Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through some general housekeeping arrangements for the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S J N Morgan.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 27 February 2025 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 27 February 2025 be approved and confirmed.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registrable interests and Non-Registrable Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph 9 and Appendix B of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

There were none.

To receive the views of members of the public, of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the day of the meeting).

Should you wish to submit a question please complete the online form at: www.maldon.gov.uk/publicparticipation.

No requests had been received.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive, (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Chief Executive reporting the progress of activities undertaken by Maldon Community Safety Partnership (CSP) since the last meeting held on 25 February 2025.

The most recent Essex Police performance summary (to August 2025) was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

Members noted the continued good work of the CSP and the liaison it had with Essex Police and other statutory partners.

The Community Safety Manager (CSM) took Members through the report and gave a short presentation, advising that the priorities for the year had been agreed and although there were no major changes Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) along with monitoring community tensions had he been added. The Council had received funding from the Police and Fire Commissioner for a number of projects and the work that had recently taken place at Promenade Park, Maldon with pupils from the Plume School was highlighted. Members were advised of a number of other projects within the District, including a successful bid for ‘safer streets’ funding projects at Riverside Park in Burnham-on-Crouch.

It was noted that the Maldon strategic assessment had been endorsed by One Maldon District and the report set out the process followed along with the priorities and narratives agreed.

Members discussed the report, and further thanks were given to the CSM. In response to a question, the CSM confirmed that he worked closely with the Youth Service and agreed of the importance of involving young people in projects around the District.

In response to a comment made regarding the Council’s Local Development Plan, future growth across the District and how the Community Safety Partnership and Police would take this forward, the CSM advised that involvement at an early stage would be beneficial. The Chairperson suggested that the Planning Policy Working Group may wish to consider involving representatives from Community Safety and Police.

The Chairperson referred to the great work being down with schools and young people and how there was a need for future work in Heybridge.

The Chairperson thanked the CSM for his report and presentation.

To receive a verbal update on Police performance from Chief Inspector Paul Ballard, Chelmsford and Maldon District Commander, Essex Police.

Chief Inspector (CI) Paul Ballard, Chelmsford and Maldon District Commander from Essex Police introduced himself.

CI Ballard drew Members’ attention to the Essex Police Performance Summary report, appended to Agenda Item 6 – Maldon District Community Safety Partnership Update. He reminded Members of the current Local Community Policing structure, the policing priorities to reduce crime and highlighted the Force Plan 2024 – 2026. He provided a detailed presentation and highlighted the following areas:

·                Quarter 2 (Q2) Public Perception Survey Results

·                Maldon Performance Summary – Over a twelve-month period to August 2025, the Maldon District had seen a reduction in all crimes and had the lowest crime statistics in Essex. Over the same period, dwelling burglaries had dropped along with theft of motor vehicles. Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) incidents had also decreased, and this was largely attributed to the effects of the Maldon Town Team and partner agencies who had worked collaboratively to improve community safety and engagement.

·                Tackling Community issues – Dedicated Community Safety Engagement officers worked closely with the Tri-Services Officer and the Police in relation to all sorts of public safety areas, fraud awareness, dementia work and fire prevention messages. CI Ballard highlighted some of the work the Maldon Town Team had undertaken in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Burnham-on-Crouch and the surrounding villages.

·                Tackling Speeding – The local policing team were working hard to address this, and work included daily speed checks across the district. The team had recently worked with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership and Heybridge Primary School to address speeding concerned in the local area. This work had also involved Year 5 pupils from the local school talking to drivers and CI Ballard commented on the impact of this and plans to repeat the initiative with other local schools.

Members were advised of another piece of partnership work with Maldon District Council regarding dangerous and careless driving through Bradwell-on-Sea. Over the last six months proactive patrols and targeted operations had resulted in vehicles being seized and suspects arrested.

·                Community Engagement – The CI highlighted a number of events that the Police had been involved in and the benefit to the District, including a reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour.

·                Tackling Rural Crime – The presentation outlined the work of the Rural Engagement Team which included managing unauthorized encampments, hard coursing and poaching, rural community engagement, heritage and wildlife crime, tackling organised agriculture and plant theft and rural road safety.

The Chairperson thanked CI Ballard for his presentation.

Following the update and in response to questions from the Committee, CI Ballard provided the following information:

·                Non-crime hate incidents – Essex Police was consistently graded as ‘outstanding’ for its recording and accuracy of crime, and it was noted that recording of such crimes was a requirement that the Government placed on Essex Police. CI Ballard clarified that such incidents wouldn’t appear on enhanced Disclosure and Baring checks and how the recording process had been updated in respect of individuals.

·                Road collision – CI Ballard agreed that road  ...  view the full minutes text for item 303.

To receive an update and presentation from Mr James Pearson, Team Manager, Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit.

The Chairperson introduced Mr James Pearson, Team Manager from the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit. Mr Pearson

Mr Pearson gave a brief overview of the work that the Violence and Vulnerability Partnership (VVP) carried out across Essex, specifically highlighting those areas which had an impact in the Maldon District, including:

·                How the VVP was attached to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners’ Office and funded through the Home Office as well as locally raised funding. Its goal, through working with partners, was to reduce and prevent violence in local communities across the whole of Essex. Working with Essex Police and the Community Safety Partnership was one their key goals.

·                The work of the VVP impacted across the whole of Essex and the team continued to work to reduce the risk of violence as well as the public perception of the risk of violence, to ensure that all incidents were being reported. Mr Pearson highlighted how they engaged with local communities as well as across the whole of Essex.

·                Mr Pearson reported on the success of a knife crime initiative working with young people along with researchers and the youth offending service where the VVP had created an approach and marketing to help empower parents to have impactful conversations to ensure that their children didn’t get involved in violence. The VVP were continuing to work with schools and looking to develop a targeted knife crime programme.

·                Working closely with the Essex County Fire and Rescue Services Joint Education and Training Team (JETT) to develop their knife crime programme, which involved the JETT team going into every school in Essex to help children understand around all forms of safety, as well as knife crime.

·                There had been a high interest from the Maldon area for the community grants offered by the VVP and Mr Pearson outlined these and the involvement of the Community Safety Partnership Manager.

Work with the Council for Voluntary Youth Services across Essex continued and a recently listening report identified how the VVP worked with young people to hear their voices and bring that into the work of the Partnership. Mr Pearson highlighted the latest listening report published and too Members through the areas highlighted within it. It was agreed that Members would be sent a copy of a report produced by Mr Pearson which provided an update on the Essex position including a link to the Maldon Violence and Vulnerability Listening report.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Pearson for his presentation.

In response to questions, Members were advised that the VVP were happy to take suggestions and work with local areas who were working with young people. Mr Pearson spoke about how they were looking at local sports teams and using them as points to anchor communities. It was agreed that Mr Pearsons’ contact details would be shared to Members of the Committee. Reference was made to youth clubs and Members were advised that an Essex Youth Map had been produced which identified youth provision across the county and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 304.