Running a CSP on a shoestring
How do we make it work without funding?
I’ve been really busy in the run up to Christmas finishing off a bunch of exciting projects as well as dashing round the country like Santa on Christmas Eve delivering Channel training from Dorset to Perthshire.
One project I’ve been working on for the latter half of this year has been supporting a district level Community Safety Partnership try to improve their structures and outcomes. It’s been a really interesting piece of work for many reasons, but not least because it’s brought home to me how challenging it is for some areas to deliver what we might consider to be the basics of community safety provision.
I am a keen advocate of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 – I think we are blessed to have it, and when I work in other countries I realise how lucky we are – but that was published at a time when resources for community safety were growing. Since 1998 successive governments have foisted additional responsibilities (substance misuse, reoffending, Prevent, soon to be Serious Violence) – but the resources and capacity to deliver have been cut to the bone.
In putting together their excellent “Future of Community Safety” work in 2016 the LGA undertook a survey of CSPs, which found that 83% of district CSPs said that the lack of people/resources/capacity was the single biggest barrier to delivering their priorities. Less than half reported that despite being a statutory partner, probation and health weren’t involved in their CSPs. I expect that in the intervening six years things have got worse, not better.
So how do you deliver without a great pile of cash?
At the CSP I’m working with we’ve been focusing on three elements:
- Structure
o Focusing on the things the CSP can deliver, leaving the big-ticket items to the County and working on supporting local problem solving
- Process
o Getting the processes of the CSP right, making sure we have a plan and a performance framework and the CSP operates around them
- People
o Upskilling those involved, getting them bought into the CSP, making sure everyone is confident in working together to achieve the best results and developing a team ethos across agencies
As with many areas, the biggest challenge here is that the LA can no longer afford a dedicated community safety post; the functions are tacked onto other roles. That makes it particularly difficult for hard working officers. However, with some support and a new, structured approach, we should see improvements in outcomes despite Santa being very unlikely to stuff stockings with extra cash!
Interesting piece, Chris. If senior managers involved in CSPs can’t/won’t prioritise CS work then it seems to me that they will need to get more ‘hands on’ themselves, as was common back in the 90s. I guess that some of them will have acquired responsibility for CS without much grounding in the key skills and knowledge, so they would benefit from tailored training . I can’t think of many people better placed to design and deliver that than your good self. Merry Christmas!
Great Blog Chris-totally agree, in my experience a lot of CSP’s try to do far too much with very limited budgets.
I used to challenge this all the time but was told we have to try and achieve the wide range of objectives.
I love your approach Chris. Really enjoying your content.
I think we should cover this subject when we meet on the Community Safety Podcast.