Issue - meetings

The Shadow Executive considered a report which was listed as item 6 on the agenda for the Executive meeting on 30 May, at page 7. The report provided an update on emerging issues in respect of police and community safety reform, sought policy guidance on these and considered the implications for the Council and the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).

Having discussed the issues set out in the report and questioned Officers present at the meeting, the following comments were agreed:

The Shadow Executive:

• Given the change of Home Secretary and the indications that the Government may be reconsidering its approach, re-iterates its original position that a “federation” arrangement would be preferable and otherwise would continue its support for a merger with West Yorkshire police rather than a combined Yorkshire force.
• Considers that York and Selby should continue to have separate Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), given the disparate nature of the two areas and their political structures.
• Notes that there will need to be some form of strategic co-ordination between the LSP and the police BCU, assuming that there is to be no reconfiguration of the BCUs.
• Supports the proposals in the Police and Justice Bill to improve the public accountability of CDRPs – this particularly needs to be addressed in York, where the workings of the CDRP are not very transparent and where accountability could be improved by making the meetings more public.
• Feels that there should be a wider consultation on this set of proposals than the suggested sample of 2,000 and hopes that the City of York Council will ensure that this happens in its own area.
• Notes the comments regarding the work of the JAGs, of which it is very supportive but recognises that it is early days yet and there are particular issues for the Council, in terms of providing the necessary resourcing to support delivery of the JAG objectives in each ward area, which have not yet been resolved.
• Notes the implications of the government’s proposed Police Bill with regard to Scrutiny and the need for the Council to establish a separate Community Safety Scrutiny Board, which will require more resources for the Scrutiny Unit, given that it is already overstretched.
• Welcomes the broadening of the definitions of anti-social behaviour and proposes that the Executive request a further report from Officers on how the Council should address and resource this.

RESOLVED:(i)         That the Executive be asked to take the above comments into account when considering this item.

                        (ii)        That the item not be called in.