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 Williams declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 6 – “Safer York Partnership”, as he was a magistrate.  Councillor Burton declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 7 – “Ongoing Work within Directorates and Future Planned Work” as he was on the Management Committee of the Friends of St Nicholas Fields. 

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 1 March 2011.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 1 March 2011 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 Friday 24 June 2011 at 5.00pm.

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

This report highlights this Council’s current structure for the provision of the Overview and Scrutiny function and the resources available to support it.  It also details the agreed terms of reference for the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Members received a report that highlighted the council’s current structure for the provision of the Overview and Scrutiny function and the resources available to support it.  The report also detailed the agreed terms of reference for the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Officers drew Members’ attention to paragraph 11 of the report, which detailed the Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s areas of responsibility.

RESOLVED:            That the report be noted.

REASON:            To inform Members of scrutiny arrangements.

The Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee is responsible for the discharge of the functions conferred on the Council by sections 19 and 20 of the Police & Justice Act 2006, in relation to the scrutiny of community safety issues, the Police and the work of the local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (Safer York Partnership).  This report presents guidance for that role based on national guidance produced in partnership by the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) and the Local Government Information Unit (LgiU).

Members received a report that presented guidance on the committee’s responsibilities in respect of the discharge of the functions conferred on the Council by sections 19 and 20 of the Police & Justice Act 2006, in relation to the scrutiny of community safety issues, the Police and the work of the local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (Safer York Partnership).  The guidance was based on national guidance produced in partnership by the Centre for Public Scrutiny and the Local Government Information Unit.

Referring to the responsible authorities detailed in Appendix A of the report, Members suggested that it would be worthwhile to invite a representative of the Primary Care Trust to attend a meeting to provide information regarding the part they played in supporting the work of the Safer York Partnership.

It was noted that the Probation Service had attended the last meeting of the committee and that copies of the presentation that had been given could be made available to new Members of the committee on request.

RESOLVED:            (i)            That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)That the PCT be invited to attend the September meeting to discuss their contribution to the work of the Safer York Partnership.

REASON:            In order to progress the work of the committee.

Jane Mowatt will give a presentation on the Safer York Partnership.

Members received a presentation on the Safer York Partnership.  A copy of the presentation is available on-line with the agenda papers for this meeting.

Following an overview of the work of the Safer York Partnership, the presentation focussed on the following issues:

• The delivery structure
• Examples of previous partnership working
• Current projects for 2011/12 (including A&E data sharing, body worn cameras, designated drinking orders, alley-gating, operation DIP and cycle stand signs)
• Priorities (serious acquisitive crime, violent crime, anti-social behaviour, business crime and reducing reoffending)
• Evidence based working (eg the use of mapping to identify hotspots for auto-crime)

Officers also gave details of the current picture of crime and disorder in York.

Members questioned what further strategies the council could develop to tackle youth crime.  Officers gave details of the work that the Youth Offending Team was carrying out to address this issue, including education and raising awareness of the impact and consequences that such crime had on the victims.

Discussion took place regarding the work that was taking place to tackle the problem of cycle theft.  One issue was the poor security of cycle storage facilities, including those in new-build developments.

RESOLVED:That the presentation on the work of the Safer York Partnership be noted.

REASON:      To ensure that the committee is informed of the work of the Safer York Partnership and the implementation of the Community Safety Plan.

Senior officers will deliver a presentation on the ongoing work within their directorates and inform committee members of future planned work.

Members received a presentation by senior officers on the ongoing work within their directorates and of future planned work.  A copy of the presentation is available on-line with the agenda papers for this meeting.

Members sought clarification as to how the additional funding that was to be allocated for re-cycling would be used.  Officers stated that this would primarily be used in targeted areas to encourage residents to recycle.  One strategy would be officers making visits to residents to identify any problems that may be deterring them from recycling and to raise awareness of the issue.

RESOLVED:That the ongoing work within Directorates and the future planned work be noted.

REASON:      To ensure that the committee is kept informed of issues within its remit.

The following Cabinet Members will be in attendance to discuss their priorities and challenges for this municipal year:

• Councillor Looker – Cabinet Member for Communities & Neighbourhood Services
• Councillor Fraser – Cabinet Member for Crime & Community Safety

Councillor Looker, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhood Services, and Councillor Fraser, Cabinet Member for Crime and Community Safety had been invited to attend the meeting to discuss their priorities and challenges for this municipal year.  They informed Members that they were keen to work with the committee and would find it helpful if they were notified of particular issues in which the committee would find their input to be helpful.  They were willing to attend meetings as required and would welcome the opportunity to discuss their priorities and challenges once they were more established in their roles.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Members for their attendance at the meeting.

This report presents the Committee’s draft work plan for the forthcoming year and asks Members to consider any additions and/or amendments they may wish to make to it.

Members considered a report that presented the Committee’s draft work plan for the forthcoming year and asked Members to consider any additions or amendments they may wish to make.

It was noted that the item “2010/11 Year End Outturn report” that was due to be considered at the next meeting would be deferred, as the report had not yet been considered by Cabinet.

RESOLVED:That further consideration be given to the work plan at the next meeting.

REASON:      To progress the work of the committee, in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.