Invitees:

Cllr Charles Smith, Cabinet Member – Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development

Andrew Jolley, Corporate Director – Operational and Partnership Services

Angie Bowen, Group Manager – Operational and Partnership Services

Martin Thomas, WECTU Representative

The Head of Regulatory and Partnerships presented a report which informed the Committee of how the Authority is responding to the duties under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and to provide an update of the current threat of extremism and terrorism in a local context.

He explained that the Cabinet Committee – Equalities had received a report on the South Wales Police Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU), outlining the current “Severe” threat level in the United Kingdom and which provided a local context for the information.  He described the formation of WECTU and the creation of a Special Branch for the whole of Wales.  Its remit covered international terrorism and domestic extremism and was governed by the UK Governments Counter Terrorism Strategy known as CONTEST.  The Western Bay CONTEST Board was constituted by representatives from a variety of agencies across the area including officers from BCBC.  The board covered the key elements of the strategy including Prepare; and Protect and Prevent responsibilities.  The Board also received updates from the local Channel Panels.  These Channel Panels are established in each local authority and support a multi-agency safeguarding programme to support vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism.

He continued by explaining that the duties of the Local Authority had recently been changed and added that if a Local Authority failed to comply with its duties it could be the subject of a mandatory order from the Secretary of State.  He then outlined the actions that were being undertaken by the Authority to meet this change in its duties. 

One-off grant of £10,000 has been allocated to BCBC specifically to deliver prevent training and awareness of the new duties across the Authority’s workforce, including wider agencies contracted to the authority.

The Head of Regulatory and Partnerships introduced DS T Nash who was a representative of the South Wales Police and Gwent Police PREVENT team and who would be able to respond to any queries the Committee may have.

Members expressed their disappointment at the low level of ring-fenced grant that had been provided by the Home Office.  DS Nash explained that previously the funding had come directly from the Police.  The funding had been cut and the service had had lost 2 co-ordinators but would continue its efforts until the Local Authorities were operating in accordance with its duties.  It was explained that Bridgend had a lower number of counter terrorism referrals than neighbouring authorities but the planned  increase in awareness would also increase the number of referrals 

Members identified that religious groups were not represented on the CONTEST Board or CHANNEL Panel.  They also queried the impact on the Local Authority.  It was explained that the introduction of new legislation was accompanied by a small grant.  This grant funding would be used to raise awareness focussing on teams within children’s services before widening awareness through partnership working and encouraging partners to engage the programme which would become a priority for the Community Safety Partnership.

Members asked if BCBC was complying with the new legislation and they were informed that good partnership networking had been established but it could not yet be considered as at the gold standard

Conclusions:

1.    The Committee agreed that enforcing the Act was going to be very challenging and expressed concerns over the funding required to cover the cost of the work being undertaken by the Authority in order to comply with the Act.  Whilst acknowledging the £10,000 Home Office grant, Members felt that this would not cover the full cost of the continued work under this Act.  Members questioned whether capacity was sustainable and whether there were enough funding and staffing resources.  The Committee therefore requested that the Committee be provided with a breakdown of the associated costs to the Local Authority and where this was to be found from. 

2.    Members also proposed that representatives from the Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council be invited to meet with the Committee and discuss the reality of the Act in practice based on their findings from the pilot, including any detail of costs and financial pressures.

3.    The Committee requested that future reports on the subject of Counter Terrorism incorporate anonymised examples of the work of the Channel Panel in order to evidence outcomes.

4.    Members also suggested that should the Committee reconsider the item in the future, representatives from social services and education be invited to attend to assist with discussions and to help inform Members of what the Act means at a service level in terms of its implementation.