The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “AF”) outlines the approach to delivering the national Prevent strategy in the Bradford district and highlights progress made in the last twelve months against the District Prevent Action Plan.

At the meeting on 18^th March 2021, the Committee requested more detailed outcomes against projects being delivered as part of the Prevent Strategy for the District and the attached Appendix 1 addresses that request.

Recommended –

That the progress on work undertaken in implementing the Prevent agenda in Bradford and its approach to supporting vulnerable people be acknowledged. 

(Ian Day – 01274 433507)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “AF”) outlined the approach to delivering the national Prevent strategy in the Bradford district and highlighted progress made in the last twelve months against the District Prevent Action Plan.

At the meeting on 18^th March 2021, the Committee requested more detailed outcomes against projects being delivered as part of the Prevent Strategy for the District and the attached Appendix 1 addresses that request.

It was explained that as the Covid pandemic continues, it is still having a considerable impact on the risk from extremists and radicalisation. These groups continue to utilise the online space to spread hate, conspiracy theories and mistrust between communities. Far right groups particularly, have continued to use conspiracy theories about COVID-19 as a recruiting tool to attract younger supporters into their realms during 2021.

Self-initiated terrorism continues to be a risk, due to the low sophistication of

the methods used and the ease at which things can be planned. The

continued isolation and suspicion amongst some individuals, makes the

potential for such attacks high. This is not linked to any particular ideology and

very much taps into suspicion over the pandemic, narratives associated with

free speech, conspiracy theories and those with mixed, unclear and unstable

ideologies.

The Independent Review of the national Prevent programme is due to be published. Bradford Prevent has fully participated and welcomes hearing the results.

The specific programmes delivered in the district were alluded to and they were detailed in the report.

During the discussion the Chair stated that at a local level, the Prevent

Programme had delivered some tangible outcomes, with good input and

engagement from the community, elected Members and Council officers.

However he expressed concern that at a national, the delays in the publication of the long awaited independent review on the Prevent Programme was causing resentment around the Programme and impacting on delivery at a local level.

Officers acknowledged that delays to the outcomes of the national review were a concern, however the pandemic had played a part in this delay.  However they were happy to express the Committee’s concerns to the Home Office around the delays and the need to urgently publish the findings.

A Member stated that the report did not contain tangible outcomes that were measurable against the objectives of the Programme, or what social value it had achieved.  In response it was stated that ultimately the aim was to ensure that individuals referred to the Programme were de-radicalised, however this was difficult to measure in an exact manner.  However changing of perceptions had been recorded, and therefore the benefits from the Programme could be seen.

A Member in welcoming the benefits of the Programme in a Bradford context, expressed concerns at recent events in the Ukraine and ensuring that individuals were not tempted to travel to the region to fight.  In response it was stated that as a Council the message was to try and help and provide support locally to refugees fleeing the war, as well as the Ukrainian and Russian communities living in the district.

There was a discussion around far right extremism and linkages to covid conspiracies as well as individuals or groups displaying anti-democratic sentiments.  Officers acknowledged that this was a particular area of focus and how this could be better monitored from a Prevent perspective.

Resolved –

1.    This Committee requests that a further report be presented in 12 months, which also focuses on outcomes delivered from projects.

2.    That the findings of the Independent Review of the National Prevent Programme, be presented to this Committee, when they are available.

3.    The Committee expresses its concern in the delay relating to the findings of the Independent Review of the National Prevent Programme and the committee requests that they are informed of the reasons for the delay.

ACTION:       Strategic Director, Place.