Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2023 be approved and signed.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of any substitute Members in accordance with the Constitution.

Apologies were received from Councillor Hinton with Councillor Harp substituting.

Apologies were also received from Mari Roberts-Wood, Managing Director, with Frank Etheridge, Strategic Head of Neighbourhood Services, representing the Management Team.

To receive any Declarations of Interest (including the existence and nature of any Party Whip).

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive presentations from the Borough Commander for Reigate and Banstead, the Portfolio Holder for Community Partnerships, and the CEO of East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (ESDAS), and to review the work of the Reigate and Banstead Community Safety Partnership in 2022.

The Chair welcomed Councillor Ashford, Executive Portfolio Holder for Community Partnerships, Borough Commander Inspector Alex Maguire, and Michelle Blunsom, CEO of East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services, to the meeting.

The Committee received a presentation on policing in the borough from Surrey Police Borough Commander for Reigate and Banstead, Inspector Alex Maguire, focussing mainly on the work concerning domestic abuse, protecting the most vulnerable from harm, empowering communities to feel safe and tackling anti-social behaviour.

The presentation used was an updated version of that published in the agenda pack, in order to show the most up to date figures. The presentation used at the meeting can be found here:

Document Follow Up Questions from OSC 23 February 2023 | Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (moderngov.co.uk)

Members asked questions and discussed the following issues:

Domestic Abuse – Members commented that resources had been committed to tackling domestic abuse and asked what return was expected on the resources. It was confirmed that ideally the solved rate would be increased to 15% and that increases in successful prosecution at court, cautions issued, and the number of victims engaging with other services, would also be measures of success.

Members asked what contribution is made towards decreasing the rate of domestic abuse and harm. It was confirmed that specific periods of time had been identified for higher incidences of domestic abuse and that the Police increase their activities during this time period. A holistic approach is offered through partner working with East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services (ESDAS).

Members observed that the number of domestic abuse cases resulting in prosecution is significantly lower than the number of cases reported and asked what is the outcome of violent domestic abuse cases that are not solved. It was reported that although a criminal justice finalisation was not always the outcome, every domestic abuse investigation would involve work engaging with victims and signposting them to support agencies.

Members asked how domestic abuse cases which are subsequently withdrawn are reported. Such cases would still be recorded as an offence and each case would be reviewed by the CPS who would consider whether there was sufficient evidence to charge, and even without the victim’s support, CPS would consider whether they could proceed with a prosecution.

Protecting the Most Vulnerable from Harm – Members asked how many offenders move to another area following the issue of a Community Protection Notice. In the last 12 months, 40 Criminal Protection Warnings (CPW) and 6 Community Protection Notices (CPN) had been issued. One person had received a CPW and CPN for Redhill and had later received a CPW for Reigate, due to their actions in Reigate. However, after being issued with a CPW, a person will subsequently be arrested and fined every time they enter the specified area and this usually prohibits them from doing so; it has been noticed that many of the people receiving CPWs and CPNs in an area, usually decide to do other things, such as move away or stay  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

To consider and agree any changes to the schedule for Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Forward Work Programme 2022/23, to consider possible items for scrutiny in the Forward Work Programme for 2023/24, and to consider the Action Tracker from the previous meeting.

The Committee received the Overview & Scrutiny Forward Work Programme.

Committee members were asked to submit their suggestions for additional topics for scrutiny for the 2023/24 forward work programme to the Chair or Vice-Chair as soon as possible.

It was confirmed that the Review of the work of the Greenspaces Team, which had been postponed due to the vacancy for a Countryside Manager, would be added to the forward work programme for 2023/24 and would be discussed as early as possible, subject to the recruitment of a new Countryside Manager.

Members questioned whether there would be details of a plan and a financial strategy within the Leisure and Culture Strategy which would be presented at the March Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting. It was confirmed by the Chair that the Leisure & Culture Strategy would be a high-level strategy document and that Overview & Scrutiny Committee would have the opportunity to make recommendations to Executive and would be able to request a further report once the strategy had been out in place.

Although Community Infrastructure Levy recommendations would not be received by Overview & Scrutiny Committee, once the recommendations have been published, Committee members would have the opportunity to approach Executive Members and to attend the Executive meeting to discuss the recommendations.

It was agreed that the Leisure & Culture Strategy and the CIL SIP Assessment Process should appear early on the agenda for the March meeting.

It was noted that one action remained open from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on 12 October 2022, and the Chair requested that full responses are provided by officers in a more timely fashion.

It was agreed that three items on the action tracker relating to Commercial Assets and Asset (Re)development should remain open as full responses had not yet been received.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the Overview & Scrutiny Forward Work Programme and the Action Tracker.

To consider any items arising from the Executive which might be subject to the ‘call-in’ procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution.

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 Rule.

To consider any item(s) which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency - Local Government Act 1972, Section 100B(4)(b).

(NOTE: Under the Committee and Sub-Committee Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution, items of urgent business must be submitted in writing but may be supplemented by an oral report.)

There was no urgent business.