northlincs.gov.uk

Places Scrutiny Panel – 17 July 2013

MINUTES

PRESENT:  Councillor Evison in the chair.

Councillors Carlile, T Foster, Oldfield and Wells.

The panel met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

281  DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS (IF ANY) – The following members declared an interest –

No whip was declared.

282  MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of this panel held on 12 June 2013, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and signed by the chairman.

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

284  CABINET MEMBER AND SERVICE AREA PRIORITIES – The Chairman welcomed Councillor C Sherwood to the meeting, the council’s Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport and Leisure.  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 –

• An update on the isolated vandalism issues at the Pods.
• Re-surfacing of the Boulevard Walk
• Installation of the climbing wall at the Pods.
• The success of the Disability Summer Games held at the Pods.
• £570,000 Grants awarded to 87 groups as part of Community Grant Fund.
• A bid has been submitted for North Lincolnshire to host a ‘leg’ of the British Road Race Championship.
• Quibell Park grandstand to be demolished and replaced with a new clubhouse.
• Crosby Local Link to open up inside the Citizen Advice Bureau offices on Oswald Road.
• Mobile Library service now operating its three week cycle.  Initial feedback was positive.
• Bottesford Library was to be located to a council owned building.
• Council offices were to consider improvements to its telephone system, in particular the voice mail facility.
• The Police and Crime Commissioner had awarded the council £87,000 Positive Future Funding.

Following the update, the Chairman invited members to question the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport and Leisure.

Resolved – (a) That the oral update be noted, and (b) that the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport and Leisure be thanked for his attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions.

285  (8)  OPERATIONAL POLICY FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH – The Chairman welcomed Stuart Minto, the council’s Head of Safer Neighbourhoods to the meeting.  Mr Minto had been invited to discuss the recently developed Operational Policy for Neighbourhood Watch in North Lincolnshire.

The Operational Policy had been drafted as a result of one of the recommendations arising from this scrutiny panel’s review into Neighbourhood Watch in North Lincolnshire.  The recommendation centred around the development of an overarching protocol for Neighbourhood Watch setting out the key policies on the creation, management and support of the Neighbourhood Watch Network.

The Operational Policy had been circulated to all key partners for comment, as well as being formally endorsed by the Safer Neighbourhoods Strategy Board.

Following Mr Minto’s oral presentation, the Chairman facilitated a discussion between the scrutiny panel and Head of Safer Neighbourhoods.

Resolved – That the Operational Policy for Neighbourhood Watch in North Lincolnshire be endorsed and circulated to all partners and stakeholders.

286  SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS STRUCTURE – The Chairman invited the Head of Safer Neighbourhoods to update members on a number of work streams, including –

• An update on the staffing review
• Future of Area Action Teams
• An update on Offender Location Monitoring.

Following Mr Minto’s oral presentation, the Chairman facilitated a discussion between the scrutiny panel and Head of Safer Neighbourhoods.

Resolved – (a) That the oral update be noted and received with thanks, and (b) that members receive a presentation at a future meeting on Offender Location Monitoring.

287  (9)  ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, CRIME AND POLICING BILL 2013 – The Director of Policy and Resources circulated policy briefings from the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) and Local Government Association (LGA) which highlighted the key issues affecting councils raised in the second reading of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill 2013.

Members also considered an LGiU policy briefing on the findings from the four areas that tested ‘the community trigger’ as part of the Empowering Communities, Protecting victims: the community trigger trials.

Resolved – That the LGiU and LGA policy briefings be noted.

288  CONSIDERATION OF WORK PROGRAMME Members discussed their future work programme and priorities for the 2013/14 municipal year.

Resolved – That members commence a review into ‘partners approach to tackling Domestic Abuse’.

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