Duties of Responsible Authorities

Section 5 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998, places on local authorities and the police, a joint responsibility for the formulation of crime and disorder reduction strategies in each district, borough or unitary local authority area in England and Wales.

It places an obligation upon police authorities, probation committees and health authorities to co-operate fully in this work. It also gives the Home Secretary power to extend that obligation by order of Parliament [in the form of a statutory instrument] to any other person or body he chooses; and by similar means to require local authorities and the police to ensure that other specified people or organisations are invited to contribute to the process. These latter provisions are intended to ensure that there is adequate scope for input by the local business and voluntary sectors and others.

Section 6 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 requires local authorities and the police to draw up and implement a strategy for reducing crime and disorder in their area. The first step is to conduct a thorough review of the levels and patterns of crime and disorder (the Crime and Disorder Audit), consulting widely in the local community.

An analysis of the results must be prepared and published locally, and the views of people and bodies in the area of the analysis must then be obtained. A strategy for tackling crime and disorder, including targets, must be developed, based on the analysis and the views obtained on it.

The local authority and the police in the local area, must publish details of the entire process, including ownership of targets and performance against them. Strategies will be expected to run for three years but they must be kept under review during that period.

In detail, these include:

• carrying out a review of the levels and patterns of crime and disorder in the area (taking account of the knowledge and experience of persons in the area);
  
• preparing an analysis of the results of the review;
  
• publishing a report of the analysis in the area;and
  
• obtaining the views of people and organisations in the area (including ‘co-operating bodies’ detailed under section 5(3) of the Act), on the contents of that review, by holding public meetings or other appropriate methods of consultation.

In addition, the strategy shall include:

• objectives to be pursued by the responsible authorities, by co-operating persons or bodies or, under agreements with the responsible authorities, by other persons or bodies; and
  
• long-term and short-term performance targets for measuring the extent to which such objectives are achieved.

The strategy must include:

• objectives to be pursued by the responsible authorities, co-operating persons or bodies and where appropriate under agreements with the responsible authorities, by other persons or bodies.
  
• long-term and short-term performance targets for measuring the extent to which such objectives are achieved.

After formulating a strategy, the responsible authorities shall publish in the area a document which includes details of:

• co-operating persons and bodies;and 
  
• the review, report and the strategy (including the objectives and performance indicators and those authorities, persons or bodies responsible for pursuing them.

The Act also makes provision for a strategy to evolve and adapt to changing to any specific needs, which may arise during the implementation phase by encouraging the responsible authorities to keep it under review, to monitor its effectiveness and make any changes, which appear to be necessary or expedient.

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