Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare:

·        Any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        Any prejudicial interests or

·        Any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of the business on the agenda.  Councillor Hodgson declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – “Update on the Implementation of Recommendations from Previously Completed Taxi Licensing Scrutiny Review”, as a former employee of the Vehicle Operators Services Agency.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 22 April 2014.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting of 22 April 2014 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 3 June 2014.

Members of the public may speak on:

·        An item on the agenda

·        An issue within the remit of the Committee

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast or audio recorded and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts  or, if sound recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

It was reported that there were no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report provides, for Members’ consideration, introductory information on the possible topics for scrutiny review in the municipal year.

Members gave consideration to a report which provided introductory information on possible topics for scrutiny review in the municipal year 2014-2015.

Discussion took place regarding the following possible topics for review:

Council House Maintenance and Refurbishment

It was noted that this topic did not fall within the current remit of the committee.

Flood Defences

Officers gave an update of the work that was taking place in respect of flood defences.  Members requested an update on the emergency warden service and information on progress in the development of community resilience plans.

Commercial Waste

Members had previously expressed an interest in carrying out a review in respect of issues around the shortfall in income and a reducing customer base.  It was noted that the report suggested that it might be more useful for a review to be carried out around discretionary charges in waste management.  Officers explained that this suggestion had been put forward in order to avoid duplicating work that was already taking place by officers.

CCTV

This had previously been considered as a possible topic for review by the Committee.  Officers stated that, as part of the Rewiring Transformation Programme, a report had been prepared on possible ways of further utilising the CCTV system.  This would involve looking at opportunities for working with partner organisations.  Members agreed that they would wish to receive further information on this issue.

Supporting Elderly People

Members were informed that, at their meeting on 23 June 2014, Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee would be considering a topic for corporate review for 2014/15.  It was likely that this would be around supporting elderly people.  The Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee would therefore also need to agree a topic as their contribution to the corporate review.  Members suggested that this could be around loneliness and social isolation or fear of crime.

Street musicians, buskers and street traders

Suggestions were put forward that a review be carried out around issues such as street traders and buskers.  It was, however, noted that this may not fall within the remit of the committee.

Resolved:  (i)      That a scoping report be presented to the

Committee on “Discretionary Charges in Waste Management” with a view to the Committee carrying out a review on this topic.

                   (ii)      That overview reports be presented to the

                             Committee on the following issues:

·        Update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed community resilience scrutiny review.

·        CCTV Update

·        Commercial Waste – report on the work that has been carried out in respect of shortfall in income (September meeting)

Reasons:   (i)      To enable work to commence on the reviews that

the Committee will be carrying out this municipal year.

(ii)      To enable the Committee to have an overview of the work being carried out in these areas.

This report provides Members with an update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed Taxi Licensing Scrutiny Review and asks Members to sign off those which are fully implemented.

Members considered a report which provided an update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previously completed Taxi Licensing scrutiny review and which asked Members to sign off those which were fully implemented.

As a number of the recommendations referred to the unmet demand survey, Members sought clarification as to when this would be completed.  They were informed that the survey was due to be completed within the next two months. 

Members were also informed that the Law Commission had completed its report on Taxi and Private Hire Services.  The recommendations had been presented to Government and its response was awaited.

Resolved:  (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That recommendations iii, iv, vii, xi, xii, xvi be signed off as having been fully implemented.

(iii)     That the remaining recommendations not be signed off as they have yet to be fully implemented.

(iv)    That a further implementation update be received in six months time.

Reason:              To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.

Members are asked to give consideration to the Committee’s draft work plan for 2014-15.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s draft work plan for 2014-15.  A verbal update was also given in respect of the following scrutiny reviews:

A-Boards

Officers were currently drafting guidelines on the use of A-boards for the Task Group’s consideration.  The draft final report was now likely to be presented to the Committee at their meeting on 3 September 2014.

Domestic Waste Review

Councillor Healey had met with officers that week to discuss progress on the review.  The draft final report would be presented to the Committee at their meeting on 3 September 2014.

Resolved:  That, subject to the following amendments, the work plan be approved:

·        Draft Final Report – A-boards deferred to the meeting of 3 September 2014

·        Draft Final Report – Domestic Waste Review deferred to the meeting of 3 September 2014

·        Include scoping report on Discretionary Charges in Waste Management review on the agenda for meeting on 30 July 2014

·        Commercial Waste Overview report to be included on the agenda for the meeting on 3 September 2014

·        Overview report on CCTV to be included on the work plan

·        Implementation Update on Community Resilience scrutiny review to be included on work plan for meeting on 5 November 2014.

Reason:     To ensure that the Committee has a planned programme of work in place.