Meeting documents

• (Attachment: 1)Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016 be approved as a correct record, subject to the following addition to the second bullet point under minute 49, in place of the word “alongside”:

“in March, and it was requested that this be considered earlier by the Committee or the Budget Scrutiny Review Panel before”.
 

Committee Members: Councillors J.C.S. Essex (substituted by Councillor B. Truscott), D. Powell (substituted by Councillor Mrs. R. Absalom) and Mrs. D.A. Ross-Tomlin.

Other Members: Councillor C.T.H. Whinney.

Apologies were also received from Surrey County Councillor B. Gardner.
 

There were none.

The Committee agreed to take Items 4 and 5 as set out on the Agenda together, as the subject matter was interdependent. The Portfolio Holder Briefing was therefore received under minute 57 below.

• (Attachment: 2)Item 5: Annual Scrutiny of the work of the East Surrey Community Safety Partnership Report (251K/bytes)

The Chairman welcomed Councillor James Durrant (Executive Member for Licensing & Enforcement), Borough Commander Angie Austin and Neighbourhood Sergeant Leanne King of Surrey Police, Louise Round (Chief Executive of Tandridge District Council and Chair of the East Surrey Community Safety Partnership), and Surrey County Councillor Kay Hammond (Cabinet Associate for Community Safety Services) to the meeting. The Chairman also welcomed Tom Kealey (Head of Leisure & Wellbeing, and Head of Service with responsibility for Community Safety), and Ben Murray (Licensing & Regulation Manager) to the meeting.

As part of its statutory requirement to annually scrutinise the decisions and actions taken in connection with the discharge by the responsible authorities of their crime and disorder functions, the Committee had been provided with a report which was set out in two parts. Part A identified achievements against the priorities agreed by the East Surrey Community Safety Partnership (ESCSP) for 2015-16, whilst Part B set out activities carried out in the year to date at a local level within Reigate & Banstead.

Councillor James Durrant, Executive Member for Licensing & Enforcement, made a presentation to the Committee which set out the following:

• The range of responsibilities within the Licensing & Enforcement portfolio, which included Community Safety;
• A description of the ESCSP, its geographical boundaries, constituent bodies, responsibilities and operating arrangements;
• The priorities of the ESCSP for 2015/16 and some of the successes achieved to date;
• Activities undertaken which had been specifically focused in Reigate & Banstead; and
• Future activities, upcoming and anticipated changes, and challenges.

Borough Commander Angie Austin then provided a briefing to the Committee focusing on the local policing context, setting out some key high level crime statistics for the year to date and referring to the wide range of policing activities undertaken within the borough. Reference was also made to the forthcoming Policing in Your Neighbourhood (PIYN) changes, regarding which extensive Member and public engagement had already taken place. The Committee noted that details of Police Community Safety Officer (PCSO) assignments would be distributed to all Members.

Louise Round (Chief Executive of Tandridge District Council and Chair of the ESCSP), and Surrey County Councillor Kay Hammond (Cabinet Associate for Community Safety Services), also spoke to the Committee regarding the work of the ESCSP, particular successes of which included a piece of extended joint working to tackle fly tipping. The Committee heard that the combined ESCSP (formed in June 2014 and bringing together the former Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge and Mole Valley CSPs) was working well and still looking to improve, and had recently introduced a more local dimension to its meetings.

The Committee made comments and posed questions relating to the following:

• Young offenders and the important role of schools, the Police, Surrey County Council (SCC) Youth Services, and the Family Support Programme in carrying out early intervention work;
• Anti-social parking, particularly outside schools – it was noted that a number of Council, County Council and local initiatives were being used to try and combat this issue;
• The ways in which the Police and other bodies used learning from national and international reports such as the Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham. It was noted that in this particular case there had been risk indicators identified around lifestyle that were now being applied locally;
• The Committee noted that Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) was a major focus across Surrey at present, with a countywide improvement planning exercise having been undertaken. Particular points of focus were around missing children, awareness raising (especially amongst taxi drivers and the night time economy), and online safety.
• The relative use of 999, 101 and online reporting to Surrey Police and ongoing efforts to encourage the most appropriate use of each of these;
• Local Policing arrangements in relation to the Epsom Derby;
• Changes to CCTV following a local review to ensure compliance with Home Office guidance, and plans to utilise better quality, mobile technology in future. It was noted that the Portfolio Holder for Licensing & Enforcement was the first point of contact for Members on matters related to this;
• The Committee considered the importance of ensuring that community safety services were responsive to the needs and priorities of local residents, and noted a number of ways in which this was approached by the Council and its neighbouring authorities;
• The governance arrangements and allocation of funding within the ESCSP;
• The Committee heard that there was a will from Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Tandridge District Council to continue funding for the IRIS Project (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety), aimed at women experiencing domestic violence or abuse, in 2016/17.

The Committee noted that Surrey County Council had now completed a draft Strategic Assessment, which would provide the evidence to inform priority-setting for the 2016/17 East Surrey Community Safety Plan, and that this would be considered by the ESCSP at its next meeting in June.

RESOLVED that:

• All Members, Officers and guests be thanked for attending and for speaking to, and responding to questions from, the Committee.
 

• (Attachment: 3)Item 6: Quarterly Performance Report (Q3 October - December 2015) (186K/bytes)

The Committee received a quarterly report that detailed major variances on performance in relation to the Council’s Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Key Service Indicators covering the period up to December 2015. Three Internal Audit reports had also been completed within this reporting period.

The detailed performance information had been placed in the Overview and Scrutiny support area of the eMembers Room.

Questions and comments were made by the Committee regarding:

• The Committee were pleased to note the positive position on the Council’s revenue budget;
• The Committee noted that Car Parking charges had very recently been reviewed, with no plans for any further review in the immediate future;
• The Committee noted the major capital budget variances. With regard to the deferral of Waste Blueprint capital budget to the next financial year, reflecting the operational implementation of the flats kerbside collection service, it was suggested that liaison with Woking Borough Council could be undertaken;
• The Committee was advised that appropriate management action was being taken to address the Amber/Green rating on a Fleet Management internal audit.

The Committee received, as part of the quarterly report, the proposed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 2016/17. It was noted that the KPIs had been selected from a wider basket of operational indicators that would be monitored by the Management Team and reported to Executive Portfolio Holders.

In order to provide a full performance management context, the report also included previously approved Economic Indicators and Five Year Plan Success Measures, to be reported as part of the performance framework.

The Committee also received the proposed Strategic Risk Registers for 2016/17, noting that operational risks were agreed and monitored by the Management Team.

RESOLVED that:

• the performance information for the third quarter of the year 2015/16 be noted;
• that the Key Performance Indicators and Strategic Risks for 2016/17 be noted; and
• no observations be made to the Executive.
 

It was reported that there were no items arising from the Executive that might be subject to the ‘call-in’ procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

None.