Agenda, decisions and minutes


Venue: Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, OX15 4AA

Contact: Emma Faulkner / Lesley Farrell, Democratic and Elections  Email: emma.faulkner@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk, 01327 322043 / Email: lesley.farrell@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk, 01295 221591

Items
No. Item

26.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

27.

Urgent Business

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

 

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

28.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 204 KB

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2018.

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 September 2018 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

29.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive communications from the Chairman.

 

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

30.

Show and Tell - Community Safety pdf icon PDF 177 KB

Jane Carr, Executive Director - Wellbeing

Nicola Riley, Assistant Director - Communities

Colin Wilderspin, Interim Community Safety Manager

 

Attached for information is a briefing note on Community Safety, and the Community Safety Partnership Strategy.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the Community Safety presentation be noted.

 

(2)       That a Community Safety update in 12 months be added to the work programme.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Chief Inspector Emma Garside, the Executive Director; Wellbeing, The Assistant Director; Communities and the Interim Community Safety Manager to the meeting.

 

The Interim Community Safety Manager gave a presentation to the Committee giving details of the current work and challenges of community safety in the Cherwell District.

 

The presentation included information on Cherwell District Councils’ Statutory responsibilities and current challenges such as Organised Crime, Street Gangs and County Lines.

 

Chief Inspector Garside gave a verbal update on the perspective of the police force and their work with regards to community safety in the district.

 

The Chief Inspector explained that ‘Stronghold’, the Thames Valley’s response to Serious and Organised Crime and commitment to fighting organised crime with a shared partnership approach, aims to increase awareness with front line staff, partner agencies, business and third sector within our communities through education, enforcement and community activity.

 

In response to Members concerns regarding the initial response time of the 111 call centre, the Chief Inspector explained that she was aware of the problem and online reporting of non-urgent crime was now available and would improve efficiency in the call centre.

 

In response to questions from the Committee on “cuckooing”, where drug dealers take over the homes of vulnerable people in exchange for free drugs, the Interim Community Safety Manager explained that leaflets were available to help recognition of vulnerable people open to “cuckooing” and would be circulated to Members for their information and reference.

 

In the course of the discussion, Members commented on the lack of youth provision and designated youth workers in the district. The Interim Community Safety Manager explained that a lot of multi-agency work was being carried out for the prevention of crime. Safeguarding was a priority and funding was available from the Police and Crime Commissioner for drama workshops in schools which were having very positive results. The arrangements in place were working but the measures had not been in place for sufficient time to give comparisons.

 

The Assistant Director Communities suggested that this item come back to Committee in 12 months when more information would be available.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That the Community Safety presentation be noted.

 

(2)       That a Community Safety update in 12 months be added to the work programme.

 

31.

Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board/Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adult Board Section 11 Review and Endorsement pdf icon PDF 219 KB

Report of Executive Director – Wellbeing

 

Purpose of report

 

To provide the committee with an opportunity to note and endorse the draft Cherwell District Council Section 11 return ahead of its submission to the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB).

 

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

 1.1        To note and endorse the Cherwell District Council Section 11 return to be submitted alongside a summary of the outcomes of a practitioner survey carried out on front line staff (appendix 1) and a summary of safeguarding training (appendix 2).

 

Additional documents:

Decision:


Resolved

 

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

 

(2)       That the Cherwell District Council Section 11 return be endorsed for submission alongside a summary of the outcomes of a practitioner survey carried out on front line staff and a summary of safeguarding training.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Wellbeing which gave details of the draft Cherwell District Council Section 11 return ahead of its submission to the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB).

 

In response to Members’ comments regarding the number of councillors who had completed the Safeguarding training, the Assistant Director, Communities confirmed that if Members provided copies of certificates of the Home Office e-learning Prevent Training completed through their employment, figures in the report would be adjusted to reflect this.  The Safeguarding Officer confirmed that a training seminar was scheduled for 7 February 2019 on safeguarding which would also cover Prevent training.


Resolved

 

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

 

(2)       That the Cherwell District Council Section 11 return be endorsed for submission alongside a summary of the outcomes of a practitioner survey carried out on front line staff and a summary of safeguarding training.

32.

Monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report - September 2018 pdf icon PDF 854 KB

Report of Assistant Director – Performance and Transformation and Assistant Director – Finance and Procurement

 

Purpose of report

 

This report summarises the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring position as at the end of each month.

 

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

 1.1        To note the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report.

 

1.2       To note that the Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report is considered by Executive on a monthly basis.

 

1.3       To review and comment on the performance update for September (Appendix 2) and identify any areas for further consideration by the Executive.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the monthly Performance, Risk and finance Monitoring report be noted.

 

(2)       That it be noted that the Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring was considered by Executive on a monthly basis.

 

(3)       That having reviewed the performance update for September no areas for further consideration by the Executive be identified.

 

Minutes:

The Assistant Director: Performance and Transformation presented a report summarising the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring position as at the end of September 2018.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That the monthly Performance, Risk and finance Monitoring report be noted.

 

(2)       That it be noted that the Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring was considered by Executive on a monthly basis.

 

(3)       That having reviewed the performance update for September no areas for further consideration by the Executive be identified.

 

33.

Work Programme - 2018-2019 pdf icon PDF 339 KB

Democratic and Elections Officers will give an update on progress regarding subjects raised at previous Committee meetings (appendix 1, attached).

 

The Committee to consider the work programme 2018/2019 (appendix 2, attached).

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That, as agreed at agenda item 5, Community Safety be added to the work programme for 2019/2020.

 

(2)       That Youth Provision be added to the topics to be considered in 2019/2020

 

(3)       That the Customer Service Improvement Project be added to the work programme for 26 March 2019 meeting.

 

(4)       That consideration of the draft Housing Strategy following consultation be added to the work programme under items to be allocated at the appropriate time.

 

(5)       That subject to resolutions 1,2,3 and 4 the work programme be noted.

Minutes:

The Democratic and Elections Officers gave an update on the status of topics suggested for potential scrutiny review.  Following the presentation given on Community Safety, an update of community safety in 12 months was added to the work programme and Youth Provision was added to the potential topics for scrutiny review. 

 

The Democratic and Elections Officer advised Members that officers had requested that the Customer Services Improvement Plan and Draft Housing Strategy be added to the Work Programme for 2019/2020.  The Committee endorsed both requests.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That, as agreed at agenda item 5, Community Safety be added to the work programme for 2019/2020.

 

(2)       That Youth Provision be added to the topics to be considered in 2019/2020

 

(3)       That the Customer Service Improvement Project be added to the work programme for 26 March 2019 meeting.

 

(4)       That consideration of the draft Housing Strategy following consultation be added to the work programme under items to be allocated at the appropriate time.

 

(5)       That subject to resolutions (1), (2), (3) and (4) the work programme be noted.

34.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following item contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

 

3– Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

Members are reminded that whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

 

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to resolve as follows:

 

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

 

 

 

Minutes:

Resolved

 

(1)       That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provision of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraphs 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

35.

Update on Castle Quay

Adele Taylor, Interim Executive Director – Finance and Governance and Chris Hipkiss, Interim Property Investment Manager, will give an exempt presentation updating the Committee on the Castle Quay project.

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the exempt presentation be noted.

Minutes:

The Interim Property Investment Manager, Regeneration and Estates gave an exempt presentation and update on Castle Quay. Members asked a number of questions to which answers were duly provided.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That the exempt presentation be noted.