Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Panel – 16 June 2008

PRESENT:  Councillor Davison in the Chair.

Councillors Eckhardt, Ali, Armitage, Barker, T Foster and N Sherwood.

The panel met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.

85  DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) –         

 

Member Minute Nature of Interest
Councillor Armitage 88(iii) Humberside Fire Authority

 

No whip was declared.

86  MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of this panel held on  19 May 2008, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and signed by the chair.

87  PUBLIC SPEAKING – There were no requests from members of the public to address the Scrutiny Panel.

88  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – SERVICE PROVISION AND AREAS OF VULNERABILITY

(i)  Discussion and questions with Service Director Adult Social Care and Supporting People Service Manager – Mike Briggs, Service Director Adult Social Care and Kerrie Mitchell, Supporting People Service Manager were introduced to the panel.  Members were advised that both officers had been asked to attend to provide an update on the floating tender notice for dispersed housing provision.

The panel was advised that four tenders had been received and had been subject to evaluation in March 2008.  The successful applicant had been Cargom, based on cost and quality ratio.  It was confirmed that a number of staff employed by Stonham, had transferred to Cargom under the TUPE arrangements.

Members then engaged in a question and answer session discussing issues such as cost implications for dispersed housing, how the dispersed housing scheme would be used in conjunction with the Refuge and whether service users had been/would be consulted on favourable locations.

Resolved – (a) That Mike Briggs and Kerrie Mitchell be thanked for their attendance and contribution at the meeting, and (b) that the information received be noted.

(ii)  Discussion and questions with representatives from service area Learning, Schools and Communities at North Lincolnshire Council – The Chair welcomed Jo Moxon, Head of School Support and Learning and Lynne Devine, Healthy School’s Coordinator to the meeting.  This was to enable members of the Panel to understand the role and remit of the Learning, Schools and Communities service with regards to tackling domestic violence in North Lincolnshire.

Members then engaged in a question and answer session with Jo Moxon and Lynne Devine.  It was concluded that it was necessary to obtain additional information from the Education Welfare Officer.

Resolved – (a) That Jo Moxon and Lynne Devine be thanked for their attendance and contribution at the meeting, (b) that the information received be noted, and (c) that Dave Basker, Head of Practice Children and Young People and Mary Mayfield, Principal Education Welfare Strategy Manager be invited to attend a sub-group meeting, to be arranged at a suitably convenient time.

(iii)  Discussion and questions with representatives from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service – The Chair welcomed Nick Tharratt, Station Manager Humberside Fire and Rescue to the meeting.  It was explained that the Service was responsible for carrying out assessment for target hardening properties occupied by victims of domestic violence.

Members engaged in discussion with Nick Tharratt over the budget implications of additional dispersed housing, what measures were taken to target harden properties, response times from the initial referral and also what properties were given priorities.

Resolved – (a)  That Nick Tharratt be thanked for his attendance and contribution at the meeting, and (b) that the information received be noted.

89  Future Sub-Group meetings – The Service Director Legal and Democratic advised the panel that the Probation Service had been contacted and it was envisaged that they would be able to attend the next scheduled meeting of the panel.

Further to Minute 88 (ii) of this panel, a sub group meeting would be arranged withDave Basker, Head of Practice Children and Young People and Mary Mayfield, Principal Education Welfare Strategy Manager and the date confirmed in due course.

Resolved – That the position be noted.

90  Next Stages of the Review – The Chair provided an oral update to the panel.

Resolved – That a draft copy of the report be circulated to panel members before the next scheduled meeting of the panel.

91  (2)  LEADER OF THE COUNCIL’S FORWARD PLAN – JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 2008 – The Service Director Legal and Democratic circulated the Leader of North Lincolnshire Council’s Forward Plan for June to September 2008.

The plan contained details of all matters and issues likely to be the subject of key decisions for a period of the next four months, updated on a monthly basis.  Members discussed various items on the Forward Plan.

Resolved – That the Leader of the Council’s Forward Plan for June to September 2008 be noted.

92  ADDED ITEM – There was no added item for discussion at this meeting.