Agenda item

(Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-014-2015/16).

(1)        That the Epping Forest District Council Prevent Policy, developed as part of the new requirements for District, City and Borough Councils, be adopted.

The Portfolio Holder for Safer, Greener & Transport presented a report on the Prevent Policy.

The Portfolio Holder reported that all Councils were now required to produce and adopt a Prevent Policy and related Action Plan as part of their duties in respect of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable people from harm. This was in response to the current level of threat from Terrorism and Extremism in the United Kingdom, which was severe, and could involve the exploitation of vulnerable people, including children, in order to involve them in extremist activity. Early intervention was at the heart of the Prevent Policy in diverting people away from being drawn into terrorist activity. Prevention happened before any criminal activity took place and it was about recognising, supporting and protecting people who might be susceptible to radicalisation. This Policy was therefore intended to provide guidance on the national Prevent agenda and how the Council would implement it locally. It set out the Council’s local obligations, proposed actions, statutory duties and responsibilities, which included a priority to support vulnerable individuals in the community to help reduce the threat from radicalisation, terrorism and violent extremism.

The Portfolio Holder informed the Cabinet that Prevention was also a key part of the CONTEST strategy, led by the Home Office, which was the Government’s national counter terrorism strategy. CONTEST aimed to reduce the risk to the United Kingdom and its interests overseas from international terrorism, so that people could live their lives freely and with confidence. The Prevent Policy also applied to all staff employed within the Council, either directly or indirectly, Council Members and to any other person or organisation that used the Council’s premises for any purpose. The Cabinet was requested to agree the adoption of the Prevent Policy on behalf of the Council.

It was suggested that Multi-Faith Forums could be useful in addressing some of these problems, and that the Epping Forest Multi-Faith Forum should be resurrected. The Portfolio Holder welcomed the suggestion and stated that it would be considered carefully. The Assistant Director of Communities (Community Services) added that the Prevent Policy would be added to the Safeguarding Training courses.

Decision:

(1)        That the Epping Forest District Council Prevent Policy, developed as part of the new requirements for District, City and Borough Councils, be adopted.

Reasons for Decision:

With wide ranging responsibilities and democratic accountability to their electorate, local authorities were vital to Prevention work. Effective local authorities would be working with their local partners to protect the public, prevent crime and to promote strong, integrated communities. The risk of terrorism and radicalisation would vary greatly and could change rapidly; no area, institution or body was therefore risk free.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

None, as Section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 placed a duty on specified authorities (listed in Schedule 6 of the Act) and stated that it must ‘in the exercise of its functions, have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. In complying with the duty, all specified authorities, as a starting point, should demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the risk of radicalisation in their area, institution or body.