Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from any councillor on any item on this agenda.

Councillor Sir Robert Atkins declared a non-registerable personal interest for item 4, as his daughter was the Home Office Minster who worked on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 17 January 2022.

Councillor Fail requested an amendment be made to the draft minutes (minute 36 bullet point 5) to highlight the four Lower-Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) discussed, to which members agreed.

Therefore, the minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2022 were approved as a correct record with the addition of the following amendment:

·         Lower-Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) concerning education, skills and training, employment, income and health deprivation

Andrew Snowden (Police and Crime Commissioner) and Cara Leadbetter (Chief Inspector) will attend the meeting to provide an update on the PCC Police and Crime Plan.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Andrew Snowden and Chief Inspector, Cara Leadbetter attended the committee meeting to provide an update on the Police and Crime Plan for Lancashire.

A copy of the Police and Crime Plan for Lancashire was passed out to the members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their information.

Police and Crime Commissioner Snowden explained to members that the Police and Crime Plan had been developed in consultation with members of the public, Local Authorities and other partners across Lancashire. The document reflected the issues that mattered the most to the people of Lancashire. He highlighted the importance of the plan’s tone, which set the culture of the policing organisation.

He introduced the plan and summarised the following five areas of priority:

1.    Getting tough on Anti-Social Behaviour

2.    Disrupting and Dismantling Organised Crime

3.    Tackling Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

4.    Cracking Down on Burglary and Robbery

5.    Targeting Dangerous Drivers

Police and Crime Commissioner Snowden explained to members that the premier message of the plan was to fight crime and protect residents.

In response to questions on dealing with sexism within the police service and victims of sexual assault, Commission Snowden stressed the importance of setting a precedent for what was not acceptable and the consequences for any wrongdoing. He explained a recent incident of robust actions taken against an ex-officer. In addition, Chief Inspector Leadbetter assured the committee that the culture of policing was changing and that they were addressing the existing issues and moving forward.

A member asked about the methods used to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Wyre; Commissioner Snowden explained that on a strategic level he aimed to provide better coordination between partners and to provide more support for the use of civil powers. In addition, he updated members on the Safer Lancashire Neighbourhood Fund due to launch at the end of March 2022. This was to provide grants for local communities to prevent and fight anti-social behaviour. Cara Leadbetter expressed the value of Lancashire Talking to assist police to find the key areas where anti-social behaviour is happening in the borough. She updated members of the new early intervention initiative to launch on 17 March 2022, Multi-agency Schools Projects (MSP), in partnership with the Violence Reduction Network set up in Fleetwood.

Members asked additional questions and responses were received regarding the following areas:

·         Food banks at the former Fleetwood hospital

·         Police time at hospitals

·         Mood trackers at schools

·         The five priorities concerning Wyre

·         Dispersal Order at Chatsworth estate

·         Vehicle nuisance

Both the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Inspector highlighted the importance of community intelligence to assist the police to fight crime.

The Chair, Councillor Ibison, praised and thanked Andrew Snowden and Cara Leadbetter for their attendance and contributions to the meeting.

Martin Wyatt (Wyre Neighbourhood Inspector), Neil Greenwood (Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety), and Councillor Roger Berry (Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder will attend the meeting to provide an update on the Wyre Community Safety Partnership.

The Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety, Neil Greenwood, submitted a report regarding the Wyre Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

Councillor Roger Berry, Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder addressed the committee and introduced the report.

Councillor Berry updated members that Wyre Council would have a new Licensing Officer in post by March 2022 and addressed the recent changes within the police such as the newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, a new Chief Constable, Chris Rowley, and a new West Lancashire Division command structure including a new inspector for Wyre, Martin Wyatt. He explained that Wyre had benefitted from the changes.

Councillor Berry explained the five priorities of the CSP, as per the update report:

1.    Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

2.    Violence Against the Person

3.    Domestic Abuse

4.    Substance Misuse – Alcohol

5.    Road Safety

He added that the CSP priorities were aligned with the Police and Crime Plan for Lancashire.

Councillor Berry mentioned the benefits of Wyre’s CCTV system and thanked the volunteers who assist to run the service. He updated members that the system needed an upgrade to convert the cameras to digital.

Members asked questions regarding:

·         The crime figures,

·         Tackling cyber-crime,

·         Anti-social behaviour statistics over five to ten years.

Neil Greenwood informed councillors of the difficulty of obtaining completely accurate crime statistics over a long period, such as five years, as in recent years, Lancashire Constabulary had changed the method of recording.

The Chair thanked the Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety, Neil Greenwood and the Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder, Councillor Roger Berry for their thorough update.

The Corporate Director Communities has submitted the 3rd Quarter Performance Statement 2021/22 (October – December 2021).

The Corporate Director Communities submitted a report on the Third Quarter Performance Statement 2021/22 (October – December 2021).

Councillor Le Marinel asked if there were a further update on the Poulton-le-Fylde to Fleetwood tramway/rail loop. Councillor Ballard responded that there were no updates.

The report was noted.

The Corporate Director Resources, Clare James, has submitted a report updating the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2021/22. Marianne Unwin, Democratic Services Officer, will introduce the report and respond to questions and comments from councillors.

The Corporate Director Resources, Clare James, submitted a report to update the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2021/22.

The Democratic Services Officer, Marianne Unwin, introduced the report to the committee.

Councillor Ballard questioned how the committee would review the scrutiny work programme throughout the year; the Chairman assured members that the work programme came before members to each scheduled overview and scrutiny meeting.

Councillor Longton suggested that the Youth Anti-Social Behaviour Task Group scoping document be amended to include an understanding of the causes of anti-social behaviour in the aims of review/terms of reference section of the scope, which members supported.

It was agreed

      i.        That the a task group be set up on Youth Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB),

    ii.        That the report be noted.

The link to the Police and Crime Plan for Lancashire 2021 – 2025 can be found HERE.