Agenda and minutes

1.1 The Chair updated those in attendance on the meeting etiquette and that the meeting was being recorded and livestreamed.

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ozsen and Sadek.

1.3 Councillors Rathbone and Wrout were in virtual attendance.

2.1 There were no urgent items, and the order of business was as set out in the agenda.

3.1 There were no declarations of interest.

4.1 The Chair opened the discussion by explaining that the item had been requested as the Commission was keen to hear about the local approach to policing drug use as part of its continued work on trust and confidence and inclusive policing.

4.2 The Commission saw the discussion as timely given that Hackney had been involved in the ADDER Accelerator programme of work which had impacted on the policing of drug use and the pathways that exist between the criminal justice system and community substance use treatment.

4.3 It was also seen as timely given the Government’s white paper on tougher consequences for the possession of drugs, which if successful and became law carried the risk of further marginalising vulnerable residents and the over policing of vulnerable communities.

4.4 N.B. Additional presentation slides on nitrous oxide and the night time economy were tabled at the meeting and included within the minutes pack.

4.5 Representing London Borough of Hackney

·  Cllr Susan Fajana Thomas, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services

·  Chris Lovitt, Deputy Director of Public Health, City of London & London Borough of Hackney

·  Andrew Trathen, Public Health Consultant

·  Simon Young, Health Systems Coordinator

4.6 Representing Metropolitan Police Central East Borough Command Unit (CE BCU)

·  Borough Commander James Conway

·  Detective Superintendent Dan Rutland

·  Detective Chief Inspector Jason Lyons

4.7 Representing Turning Point

·  Eoin Bolger, Head of Regional Operations

·  Piers Adamson, Senior Operations Manager (City & Hackney)

4.8 Representing Support When It Matters (SWIM)

·  Peter Merrifield, Chief Executive

4.9 The Chair invited the Detective Chief Inspector, CE BCU to give a short verbal presentation to supplement the written evidence included within the agenda papers. The main points are highlighted below.

4.10 Project ADDER was a government funded programme which provided additional resources for the police to tackle the supply of drugs, whilst also supporting treatment and recovery plans to cut drug-related crime along with the cycle of misuse and offending.

4.11 The programme was expanded to CE BCU in April 2021. It led to a new approach to tackling drug misuse which combines increased productivity with enhanced treatment and recovery services, bringing together partners including the police, local authorities and health services.

4.12 An ADDER Delivery Group had been established to drive activity across the partnership and ensure shared learning, capacity, intelligence and creativity, and a Police Accelerator Delivery Group also met monthly to drive activity and share ideas and learning with the respective teams across CE BCU covering Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

4.13 An overarching CE BCU Strategy Group chaired by the CE BCU Commander met quarterly to ensure synergy across both local authority areas, and a CE BCU Performance Group met monthly to ensure delivery against the monitoring and evaluation framework set by the Home Office and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Project ADDER Programme Teams.

4.14 Drugs supply was a driver of violence and a growing enabler of enforcement. The programme therefore focused on the middle market space (Organised Crime Networks and gangs) to increase its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1 The draft minutes of the previous meeting held on 12th December 2022 were agreed as an accurate record.

6.1 The Chair referred to the Commission’s work programme and highlighted the discussion items planned for the remainder of the municipal year.

6.2 Members were reminded that a joint meeting with the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission had been provisionally scheduled for 28th March 2023 to review progress against the outcomes of the Child Q Safeguarding Practice Review.

7.1 There was no other business.