Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on the agenda.

Members were asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on the agenda.  Councillor Gillies declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 5 (minute 34 refers), as his daughter had previously worked for the Drugs Action Team.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 January 2010.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the meeting of 19 January 2010 be confirmed and signed by the Chair 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 Monday 1 March 2010 at 5.00 pm.

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

This report presents the latest projections for revenue expenditure for the Neighbourhood Services portfolio to end of November 2009 and details progress against the directorate plan priorities and key performance indicators to end of December 2009.

Members received a report that presented the following data:

• The latest projections for revenue expenditure for the Neighbourhood Services portfolio to the end of November 2009.
• Progress against the Directorate Plan priorities and key performance indicators to the end of December 2009.

Members noted that the Neighbourhood Services portfolio was forecasting an overspend of £359k after identification of in year savings of £200k.  This was a variation of 1.14% of the net expenditure budget.  Further savings had been identified, as shown in the “Recovery Plan” which formed Annex A to the report. Officers gave details of the significant variances, as outlined in paragraphs 8-10 of the report.

Members requested that, following the review of the bin emptying policy, they be notified as to which bins would be emptied less frequently than was currently the case¹.

It was noted that there was a forecast overspend on Commercial Waste of £161k, as income was not projected to achieve target.  It did, however, continue to make a profit and had been included in the More for York review.

Income from penalty charge notices (PCNs) was forecast to overspend by £105k.  Officers stated that income targets had been met for the previous two months and that a clearer picture of the situation would be available by Easter.

Officers were asked about the impact of achieving savings through vacancy management. They explained that as vacancies arose, the Directorate Management Team (DMT) had been considering whether it was necessary to appoint to the post before the end of the financial year.  As well as enabling savings to be achieved, the management of staff vacancies took into account the More for York processes.

Officers gave details of progress against the directorate plan priorities and key performance indicators, as outlined in paragraphs 12-15 of the report. 

It was noted that the More for York programme was seeking to invest in improved materials for collecting kerbside recycling, which would make the collection at the kerbside more efficient.  Examples were shown of two of the designs that were being considered.  Members’ views were sought as part of the consultation.  It was noted that there was no significant difference in the costs of the designs and that the differences primarily related to the format of the lid/netting.  In the case of the container with the flexible lid, the recycling rate was lower.  Members suggested that the netting may be less effective than the flexible lids in some circumstances. 

RESOLVED:That the financial and performance position of the portfolio be noted.

REASON:      In accordance with budgetary and performance monitoring procedures.

Briefing on the Drug Action Team in support of a possible scrutiny review on “The Impact of Drug Abuse on the City”.

Members received a briefing paper on the work of the Drug Action Team.  Attention was drawn to two government documents that were key to the work that the team carried out:  “Drugs: Protecting families and communities – the 2008 drug strategy” and “Drug Misuse and Dependence – UK guidelines on clinical management”.¹

Details were given of the structure and accountability of the Drug Action Team and of the way in which the National Drug Strategy was funded, as outlined in the briefing note.

It was noted that the DAT was currently working jointly with North Yorkshire and was managed by the PCT.  Plans were in place to have separate teams for York and North Yorkshire and for the York team to be managed by the Local Authority. 

Members agreed on the importance of encompassing alcohol when issues in respect of drugs were considered.  It was also imperative that DAT, Supporting People and other groups worked collaboratively.  Officers were asked if this issue would be suitable for a Total Place project.  They stated that a pilot project focussing on issues in respect of drugs and alcohol was currently taking place in another area.  The outcomes of this pilot would be evaluated by the DAT. 

At the request of Members, officers detailed the health services that were currently in place to support the detoxification of drug users and of some of the barriers to accessing treatment.  The important role played by the third sector was also noted.

RESOLVED:            (i)            That the report be noted.

(ii)That a review of the work of the Drug Action Team not be carried out at this time but that details of the framework within which the Local Authority would manage the team be forwarded to the committee when this information became available.²

REASON:            In view of the proposed changes to the management of DAT.

A presentation will be given on the Safer York Partnership (Crime Disorder Reduction Partnership) – Understanding the different groups that feed into it and the “Hallmarks” set for them.

A presentation was given on the Safer York Partnership (SYP).  The presentation focussed on the following issues:

·        SYP priorities

·        Structure of the organisation

·        Hallmarks of effective partnerships

·        Leadership

·        Visible and constructive accountability

·        Intelligence led business processes

·        Effective and responsive delivery structure

·        Engagement with communities

·        Future priorities

It was agreed that the training sessions offered to SYP Board Members would also be extended to committee members. 

Members noted that future priorities for the SYP included an increased focus on anti-social behaviour, violent crime and cycle theft and continuing to work with the business community on reducing retail crime.  There would be less focus on burglary and vehicle crime, although these would continue to be monitored. 

Members asked how drugs misuse impacted on crime.  They were informed that there were links between drugs misuse and acquisitive crime such as shoplifting, and that a number of key offenders in the city did have drug problems.  It was intended that the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) project would help reduce the re-offending rate.  IOM was a project whereby the police, probation service and drugs intervention staff were working together to manage some of York’s most persistent offenders.

At the request of Members, details were given of the work that took place with offenders who were on licence.  Members were informed that data sharing was very effective and that there was good engagement with the probation service.  The Spotlight programme had been very successful in reducing re-offending but had been very costly to run.

Members asked if action was being taken to make students in the city more aware of crime prevention.  Details were given of the work that was taking place with the higher education institutes, holding including monthly meetings.    As students were often the victims of burglary, work was ongoing to make them aware of ways in which they could make their property more secure.

Officers were asked if there were any identified patterns in respect of cycle theft.  They explained that the thefts were taking place from cycle racks in the city centres and from homes.  There were some design problems in respect of cycle storage but the key issue was that many cycles were not secured appropriately.  It was noted that a topic registration form on the issue of cycle theft was in the process of being submitted.

RESOLVED:That Safer York Partnership continue to report to the committee on a regular basis.

This report presents information on the council’s response to the recent severe weather conditions, together with feedback from the Task Group set up to scope this scrutiny review.  Members are asked to consider the information provided and agree methods for progressing the review.

Members received a report that presented information on the council’s response to the recent severe weather conditions, together with feedback from the Task Group set up to scope this scrutiny review.  Members were asked to consider the information provided and agree methods for progressing the review. 

RESOLVED:             (i)         That the objectives, scope and timeframe for the

review, as detailed in paragraphs 8-10 of the report, be approved.

(ii)That the following meeting dates be agreed to carry out the review:

·        Monday 12 April 2010 at 10.00 am (to consider issues in respect of cycle paths and salt bins)

·        Monday 10 May 2010 at 10.00 am (to consider gritting of roads/footpaths and awareness of the policy)

·        Tuesday 29 June 2010 at 5.00 pm (consideration of the draft final report)

(iii)That the review be carried out by the committee rather than a task group.

(iv)That the committee’s workplan be updated

 accordingly.

REASON:      To progress the review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s workplan.  Extracts from the Executive Forward Plan are also included.

Consideration was given to the work plan for the committee for 2010.

Concerns were expressed regarding the usefulness of including extracts of the Forward Plan when this item was considered, particularly as some of the items had already been considered by the time the committee met.  It was noted that inclusion of the Forward Plan extracts had been agreed as part of the revised scrutiny arrangements.  The Effective Organisation Overview and Scrutiny Committee was, however, looking at the arrangements in respect of the Forward Plan and therefore it was likely that the current procedures would be amended.   

RESOLVED:That the workplan be updated to reflect the decisions taken by the committee under item 7 on the agenda (minute 36 refers).