§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the crime and disorder partnerships in England and Wales that(a) have and (b) have not had a full inspection; and if he will make a statement. [154301]
§ Ms BlearsThere is no joint inspection regime for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs). However, local authorities and the police, both of which are named as responsible authorities under section 5 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, are subject to independent examination. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is charged with examining and improving the efficiency of the Police Service in England and Wales, and the Audit Commission looks at how well local councils deliver their services under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). Inspections of English district councils include community safety and community cohesion, and from 2005, the Audit Commission propose that this should also form part of the CPA for all councils where it will be covered under the councils' Corporate Assessment.
Both Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Audit Commission publish details of the organisations they have inspected on their websites.
§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) police authorities and (b) local authorities that have not incorporated section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; and what measures are open to members of the public if they feel that their local police authority or local authority is failing to implement section 17. [154302]
§ Ms BlearsInformation is not available centrally on local/police authorities that have failed to incorporate section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. However, the Audit Commission looks at how well local councils deliver their services under the Comprehensive1710W Performance Assessment (CPA). Inspections of English district councils, include community safety with a specific focus on section 17 compliance. From 2005 Safer and Stronger Communities with a similar focus on section 17 compliance will form part of the CPA for all top tier councils where it will be covered under the councils' Corporate Assessment.
Members of the public could lobby their elected council member (or MP) or appropriate chair of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership or the chair of the Police Authority if they believe their local authority or local police authority was failing to implement section 17.
They could also approach the Local Government Ombudsman if they have a specific complaint of maladministration.
They could ultimately undertake a judicial review action with a view to enforcing local/police authority compliance with section 17.
§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 10 local authorities that have most successfully implemented section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; and what measures he has taken to spread best practice. [154303]
§ Ms BlearsThe Home Office does not presently hold information on the successful implementation of section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 by local authorities. However, the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) will in future address compliance with section 17 across all local authorities. The CPA will therefore provide a clear indication of the level of section 17 compliance throughout England and Wales.
There are examples of good practice in implementing section 17 that have been identified in publications by Crime Concern, National Association of Care and Resettlement Offenders, the Local Government Association and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, Thematic Inspection on Crime and Disorder entitled "Calling Time on Crime".
The Government recognises that section 17 has not been universally well implemented and is committed to further raising the profile of section 17 across all relevant stakeholders. We shall also be spreading good practice via the Crime Reduction Website during 2004. We are currently piloting training in section 17 compliance through the Crime Reduction Centre.
§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the Home Office funding streams available to crime and disorder partnerships in North Wales and (b) the funding stream that have been accessed by each local authority, giving the amounts each local authority has been allocated. [154305]
§ Ms BlearsHome Office funding streams available to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) in North Wales and the amounts allocated to each in 2003–04 are as follows.
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Funding stream CDRP Amount (£) Building Safer Communities Fund Conwy 126,824 Building Safer Communities Fund Denbighshire 128,620 Building Safer Communities Fund Flintshire 155,071 Building Safer Communities Fund Gwynedd 118,904 Building Safer Communities Fund Anglesey 81,458 Building Safer Communities Fund Wrexham 176,784 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Denbighshire 20,000 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Flintshire 37,400 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Gwynedd 21,150 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Anglesey 20,000 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Wrexham 25,000 Anti Social Behaviour Funding Conwy 16,930 Domestic Violence funding Split between Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire. Gwynedd, Anglesey and Wrexham 80,250 In addition, the following was allocated to Basic Command Units (BCUs) in North Wales as part of years BCU funding.
North Wales Force Basic Command Unit (BCU) CDRPS within BCU area Allocation (£) Eastern Flintshire and Wrexham 191,095 Central Conwy and Denbighshire 136,892 Western Anglesey and Gwynedd 99,655