Decision details

A new cross-Government 10-year national drugs strategy ‘From harm to hope’ had been published in April 2022, led by the Home Office. Guidance for local delivery had been published in June 2022. This set out a requirement for local areas to create a multi-agency Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP), undertake a needs assessment and produce a local drugs strategy delivery plan by the end of December 2022.

The Buckinghamshire CDP had been established on a Buckinghamshire Council footprint, the Senior Responsible Owner was the Director of Public Health and Community Safety, and its remit included alcohol as well as drugs. It had convened its first meeting in October 2022, terms of reference had been agreed and a needs assessment had been produced that was in the process of being published on the Council’s website.

The previous Buckinghamshire Drugs and Alcohol Strategy had expired during the pandemic. A new strategy was therefore required, but the timeline was expedited in response to the above national guidance.  Partners had worked together to produce the priorities and actions that would be taken locally to meet the national aims.

Cabinet Members agreed the resolution subject to four conditions as below:-

1.        Local Members to be given the opportunity to input to the strategy.

2.        As the granularity of data improves the Council needed to be clearer about which areas needed to be addressed particularly geographical areas impacted and the demographics of the residents who were at risk. The demographics should drive the Strategy.

3.        A report should be submitted to Cabinet in a year’s time with a review on the achievements of the Strategy with annual metrics which also needed to be more specific and measurable.

4.        Nitrous Oxide – as further information became available nationally, reference needed to be made in the Strategy about how to address use of nitrous oxide.

RESOLVED –

That the Drugs and Alcohol Strategy 2023-28 be NOTED and ENDORSED.