To approve a programme of measures to tackle serious organised crime through closer working with the police and other partner organisations through multi agency targeted enforcement.

This will entail additional funding and better resource to more effectively regulate the increasing problem of:

"           Illicit tobacco and alcohol,

"           Criminal landlords exploiting the vulnerable.

"           Awareness raising for the disruption of organised crime and meeting the needs of vulnerable people.

The serious organised crime gangs concerned with the above activities are also likely to be involved in the 'County Lines' phenomenon, whereby drugs enter Herefordshire from the urban areas that surround it. This report therefore also seeks to raise awareness with partner agencies and the public to disrupt this organised crime and help the council meet the health & wellbeing needs of its most vulnerable people and keep them safe.   

That:

(a)               £500,000 additional one off investment in measures to tackle anti-social and serious organised crime be approved to be spent across the areas of:

·      Illicit tobacco and alcohol control – circa £240,000

·      Criminal landlord and anti-social activity – circa £240,000

·      Awareness raising for the disruption of organised crime and meeting the needs of vulnerable people – circa £20,000  

1.           That the programme of measures to tackle serious organised crime is not approved.  This is not recommended as recent discussions with the police and other agencies have identified a disturbing increase in such crime and without targeted action by all agencies working together, there is a real risk that this trend will continue to the detriment of Herefordshire.

2.           That the £500,000 is spent on other areas of regulation. Although there may be good reason to invest elsewhere in regulation, this is not currently recommended because the council needs to prioritise this limited and available resource on tackling the disturbing increase in criminal activity associated with serious organised crime.