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Report to:
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Governance
Committee
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Date of
meeting:
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29 June
2021
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By:
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Director of Adult
Social Care
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Title:
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East Sussex Channel
Panel
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Purpose:
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To propose an
amendment to the County Council Constitution to ensure compliance
with the requirements laid out under sections 36 – 41 of the
Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (CTSA) (as amended by the
Counter Terrorism Border Security Act 2019) relating to Channel
panels.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Governance
Committee is recommended to recommend the County Council to agree
to the Constitution being amended as set out in paragraph 3.2 of
the report in order to reflect the
Council’s duty under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act
2015 (CTSA)
1
Background Information
1.1. The
aim of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to the UK from
terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting
terrorism. Delivery of Prevent is grounded in early intervention
and safeguarding.
1.2.
Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a
duty on certain bodies including local authorities in the exercise
of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to
prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. In
fulfilling the duty there is an expectation that East Sussex County
Council participates fully in work to prevent people from being
drawn into terrorism.
1.3. The
Channel process forms a key part of Prevent and adopts a
multi-agency approach to identify and provide support to
individuals who are at risk of being drawn into terrorism. Section
36 of the Act sets out a specific duty on local authorities and
other partners to provide support for people vulnerable to being
drawn into terrorism.
1.4. In
England and Wales, this duty is met through Channel Panels. There
is a legal requirement for Panels to be chaired and coordinated by
the local authority. The East Sussex Channel Panel is chaired and
coordinated by County Council officers and comprises a number of
agencies and authorities relevant to each individual being
discussed or supported.
2 Supporting
Information
2.
2.1. The
refreshed Channel Duty guidance published in 2020 outlined a number
of changes to that will impact on local authorities and on Channel
panels. The revised guidance aims to remove inconsistencies
in Channel delivery nationally and is supported by a new Channel
Panel Annual Assurance Statement (Appendix 1) which will be used to
set a baseline for all local authorities’ Channel practice
from the financial year 2021/22 in England and Wales.
2.2. The
statement forms part of the strengthened quality assurance
framework to support the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
(OSCT) business assurance arrangements.
2.3. The
assurance statement relates to standards to be achieved and options
for assessment. Each local authority is asked to state the extent
to which they believe their authority meets each of these standards
and indicate the relevant RAG rating based on the definitions.
3.
Inspection and
Compliance
3.1.
There are 36 standards to meet and ESCC is compliant with 35
standards. The completed assurance statement is attached at
Appendix 1.
3.2. In
order to meet all of the requirements of the annual assurance
statement it is necessary that the Channel Panel be referred to in
the Council’s Constitution. It is proposed that the following
be added to Part 3 Table 5 (Other Committees and Panels) of the
Constitution:
Channel Panels
Under its statutory duties set out in Section 36 and 38 of the
Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and the Counter-Terrorism
and Border Security Act 2019, East Sussex County Council will lead
Channel Panels for East Sussex covering the needs of adults and
children. It will provide a Chair and Deputy Chair, appointed by
the Director of Adult Social Care. These will be senior officers
considered to have the required skills and experience and the
appropriate authority to facilitate the engagement of multi-agency
partners and the direction of their resources.
The Panel will develop a support plan for individuals who are
adopted as Channel cases because they are vulnerable to being drawn
into terrorism. It will ensure accurate records are kept detailing
the support plan, agreed actions and decision-making. Governance
arrangements for Channel will be through the statutory multi-agency
East Sussex Community Safety Partnership.
4
Conclusion and Reasons for Recommendations
5
4.2
In order to be fully compliant
with the guidance it is necessary to amend the County Council
Constitution to reflect the duties set out under the
Act.
MARK
STAINTON
Director of Adult
Social Care
Contact Officer: Lucy
Spencer, Strategy and Partnership Officer
Email: Lucy.Spencer@eastsussex.gov.uk
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
Channel Duty Guidance: Protecting people vulnerable to
being drawn into terrorism statutory guidance for Channel panel
members and partners of local panels