Agenda item

To note and confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2023 were confirmed as a correct record of that meeting.

The following update, regarding the progress of Motion 908, was noted at the meeting:

Motion 908: Violence Against Women and Girls

The outcomes of Council Motion 908, (Violence Against Women and Girls in Gloucestershire), were considered at the Adult Social Care and Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting on 7 March 2023.

Please see below a summary of the key actions taken since that meeting, (recorded in the sequence of the minutes), and the actions agreed at this meeting.

1. White Ribbon Steering Group

a.    The membership of the White Ribbon Steering Group had been agreed and the first meeting of the group held.

b.    The accreditation process had commenced, with work progressing on producing a draft action plan. 

c.    The draft action plan to be presented to the Steering Group at its meeting in June.

2. Minute Action Point 5.16: concerns/objections to some of the terminology used in the White Ribbon accreditation process, (references to ambassadors (men) and champions (women).

Discussions about the concerns had been held with the officers involved in the accreditation process. Whilst noting the concerns, it had been clarified that, as a National Programme, the terminology used had been inherited. The committee was advised that, if members wished to raise the concerns with the charity organisation direct, a letter could be drafted on behalf of those members raising the concerns, or on behalf of the committee as a whole, pending cross-party, cross-committee support. It was agreed Cllr Cate Cody and Vice Chair, Cllr Lisa Spivey, would produce a draft letter for submission to the White Ribbon organisation. The letter to be submitted on behalf of the committee. Prior to submission, the draft letter to be circulated to members for agreement.

3. Action Point 5.18: Comments raised in relation to a national campaign launched by Crimestoppers UK were noted. Information on how to comment on the campaign was being explored by Gloucestershire Police. Members were advised that, to contact Crimestoppers UK direct and provide feedback on the campaign, they would need to visit the Crimestoppers General Enquiries webpage at https://crimestoppers-uk.org
4. Action Point 5.24 – Report to Cabinet: it was confirmed that Claire Procter, Assistant Director of Prevention, Wellbeing and Communities, had commenced work on producing a cabinet report in response to Motion 908 and the issue of Violence against Women and Girls. A draft version of the report to be circulated to members for comment prior to submission. The committee’s views and comments to be incorporated in the report, along with any actions agreed by the Police Crime Panel and any outcomes from an All Member Briefing held on 18 April 2023.

5. Member Briefing: A member briefing had been held on 18 April 2023 to consider the issue of VAWG in Gloucestershire and what work was being done to address the issue. The briefing was led by representatives from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Public Health at Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service and the Gloucestershire Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre (GRASAC). Information on the outcomes from the briefing is available on the Members Matter webpage and on the GCC website at the link here

6. Police Crime Panel Update: A report to be presented to the Police Crime Panel in July 2023, (the report to include information and comments from the Adult Social Care Committee meeting held on 7 March 2023, and supplemented by an additional section on the constabulary’s approach to VAWG complaints and internal misogynistic behaviour).