Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ballard, C Birch, Ellison and Smith and from Councillor Berry (Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder) for agenda item 4.

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 5 February 2018.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 5 February 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety, Neil Greenwood, has submitted a report, which will be presented by Mr Greenwood and the Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder, Councillor Roger Berry.

Councillors will be invited to comment and ask questions.

The Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety, Neil Greenwood, submitted a report to enable the committee to undertake its annual scrutiny of the Community Safety Partnership. He said that the Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder (Cllr Roger Berry) was, unfortunately, unable to attend because he was at a Police and Crime Panel meeting.

Neil Greenwood referred to the summary of crime and anti-social behaviour figures for 2017, set out in the first part of the report and highlighted the main findings and trends revealed. He also referred to the activities of the Community Partnership in 2017 under each of the headings listed in the second part of the report.

In response to questions from members of the Committee, Neil Greenwood provided more information on some of the activities of the Community Safety Partnership and the crime figures, as follows:

-       Use of CCTV: Wyre Council officers were about to start trialling the use of cameras (similar to the “camera traps” used by wildlife photographers), in locations where anti-social behaviour was taking place. He said that it could potentially be used to target hotspots including fly tipping. The potential use of personal body cameras by Council officers was also being considered.

-       Sale of alcohol to under 18s: Test purchases had been undertaken at ten off-licences in Wyre and one licence had been revoked by the Licensing Committee as a result, although sales were currently continuing pending an appeal.

-       The reasons for increases in the categories of crime with higher figures were unclear, although crimes related to the malicious use of social media had increased locally.

-       Multi-agency working was taking place more regularly and was effective. Wyre had a strong working relationship with the police.

RESOLVED that the report and the comments of the Head of Environmental Health and Community Safety be noted.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted a report, the 3^rd Quarter Performance Statement 2017/18, October – December 2017.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, submitted a report, the 3^rd Quarter Performance Statement 2017/18, October – December 2017. 

The Chairman said, in response to a comment from Cllr R Amos about the low figure of actual affordable dwelling completions in Quarter 3, that completion figure would need to be reviewed over a longer period, before drawing conclusions.

Cllr Fail referred to an amendment he had proposed at the Council meeting on 8 March 2018 to include additional priorities, projects and measures relating to improved transport connectivity and open space in the Business Plan update for 2018/19. Although the amendment had not been approved by the Council he suggested that the types of measures he had proposed should be considered again by the Service Director Performance and Innovation at the earliest opportunity. The Chairman pointed out that a draft version of the Business Plan update for 2018/19 had been submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 8 January and the contents had been endorsed. He said that the any suggestions for major changes of the type suggested by Cllr Fail should have been raised for discussion at that time. If Cllr Fail wanted further consideration to be given to his suggestions, he would need to raise them again when the contents of the new Business Plan for the period beyond April 2019 were first considered.

RESOLVED that the current position be noted.

An update about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2017/18.

The Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager, Roy Saunders, referred to the Committee’s work programme for 2017/18, which had been submitted with the agenda. He said the reports the update on the Asset Management Plan and progress on the Digital Transformation Plan, originally listed for this meeting, would now be submitted to the April meeting. The car parking consultation report would also hopefully be completed in time for submission to that meeting. He said that a meeting of the Flooding Task Group had, unfortunately, had to be postponed because of the extended absence on jury service of Peter Foulsham. New dates for that and other current task groups would be arranged when he returned. The next meeting of the Engaging with Children and Young People Task Group would be taking place, as planned, on 26 March.

RESOLVED that the current position be noted.

Monday 16 April 2018 at 6pm.

RESOLVED that the next meeting of the committee be held at 6pm on Monday 16 April 2018 at the Civic Centre, Poulton-le-Fylde.