Scrutiny Board Agenda
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To: The Chairman and Members of the Scrutiny Board (Councillors Pickard, Barber, Butcher, Davis, N Dirveiks, Forwood, Fowler, Fox, Freer, Johnston, Lewis, May, M Moss, Y Stanley, and Turley) For the information of other Members of the Council For general enquiries please contact Emma Humphreys or Amanda Tonks on 01827 719221 or via e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] For enquiries about specific reports please contact the officer named in the reports. This document can be made available in large print and electronic accessible formats if requested. SCRUTINY BOARD AGENDA 3 December 2012 The Scrutiny Board will meet in The Chamber at The Council House, South Street, Atherstone on Monday, 3 December 2012 at 6.30pm. AGENDA 1 Evacuation Procedure. 2 Apologies for Absence / Members away on official Council business. 3 Disclosable Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests. 4 Minutes of the Scrutiny Board held on 17 September 2012 (copy herewith) to be approved and signed by the Chairman. PART A – ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND DECISION (WHITE PAPERS) 5 Making North Warwickshire A Safer Place 2012/13 – Report of the Chief Executive Summary This report informs Members of the work of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership, highlights a North Warwickshire Overview document prepared for the Police and Crime Commissioner and an update on progress since December 2011. The report also requests Members to identify any areas for further investigation by the Scrutiny Board. The Contact Officer for this report is Robert Beggs (719238). 6 Changes to Democratic Arrangements – Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council Summary The report seeks to advise the Board of a recent report on the work of the Democratic Arrangements Task and Finish Group. The Contact Officer for this report is Steve Maxey (719438). 7 The Role of Scrutiny in the New Health Arrangements – Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council Summary The report seeks to update the Board of a number of developments in how scrutiny will operate in the new health arrangements. The Contact Officer for this report is Steve Maxey (719438). 8 Future Scrutiny Projects – Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council Summary This report seeks Members’ views on future topics for the Scrutiny Board. The Contact Officer for this report is Steve Maxey (719438). 9 Report of the Warwickshire County Council Bus Services Task and Finish Group – Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council Summary This report updates Members on the work of the Warwickshire County Council Bus Services Task and Finish Group. The Contact Officer for this report is Steve Maxey (719438). JERRY HUTCHINSON Chief Executive NORTH WARWICKSHIRE BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE SCRUTINY BOARD 17 September 2012 Present: Councillor Fowler in the Chair Councillors Barber, Butcher, Davis, N Dirveiks, Fox, Johnston, Lewis, May, Moore, M Moss, Y Stanley and Turley. An apology for absence was received from Councillor Pickard (Councillor Moore as substitute). Councillors Phillips and M Stanley were also in attendance. 8 Disclosable Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests None were declared at the meeting. 9 Minutes The minutes of the meetings held on 19 June 2012, a copy having been previously circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 10 Corporate Plan 2013/14 Key Corporate Issues The Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council advised the Board on initial thoughts regarding next year’s Corporate Plan. Members were invited to identify any key topics they would like to look at in more depth. Resolved: That the report be noted. 11 The Future of Scrutiny Arrangements The Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council advised the Board on a recent report considered by the Democratic Arrangements Task and Finish Group. Resolved: That the report and minutes be noted. 1 12 Future Scrutiny Projects The Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council sought Members’ views on future topics for the Scrutiny Board. Resolved: That a Sub-Group comprising the Chairman and Vice Chairman, together with one or two Members to be nominated by each Group, be formed to review the reporting and presentation of Performance Indicators. 13 Update on Health Scrutiny Work The Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council updated Members on the various Health Scrutiny workstreams that were currently being undertaken. Resolved: That the report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Council be noted. 14 Coleshill Leisure Centre - Consultation At the request of the Chairman the report was withdrawn. Chairman 2 Agenda Item No 5 Scrutiny Board 3 December 2012 Report of the Chief Executive Making North Warwickshire A Safer Place 2012/13 1 Summary 1.1 This report informs Members of the work of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership, highlights a North Warwickshire Overview document prepared for the Police and Crime Commissioner and an update on progress since December 2011. The report also requests Members to identify any areas for further investigation by the Scrutiny Board. Recommendation to the Board a That Members note the progress with the work areas of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership; b That Members note the North Warwickshire Overview prepared for the Police and Crime Commissioner; and c That Members identify any specific work areas of the partnership for further investigation. 2 Consultation 2.1 The Chairman of the Safer Communities Sub-Committee and the Opposition Spokesperson have been consulted on this report and any comments will be reported at the Scrutiny Board meeting. 3 Introduction 3.1 The Council is required to have a Committee that scrutinises the crime and disorder work of various organisations within the Borough. The Council has decided that this Committee will fulfil that requirement and that a number of additional members will be co-opted onto the Committee. 3.2 As a result therefore the following have been added to the Committee for this item: • The Chair of the Safer Communities Sub Committee and the opposition spokesperson. 5/1 2012/BR/005623 • Two representatives from the partner organisations within the Community Safety Partnership. • One representative from each of the Area Fora, to represent the Safer Neighbourhoods Police and Communities Together work that takes place at these. • Two Members from the People’s Panel. • A youth representative. 3.3 The Scrutiny Board for this purpose met last in December 2011 and this report provides an update on progress with the work areas of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership. … 3.4 Attached at Appendix A is a report taken to the Safer Communities Sub Committee on the 11 September 2012. The report provides an overview of the work of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership. The Partnership has been in place in its current form since 1998 and its primary aim is to Make North Warwickshire a Safer Place. The partnership includes representatives from North Warwickshire Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire Police Authority, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Warwickshire Probation Trust, Warwickshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team and other organisations. 4 North Warwickshire Overview 4.1 The report to the Safer Communities Sub Committee highlights the past successes of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership and some of the key challenges and issues for North Warwickshire to sustain reductions in crime and disorder. 4.2 Recorded crime levels have been reducing consistently in the Borough over recent years. However during 2011/12 the following results were achieved: • Violent crime 2.5% higher with 14 more victims • Domestic burglary 31% higher with 70 more victims • Vehicle crime 4.5 lower with 29 fewer victims • Anti social behaviour incidents 17% lower with 468 fewer incidents • Overall crime 6.7% higher with 236 more victims 4.3 Although the North Warwickshire Community Safety Partnership has seen successful reductions in a range of crime types since 2006/07 the 2011/12 year showed signs of an upward trend and North Warwickshire's overall crime increased by 236 crimes to 3758, a 6.7% increase. 4.4 The recording of anti social behaviour incidents changed during 2011/12 and therefore the comparison to 2010/11 is not a direct one. 5/2 2012/BR/005623 4.5 During April to October 2012/13 recorded crime levels are showing the following more positive position compared to 2011/12: • Violent crime 310 total to date down 16% • Domestic burglary 138 total to date down 25% • Theft from vehicles 259 total to date down 6% • Theft of vehicles 78 total to date down 18% • Anti social behaviour incidents 1379 total to date down 7% 4.6 The current decreases in recorded crime are very pleasing although the partnership is monitoring any emerging trends or spikes to ensure that appropriate interventions can be put in place. For example the borough is susceptible to cross border offenders and spikes in vehicle crime, domestic burglary and car key burglaries can occur regularly. 4.7 Crime prevention measures are being implemented in the areas that have been identified from analysis as being more at risk and offenders are actively monitored and subject to policing operations whenever possible. 5 Key Challenges and issues for North Warwickshire 5.1 The report to the Safer Communities Sub Committee highlighted a number of key challenges and issues for the borough. These included reliance on use of area based grant to fund community safety partnership interventions, how best to promote our case as a low crime area competing with demands from higher crime areas, the risk of a disproportionate fear of crime within local communities, the risk from cross border offending, a significant proportion of domestic abuse within our violent crime levels and spikes in domestic burglary often spread across the borough.