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Lancashire County Council has agreed how it will attempt to reduce the risk of residents being drawn into terrorism.
The authority has updated its so-called ‘Prevent Strategy’, designed to ensure it is fulfilling its duties under government legislation to divert people away from taking part in – or supporting – terrorist activity.
The document was approved at a recent meeting of County Hall’s cabinet, but its contents were not published publicly for what cabinet member for community and cultural services Peter Buckley described as “obvious reasons”. It was, however, able to be viewed by all county councillors.
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Named after the nationwide Prevent anti-terror agenda, the local strategy – covering the period through until 2026 – sets out how the county council will meet the two objectives that apply to local authorities within the government’s overarching plan. Those twin requirements are to “tackle the ideological causes of terrorism” and “intervene early to support people susceptible to radicalisation”.
Although publicly available detail about how the aims will be achieved in Lancashire is scant, a report to cabinet members did reveal that the county had established five priorities, with the strategy setting out what “successful delivery of each priority will look like”. That success will rely on “collaboration” across a range of services, a report presented to the meeting said.
Government guidance acknowledges that local Prevent strategies will vary depending on factors such as “the local context and risk”.
Lancashire’s strategy had been due for a refresh two years ago, but the process was put on hold until the government released new guidance, as well as its response to the 34 recommendations from an independent review of Prevent. County Cllr Buckley said the new local policy incorporated all of the “national updates”.
The revised guidance makes tackling the ideologies underpinning terrorism Prevent’s new first objective. Reducing so-called ‘permissive environments’, where ideological causes of terrorism are tolerated and allowed to flourish, is regarded as key.
The government document also stresses that the threat from terrorism is becoming “more diverse”, but notes that Islamist terrorism “currently remains our primary and deadliest threat”.
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