Commissioning Document for Southend Borough Council for the Development of a Gangs and County Lines Action Plan 2018/19

The Home Office has been undertaking a significant work programme in the past few years looking at the issue of Drug dealing, youth violence and gang activity which has come to be known as County Lines. This activity has been of significant concern to the Council administration and elected members and in 2015, Southend underwent a Locality Review in Partnership with the HO, to identify how this phenomenon is impacting on Southend Borough.

This Locality Review made recommendations about the actions that were needed to interrupt the activity of drug dealers and gangs and protect vulnerable populations of young people and adults who were caught up in this network of criminality. Work has been steadily taking place to combat County Lines since 2015 and earlier this year, work was undertaken to provide a stocktake of where the Council and its partners were in this development. Southend Borough Council wishes to commission a piece of work that;-  Addresses the concerns set out in the Locality Review and the recent stocktake presentation to the Chief Executive.  Ensures buy-in from partners inside the Council departments as well as from external partners such as Police and Health and the 3rd sector.  Is identified and owned as a cross cutting issue and owned by, the LSCB, SAB, HWBB, and the CSP.  Works closely with the neighbouring Councils of Thurrock and Essex.  Undertakes to create and deliver an Action Plan based around the principles of; • Understanding the Problem • Governance • Prevention/ Awareness/Community Engagement • Protection • Prosecution  Creates and co-ordinates each work stream ensuring that each one has; • A Timetable of Actions • Agreed governance • A budget and support resources • Key Performance Indicators • A reporting mechanism and timetable that engages with key internal and external stakeholders • A commitment to engaging with the Community and local residents at the heart of its operations Applications are welcome from organisations and individuals