MPS and London Councils over the Summer

• Notable progress in plans, honest assessment of challenges, good leadership, lots of innovation

• Written summary of review of each plan provided to all CSP’s

• Engagement with boroughs, MPS and London Councils, shows there is collective interest in sharing ideas, challenges and innovation, which the VRU is keen to support

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

2020

• Joint visits to all 32 boroughs by VRU, MPS and London Councils to take place to discuss local plans and activity

• Ethos of collaboration and collective support

• Support to include:

o Events to share good practice and ideaso Action Plan – collated examples of interesting practiceo VRU Peer Support offero London Councils knowledge hub

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit

2020Future Development of Action Plans

• Plans need to keep pace with emerging themes and practice

• Working Group to oversee review of key themes – Feb to April

• Core membership from VRU, MPS, and local authority Chief Exec’s, HoCS, DCS, DPH

• 3 thematic reviews sessions of plan contents for education, health and community involvement

• Each session will involve a wider set of professionals, LA participation co-ordinated through London Councils

• Format of template will remain the same

• Revised actions finalised May for next plan refresh

Violence Reduction Unit

Steve Bending Violence Reduction Unit