Agenda item

To note the motion on Safer Southwark Communities referred from Council Assembly in March 2023 and agreed by Cabinet in June 2023 requesting the overview and scrutiny committee and Housing and Community Safety Scrutiny Commission to consider how they can proactively work with the community to hold the Metropolitan Police Service to account for their progress against Baroness Casey’s recommendations (see section 2C of the motion).

To have initial discussion arising from the request.

Councillor Ellie Cumbo informed the meeting that the housing and community safety scrutiny commission would be continuing to look at particular findings of the Casey review. 

Councillor Cumbo drew attention to the very wide ranging and concerning findings of the review and stressed to the committee that one of the findings was that local authorities did not have sufficient powers to hold the Metropolitan police service to account.  She therefore expressed caution on the limits of some of the improvements that the council would wish to see, which could arise only from structural change for which the senior political and police leadership would need to commit to in order to secure change.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the motion be noted.

2.  That the housing and community safety scrutiny commission initially undertake the work highlighted in the motion as appropriate.

3.  That the findings of the commission’s review be presented to the overview and scrutiny committee.