Counter terrorism

What is PREVENT?

PREVENT is part of the UK Government's Counter-Terrorism strategy (also known as CONTEST).

PREVENT means helping to safeguard people and communities from the threat of terrorism by helping to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism.

PREVENT is about the significant threat posed by international terrorism and those in the UK who are inspired by it. It is also concerned with reducing threats, risks and vulnerabilities posed by domestic extremists such as those from the far right and far left, extreme animal rights activists and those involved in Northern Irish related terrorism.

What does PREVENT do?

PREVENT responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views.

PREVENT provides practical help to stop people from being drawn into terrorism; safeguards and supports those most at risk of radicalisation through early advice and support; and enables those who have already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate.

PREVENT provides a framework for working with a wide range of sectors (including colleges, universities, the Scottish Prison Service, education services, criminal justice services, faith groups, charities, community groups and health services) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.

What is Perth & Kinross Council legally obliged to do?

Like other Councils and public bodies, from 2015 Perth & Kinross Council has had a legal duty to help prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. The Scottish Government has given us guidance on what this means in practice and we have taken a proportionate approach to this duty, based on the national and local risks that the police have told us are relevant to our local communities.

In addition to the duty to help prevent people from becoming involved in terrorism or supporting violent extremism, the Council has a specific duty to chair and manage a process to help people who are in danger of being drawn into terrorism or violent extremism. This is called the PREVENT Professional Concerns Process.

A measured and proportionate approach is taken in the delivery of PREVENT in Perth & Kinross, with the aim of responding to the risks the police have told us are relevant to our communities.

Together we want to keep our communities and staff safer and more aware.

Contacts

Each Local Authority is required to have a Single Point of Contact for PREVENT. In Perth and Kinross this is Roddy Ross from the Safer Communities Team - he can be contacted on SCT@pkc.gov.uk

If you see something suspicious, please report this to either your local Police Office, using the 101/999 system or the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

To report an immediate threat to life or property call 999 or the police anti-terrorist hotline on 0800789321.