Places Scrutiny Panel – 30 April 2012
Councillors Armitage, Clark, Collinson, Ellerby and Ogg.
The panel met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.
114 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) – There were no declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interests –
No whip was declared.
115 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of this panel held on 2 April 2012, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and signed by the chairman.
116 PUBLIC REQUESTS TO SPEAK – There were no requests received.
117 CABINET MEMBER AND SERVICE AREA PRIORITIES – The Chairman welcomed Councillor N Sherwood to the meeting, the council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Neighbourhood Services. 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.
Discussion centred around the following –
- Recent heavy rainfall and any flood incidents
- Forthcoming road works
- Speed limit review
- Traffic count numbers
Resolved – (a) That the oral update be noted, and (b) that the council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Neighbourhood Services be thanked for his attendance, oral update and for answering members’ questions.
118 (30) LOCAL ACTION TAKEN TO MANAGE FLOOD RISK IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – The Chairman welcomed Rob Beales, Rod Chapman and David Harrison to the meeting, the council’s Head of Better Routes, Asset Team Manager and Drainage and Bridges Engineer respectively to the meeting. Councillor Allcock was also in attendance as the council’s lead member for Highways, whose portfolio included drainage.
The council officers and lead member had been invited to update members on the progress being made in implementing the recommendations of the former Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Panel review into the ‘Local Action Taken to Manage Flood Risk in North Lincolnshire’. In addition, following Sir Michael Pitt’s 2008 review into the floods of 2007 and early 2008, he made two recommendations which were specific to council’s overview and scrutiny panels. Recommendation 91 stated that ‘each Oversight and Scrutiny Committee should prepare an annual summary of actions taken locally to manage flood risk and implement this Review, and these reports should be public and reviewed by Government Offices and the Environment Agency.”
Consequently, the panel was guided through the progress being made on all outstanding recommendations from the scrutiny panel report, as well as discussing all the flood prevention schemes which were either in progress, completed or due to start.
Members then engaged in a discussion with the council officers and lead member on a range of flood related issues.
Resolved – (a) That the council officers and Flood Forum partners be congratulated on the work undertaken and progress made in flood prevention in North Lincolnshire; (b) that the work undertaken in implementing the scrutiny panel recommendations by the council and Flood Forum partners be noted, and (c) that Rob Beales, Rod Chapman, David Harrison and Councillor Allcock be thanked for their attendance, oral update and for answering members’ questions.
119 (31) CO-ORDINATION OF THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK – The Director of Corporate and Community Services circulated the first draft of the panel’s report into the ‘co-ordination of the North Lincolnshire Neighbourhood Watch Network’.
Members discussed the report, before giving consideration to potential conclusions and recommendations.
Resolved –That the comments made by members be incorporated into the report, with a final version presented to members at its next meeting.
120 (32) POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONERS – BULLETIN NUMBER SIX – The Director of Corporate and Community Services circulated the Police and Crime Commissioners Policy Briefing Number 7 for members’ information.
In addition, members’ were informed that the Humberside Police and Crime Panel would be hosted by North East Lincolnshire Council
Resolved – That the information be noted.
121 DRUG AND ALCOHOL TRAINING – The Chairman informed the meeting that he had been invited to Shelford House by the Assistant Director Community Safety to tour the facility and learn a little more about the work of Safer Neighbourhoods.
As part of the visit, the Chairman had observed Safer Neighbourhoods delivering Substance Mis-use training to fellow practitioners.
Following the completion of the session, officers from Safer Neighbourhoods had offered an open invitation to members of the panel to participate in the Level 1 Basic Drug Awareness training course.
The Chairman then invited all members to comment on the invitation from Safer Neighbourhoods.
Resolved – That members accept the invitation to participate in the Level 1 Basic Drug Awareness training course, with a date and time to be agreed in the new Municipal Year.
122 COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR FUNDING – Councillor Collinson informed the meeting that following the implementation of the Cabinet Member decision on the aforementioned subject, he would like to invite the relevant officers to attend a future scrutiny panel meeting to inform members as to the implications of the decision.
The Director of Corporate and Community Services informed the panel that Community and Voluntary Sector funding would be discussed by the Corporate Scrutiny Panel at its meeting on 14 May 2012.
Members then engaged in a discussion on Councillor Collinson’s agenda item.
Resolved – That the Director of Corporate and Community Services write to the Chairman of the Corporate Scrutiny Panel, requesting that all scrutiny members be invited to the presentation on Community and Voluntary Sector Funding.
123 ADDED ITEM – There was no added item for consideration at the meeting.