Chair sought for new group to replace JPC

The Joint Policing Committee (JPC) for Westmeath, which has run since 2009, is coming to an end. It is being replaced by a new Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP).

The establishment of LCSPs across the country comes on foot of pilot partnerships run in Waterford, Longford and Dublin’s North Inner City.

At the inaugural meeting of the new Westmeath County Council, chief executive Barry Kehoe said the process of appointment of a chairperson was to start shortly after, and he suggested that there was no point in nominating councillors at that stage to the JPC, as it was soon to be disbanded.

“I expect that the regulations will be signed by the minister shortly for the establishment of those local community partnership committees,” he said.

Mr Kehoe added that the Department of Justice had indicated to the council that it would like to see the chairperson nominated and appointed by the middle of August.

He said initial indications were that seven council members would be appointed to the new committee, as opposed to the 13 council positions on the JPC.

An advert in the Westmeath Examiner invited expressions of interest and the closing date was July 15.

The term of appointment for the chairperson is three years and the role is unpaid.

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD welcomed the launch of the process for the selection of chairpersons the country and said the new LCSPs will bring together a range of service providers and the community to examine and deliver on actions that will improve community safety in their localities.

Explaining that the LCSPs are to be the primary structures through which the government’s new approach to community safety will be delivered at local level, Minister McEntee said it recognised that localities have different challenges and needs and require bespoke approaches and interventions to help people be and feel more secure in their communities.

“Collaboration will be a crucial part of ensuring the LCSPs deliver,” she said, stating that the chairperson in each LCSP will set expectations regarding culture, values, and behaviours at LCSP level, with the aim of creating and implementing a tailored community safety plan that addresses the safety concerns of the community.

“At the heart of the government’s community safety policy is the principle that every community has the right to be and feel safe to thrive and flourish, and needs different supports to do so. To achieve that, we need people who understand their community and who are willing to use their knowledge and experience to lead the partnerships. I want to encourage anyone who believes they would have a positive contribution to make to consider putting their name forward.”

The partnerships will have a wider membership than the JPCs and will include residents, councillors, community representatives, business and education representatives and a range of public services including the HSE, Tusla, An Garda Síochána and the local authority.

The role of the chairperson will be to lead the work of the LCSP and find consensus among members so that a tailored community safety plan can be developed. They will also be responsible for driving forward the implementation of the community safety plan so that it delivers tangible benefits in the community.