Tayside MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23
Perth and Kinross Council · 24 January 2024
Back to Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee — 24 January 2024 and its agenda
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2.1 Perth And Kinross Council Housing And Social Wellbeing Committee 24 January 2024 TAYSIDE MAPPA ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23 Report by Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) (Report No. 24/26) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 This report introduces the Tayside Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report for 2022-23. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Notes and endorses the Tayside MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23 (Appendix 1); and • Requests that the Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) brings forward future Annual Reports to Committee. 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background • Section 5: MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23 • Section 6: Conclusion • Appendices 4. BACKGROUND 4.1 The Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 introduced a statutory duty on Responsible Authorities (local authorities, Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Police Scotland and health boards) to establish joint arrangements for the assessment and management of the risk posed by certain offenders who constitute a risk of harm to the public. The Responsible Authorities are required to keep these arrangements under review and publish an annual report. 4.2 The development of MAPPA in 2007 introduced a consistent approach to the management of certain high-risk offenders, which includes Registered Sex Offenders (RSO); Restricted Patients (RPs) since 2008 and Category 3 offenders (violent) since 2016. The principal purpose of MAPPA is to secure public safety and reduce serious harm. 4.3 MAPPA is supported by the Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) which is a national IT system. The main function of which is to facilitate inter-agency
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communication and ensure that the Responsible Authorities contribute, share and store critical information for the management of MAPPA offenders. 4.4 Local MAPPA activity is overseen by the Tayside Strategic Oversight Group (SOG). The SOG not only provides oversight, but leadership, in respect of policy and procedures, thereby ensuring robust governance, performance monitoring and quality assurance. The Tayside SOG traditionally met quarterly, however, given the restrictions of the Covid pandemic, meetings have been every six weeks. This has allowed for close monitoring and information sharing of a continually evolving situation while ensuring statutory duties and functions were met in the monitoring and management of offenders. 4.5 The Tayside MAPPA SOG members are also represented on their respective local public protection groups. In Perth and Kinross, this includes the Protecting People Co-ordinating Group (PPCG) and Chief Officers Group (COG). This ensures that there is a clear strategic link to both the MAPPA Co-ordinator and the Independent Chair of the SOG. 5. MAPPA ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23 5.1 The MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23 covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. As of 31 March 2023, there were 401 MAPPA registered sex offenders in Tayside, of which, 127 were resident in Perth and Kinross. Of this cohort, just over one third were jointly managed by Justice Social Work (JSW) and Police Scotland. The remainder were Police Scotland managed cases; however, this did not preclude involvement from JSW who still attend the review meetings for these offenders and provide valuable input to their ongoing management. 5.2 In this reporting period, there was an increase of 17 newly convicted offenders in each area. This is attributed to the Courts management of the backlog of cases during the Covid pandemic. There have also been 22 offenders convicted in Perth and Kinross during this reporting period which is offset against a reduction of 33 cases due to offenders either completing their MAPPA terms or being deceased. 5.3 The case study highlighted in the MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23 illustrates the collaboration and partnership working which is an integral part of everyday practice in the MAPPA process. This is balanced alongside managing the health and social care needs of the offender, relative to their risk of re-offending and is an aspect which is becoming more prevalent and complex both in custody and in the community. 5.4 The ongoing work of the SOG has included a review of the Tayside MAPPA SOG Strategic Plan 2020-23. As part of this work, there has been a review of Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) and the implementation of a performance monitoring system which is reported quarterly to the SOG for scrutiny. A Tayside communication plan has also been developed, is now in place, and is based on national strategy.
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In addition, the SOG Chair and Co-ordinator have maintained their strong links with their national groups and are cognisant of national developments. Of particular note is the intended replacement of ViSOR with MAPPS (Multi Agency Public Protection System) which is planned to take place by 2026 and is a topic of ongoing review and discussion at the SOG. 5.5 The new Tayside MAPPA SOG Strategic Plan for 2023-26 has also been developed and includes a focus on guidance and training, not only for staff involved in the MAPPA process, but communities and wider services beyond justice. There is also renewed attention on audits and self-evaluation which follows the revision in March 2022 of the Scottish Government MAPPA National Guidance 2022. The revised guidance came about following the serious case review on Prisoner Z which resulted in changes to some of the MAPPA functions, eg, the management of people who are in the prison system. The revisions in the guidance will be incorporated into the programme of scrutiny and will help to inform local MAPPA practice and strengthen the links with public protection groups. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The management of risk within the community presents many challenges and impacts on a number of agencies across organisational boundaries, and most importantly, communities themselves. While it is not possible to entirely eliminate risk, the agencies within Tayside have continued to work collaboratively and in partnership to manage those individuals subject to MAPPA and who may present a significant risk to the public. 6.2 This reporting year has seen a return to ‘business as usual’ following the Covid pandemic, albeit retaining some of the operational changes which were adopted during that period. While operational service delivery remained constant during the previous few years, this impacted on strategic areas and the resulting need to carry forward some aspects of the Strategic Plan 2020- 23 to the newly developed plan for 2023-26. The plan highlights a renewed focus on staff and public engagement with the aim of developing a greater awareness and understanding of MAPPA, its evolution, its relation to other aspects of public protection and including the impact on communities.
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Author Name Designation Contact Details Nicola Rogerson Service Manager, Criminal Justice Social Work Service ECSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk 01738 475000 Approved Name Designation Date Sheena Devlin Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) 14 December 2023
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ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial N/A Workforce N/A Asset Management (land, property, IST) N/A Assessments Equality Impact Assessment N/A Strategic Environmental Assessment N/A Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) N/A Legal and Governance N/A Risk N/A Consultation Internal N/A External Yes Communication Communications Plan N/A 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement in terms of the following priorities: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations. This report relates to Objective No. (v). Corporate Plan 1.2 This section sets out how the proposals relate to the achievement of the Council’s Corporate Plan Objectives: (i) Giving every child the best start in life; (ii) Developing educated, responsible and informed citizens; (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy; (iv) Supporting people to lead independent, healthy and active lives; and (v) Creating a safe and sustainable place for future generations.
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This report relates to Objective No. (v). 1.3 The report also links to the Education & Children’s Services Vision, Values and Priorities in respect of the following key Priority area: • Safe and Protected 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 There are no financial implications arising from this report. Workforce 2.2 There are no workforce issues arising from this report. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 There are no asset management issues arising from this report. 3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 Under the Equality Act 2010, the Council is required to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between equality groups. Carrying out Equality Impact Assessments for plans and policies allows the Council to demonstrate that it is meeting these duties. 3.1.1 The proposals have been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: (i) Assessed as not relevant for the purposes of EqIA. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.2.1 However, no action is required as the Act does not apply to the matters presented in this report. This is because the Committee are requested to note the contents of the report only and the Committee are not being requested to approve, adopt or agree to an action or to set the framework for future decisions. adopt or agree to an action or to set the framework for future decisions.
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Sustainability 3.3 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: • In the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets. • In the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaption programmes. • In a way that it considers most sustainable. 3.3.1 There are no sustainability issues in respect of this report. Legal and Governance 3.4 This report contains no issues which would have a legal or governance impact on the Council. 3.5 There are no implications for the Council’s Scheme of Administration in this report. Risk 3.6 There are no issues of risk arising from the proposals in this report. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 The Senior Management Team in Education and Childrens Services have approved this report. External 4.2 The Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group have approved this report. 5. Communication 5.1 Not relevant to this report. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (and not containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. 3. APPENDICES 3.1 Appendix 1 – Tayside MAPPA Annual Report 2022-23