northlincs.gov.uk

PRESENT:  Councillor T Foster in the chair.

Councillors Davison (Vice-Chair), Armitage, Clark, Collinson, England and Ogg.

Councillor Whiteley attended the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 1.36 (b).

The panel met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

70  DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) – The following members declared personal interests –

No whip was declared.

 71  MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of this panel held on 28 November 2011, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and signed by the chairman.

72  PUBLIC REQUESTS TO SPEAK– There were no requests received.

73  CABINET MEMBER AND SERVICE AREA PRIORITIES – The Chairman welcomed Councillor C Sherwood, Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services and Neil Laminman, the council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services to the meeting.  Councillor Sherwood had been invited to the panel meeting to update members on any key decisions, important business or key developments, which had occurred during the last quarter.  Namely:

• The relocation of the library and local link to the Angel in Brigg
• The receipt and deployment of a new mobile library
• The extension to the deadline for responses as part of the review of library opening hours
• The reopening of Scunthorpe Central Library following its temporary closure to allow for the demolition of the Carlton Street multi-storey car park
• The plans for Broughton library
• The relocation of the Registration Service and its opening at the Civic Centre in April 2012
• The national rollout of the ‘Tell Us Once’ initiative provided by the Registration Service
• The initiatives to be introduced to try and combat metal thefts
• The purchase and erection of three additional CCTV cameras in Crosby and Park ward
• The launch of the Shop Watch scheme in Brigg
• Substance misuse performance indicators

Following the update, the Chairman invited members to question the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services.

Resolved – (a) That the oral update be noted; (b) that the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services and Director of Corporate and Community Services be thanked for their attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions, and (c) that the information requested by members on the number of weddings conducted by the Registration Service in 2011 and the accessibility of the lift for wheel chair users be forwarded to panel members as soon as possible.

74  COORDINATION OF THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK – The Chairman invited Councillor C Sherwood, Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services whose portfolio included Community Safety, to comment on the members review into the ‘co-ordination of the North Lincolnshire Neighbourhood Watch Network’.  Accompanying Councillor Sherwood was Neil Laminman, the council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services.

Councillor Sherwood commented on the success of Neighbourhood Watch in North Lincolnshire.  Neighbourhood Watch groups were very well represented in some wards.  However, in other wards there was a development and marketing need to inform and educate communities as to the value of Neighbourhood Watch.

Resolved – (a) That the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Community Services and Director of Corporate and Community Services be thanked for their attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions, and (b) that the responses be noted.

75  (17)  NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH CO-ORDINATORS QUESTIONNAIRE – The Director of Corporate and Community Services circulated the latest proof copy of the panel’s questionnaire to be circulated to all Neighbourhood Watch coordinators, for members’ comments.

Resolved – That subject to members’ amendments being incorporated, the questionnaire be approved and circulated to all Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators.

76  NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH COORDINATORS DATABASE – The Director of Corporate and Community Services informed the meeting that following a meeting between officers from Democratic and Legal Services, Safer Neighbourhoods and the Chairman and Vice-Chair, it had been agreed that the Director be given access to the Neighbourhood Watch coordinators database as this would not result in a breach of the Data Protection Act.

Resolved – That the verbal report be noted.

77  (18)  HUMBERSIDE POLICE AUTHORITY CONSULTATION ON THE POLICING PRIORITIES FOR 2012-2013 – The Director of Corporate and Community Services circulated Humberside Police Authority’s consultation on the policing priorities for 2012-2013.  The aim of the consultation was to allow the Police Authority to use surveys, online web chats, meetings and events to capture members of the public’s thoughts on priorities for local communities.

Resolved – (a) That the Humberside Police Authority consultation on the policing priorities for 2012-2013 be noted, and (b) that if members wish, they may submit a response to the consultation on their own behalf.

78  CONTINUING THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN LEISURE SERVICES IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – Further to Minute 62, the Cabinet Member for Asset and Estate Management and Sport, Leisure and Culture circulated for members’ information the council consultation on ‘sport, leisure and culture – the future’.

Resolved – (a) That the consultation be received with thanks, and (b) that the findings of the consultation be presented to the scrutiny panel as soon as practicable.

79  (19)  POLICE REFORM AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BILL – The Director of Corporate and Community Services circulated a Local Government Information Unity policy briefing on ‘Police and Crime Commissioners: Update; a Home Office publication titled ‘Police and Crime Commissioners – Have you got what it takes and Police and Crime Commissioners Policy Briefing Number 3.

Resolved – That the publications be noted.

80  DEVELOPMENTS LOCALLY – UPDATE – The Director of Corporate and Community Services updated members on some key developments locally, including recent reports considered by Humberside Police Authority Policing Committee.

Resolved – That the update be noted.

81  ADDED ITEM – There was no added item for consideration at the meeting.

82  THE DECLARATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE COUNT FOLLOWING THE DISTRICT ELECTION AND THE NATIONAL REFERENDUM HELD ON THURSDAY 5 MAY 2011 ACTION PLAN – This matter was considered after the Chairman had decided it was urgent because of the need to call a special meeting of the scrutiny panel in order that members could consider the action plan on ‘the Declaration and Administration of the Count Following the District Election and the National Referendum held on Thursday 5 May prior to its submission to Cabinet on 24 January 2011.

Resolved – That a special meeting of the Places Scrutiny Panel be arranged for Thursday 19 January 2012, commencing at 4pm at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.