Items
| No. |
Item |
69. |
Apologies
Minutes:
An apology for absence was received from
Councillor K. A. Grant-Pearce.
|
70. |
Declarations of Interest and Whipping Arrangements
Minutes:
There were no declarations of interest or
whipping arrangements.
|
71. |
Minutes  PDF 69 KB
Minutes:
The Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board
held on 19th November 2912 were submitted.
RESOLVED that the minutes be
approved as a correct record.
|
72. |
CCTV Shared Service - Presentation on the Role of the CCTV Team
Minutes:
The Board received a presentation from the
CCTV and Telecare Manager, which had
been requested following the completion of an Overview and Scrutiny
Topic Proposal, by Councillor S. R. Colella. The presentation covered the following areas:
- Details of the team, staffing levels
and the areas which the team were involved in (including CCTV,
Lifeline monitoring and installations, lone worker monitoring and
emergency planning).
- The Council’s CCTV Scheme
objectives and code of practice (which, although due for review,
had been put on hold due to the implementation of new
legislation).
- The benefits of a shared service and
the role of the host authority, together with the difficulties
which had been faced during this process.
- Partnership working, including
details of how the CCTV team supported those partners, in
particular the Police and the Community Safety Team.
- Routine CCTV functions and the
particular areas of interest during the day and evening, for
example shop lifters and suspicious behaviour during the day and at
night anti-social behaviour in parks and railway station and
drunken or lewd behaviour.
The CCTV and Telecare Manager provided Members with details of
the number of cameras throughout the district, together with the
number at specific locations (for example the railway station) and
statistics relating to incidents monitored and investigated,
including information in respect of intelligence received from
partners.
Following the presentation the Board discussed
the following areas and the CCTV and Telecare Manager responded to questions from
Members:
- The work undertaken on behalf of the
Police and whether the Police made any contribution towards the
cost of the service provided – it was confirmed that funding
was not provided by the Police.
- Specific incidents (in some cases
repeated incidents within the same area) which had not been picked
up by the CCTV team and the effect of the Shared Services on the
efficiency of the team.
- The priorities of the team –
it was confirmed that a Lifeline call would always take priority
due to the potential of it being a “life or death”
situation.
- Staffing levels at peak times
(including shift pattern planning and how this was determined) and
training received by the CCTV team – all members of the team
undertook initial training and were registered. An annual audit of the service was also carried
out by Telecare.
- The type of cameras and equipment
used – the CCTV and Telecare
Manager informed Members that the system was approximately
2½ years old and was fully
digitalised. However, when providing
evidence for the Police this was copied on to DVDs which were
provided by the Police.
- The effectiveness of CCTV as a
monitoring tool and any performance measures which were in
place.
- Feedback from the Police in order to
monitor the effectiveness of evidence provided – the CCTV and
Telecare Manager was reviewing how this
could be improved, but in the meantime agreed to contact the
Community Safety Team Analyst to enquire whether there was any
appropriate data available.
- The response time to calls received
– it ...
view the full minutes text for item 72.
|
73. |
The Living Wage - Investigation Request Report PDF 52 KB
Minutes:
The Chairman reminded Members that this had
been brought before the Board following a requested made at the
full Council meeting held on 21st November 2012. It was understood that the Group Leaders had
already met with the Chief Executive in respect of employees wages
and those discussions were nearing a satisfactory
conclusion. Members discussed the
following areas in more detail:
- Any legal requirements by the
Council to implement the “living wage”
- Whether this would apply to
contractors employed by the Council and if so, how this would be
monitored. The Financial Services
Manager informed Members that this could potentially be done
through the procurement process when negotiating future contracts,
but it would be difficult to impose this on current
contractors.
- Members discussed whether it was
appropriate for the Board to make comment/recommendations on the
implementation of this scheme.
RESOLVED
that further information be requested from a relevant source in
respect of the areas discussed before the Board decide whether
further investigation is required.
|
74. |
Quarter 2 Finance Monitoring Report PDF 160 KB
Minutes:
The Board considered the Quarter 2 Finance
Monitoring Report. The Financial
Services Manager informed Members that this was broken down into
service areas and the Heads of Service were asked to complete the
financial commentary section. The main
areas of variance in respect of shortfall in income were Car
Parking, Building Control and Waste (which related to trade waste
and cesspools). In respect of treasury
management, the Financial Services Manager informed Members that
this was due to lower income than expected from investments, which
would be reviewed shortly. The variance
within the capital programme was largely due to delays to the
Parkside project which would be utilized in 2014.
The Board discussed the following areas in
detail:
- The shortfall in car parking income
– possible reasons for this and actions being taken to
mitigate the loss.
- The loss of income in respect of
trade waste and whether this service was a statutory duty of the
Council. Officers informed Members that
a review of this service was currently being undertaken in order to
promote the service, which would include the feasibility of the
collection of trade waste being carried out by outside
contractors.
- Members were informed that, as part
of the transformation process, efficiencies and route optimisation
for household waste were being reviewed and the savings from that
work would be picked up in future reports.
- A previous incident of fraud at the
depot had been investigated by the Audit Board and the Executive
Director, Leisure, Environmental and Community Services confirmed
to Members that the investigation report had been endorsed by the
Audit Board together with the lessons learnt and all necessary
actions had now been taken to ensure such an incident did not
happen again.
- The inclusion of any cost for bed
and breakfast accommodation within the report – officers to
clarify the inclusion of this as a separate item in future
reports.
- The reduction in the level of
sponsorship – the Financial Services Manager informed Members
that further profiling on this element of the budget would be
undertaken, which would clarify the position in the Quarter 3
report.
- Members were informed that the
current underspend on play areas was
due to the majority of scheduled maintenance work being carried out
in the autumn/winter months (when use of the areas was at a lower
level).
- Members requested confirmation of
when the “hardship” fund payments would be made and the
criteria that needed to be met in order to receive such a
payment.
RESOLVED
that the Board receive a report detailing the trade waste
review.
|
75. |
Quarter 2 Write Off of Debts Report PDF 81 KB
Minutes:
The Board considered the Quarter 2 Monitoring
of Write Offs Report and were informed by the Financial Services
Manager that this was provided for noting only.
Members discussed the following areas in
detail and officers were asked to provide further information on
several points:-
- In respect of the write off of
Sundry Debtors as detailed on page 26 of the agenda, Members
requested a breakdown to include the number of debtors and
transactions.
- Members noted the length of time
taken in some cases to recover Council Tax arrears and the
Financial Services Manager explained that these were recovered in
various ways, for example through benefit payments or through an
attachment of earnings. In either case
the amount recovered, often on a weekly basis, was minimal and
therefore it could take a considerable time to recover the
debt.
- Members discussed the debt support
which was given to residents and the work of the Citizens Advice
Bureau.
- In respect of the aged debt profile
Members asked whether this was similar to the previous years and
officers agreed to provide comparative data.
RESOLVED
that the Quarter 2 Monitoring of Write Offs Report be
noted.
|
76. |
Overview & Scrutiny Topic Proposal Report - Community Safety Team PDF 50 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Members were asked to consider a topic
proposal which had been put forward by Mr. P. Rowbottom and which
referred to work carried out by the Community Safety
Team. The Chairman of the Board
confirmed that, as the Chairman of Hagley Parish Council, he had knowledge of both Mr.
Rowbottom and the issues which he had raised.
Members agreed that, in the circumstances, it
would be appropriate for the Community Safety Team to be asked to
provide further information before the Board made a decision on
this topic.
RESOLVED
that information be requested from a relevant source before the
Board considers whether further investigation is
required.
|
77. |
Youth Provision Task Group - Verbal Update
Minutes:
Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths provided
Members with an update of the work of the Task Group to date.
- The first meeting of the Task Group
had been held on 5th December and concentrated on work
planning. Officers had been tasked with
providing further information and setting up various meetings and
site visits, including the Ryland Centre, the Trunk, Woodrush Youth
Club and the Lounge in Alvechurch.
- Further meeting held on 13th
December when the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services
was interviewed.
- The Task Group would be visiting the
Artrix Centre on 18th December to
interview the Artistic Director in respect of working with young
people.
- A press release would shortly be
issued which would include an invitation to young people to put
forward their views and experiences.
- All Councillors had been asked to
provide the Task Group with details of activities for young people
that they were aware of within their own Ward.
It was anticipated that the Task Group’s
draft report would be presented to the Board meeting to be held on
22nd April 2013.
|
78. |
Air Quality Task Group - Verbal update
Minutes:
Councillor S. P. Shannon informed Members that
the first meeting of the Air Quality Task Group had taken place on
4th December when it had discussed work planning and set future
meeting dates.
- A press release had been issued and
appeared on the Bromsgrove Advertiser website on 12th
December. This had included an
invitation to residents to put forward their views and
experiences. Several responses had
already been received from residents in the Hagley area.
- Meetings had been arranged for 9th
and 15th January and the Senior Practitioner, Pollution Team at
Worcestershire Regulatory Services and a representative from the
Public Transport Team at Worcestershire County Council had agreed
to attend, together with the Council’s Climate Change
Manager.
- The Parish Councils had also shown
an interest in participating in the investigation and their role
would be explored further at a future meeting.
It was anticipated that the Task Group’s
draft report would be considered at the Board meeting to be held on
26th March 2013.
|
79. |
Worcestershire County Council Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee PDF 134 KB
(Minutes of meeting held on 6th November 2012
attached. Meeting planned for 7th
December 2012 has been cancelled.)
Minutes:
Councillor Dr. B. T. Cooper, the
Council’s representative on the Worcestershire County Council
Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), informed Members
that the meeting due to have been held on 7th December 2012 had
been cancelled. The reason given for
this was that the Joint Service Review would be issuing a press
release on Tuesday 18th December 2012, which would provide an
update on the next stage of the Joint
Service Review.
|
80. |
Actions List PDF 54 KB
Minutes:
Officers informed Members that updates had now
been provided on all outstanding items, with the exception of the
item in respect of the Joint Service Review. It was confirmed that actions arising from this
meeting would be included within the list.
|
81. |
Cabinet Work Programme - 1st January to 30th April 2013 PDF 278 KB
Minutes:
The Board considered the Cabinet Work
Programme of key decision for the period 1st January to 30th April
2013. Officers informed Members that
the Fees and Charges formed part of the budget process.
It was noted that the Playing Pitch Strategy,
which Members were informed had been discussed at the Youth
Provision Task Group, was due before Cabinet on 6th February
2013.
RESOLVED
that the Youth Provision Task Group consider the Play Pitch
Strategy as part of its investigation.
|
82. |
Overview and Scrutiny Board Work Programme PDF 74 KB
Minutes:
Members noted that an informal briefing,
focusing on the budget would take place on 8th January 2013,
commencing at 5.00 p.m. as this was a briefing session, it was
confirmed that this was not a public meeting.
RESOLVED that the Work
Programme be noted.
|
83. |
To consider any other business, details of which have been notified to the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services prior to the commencement of the meeting and which the Chairman, by reason of special circumstances, considers to be of so urgent a nature that it cannot wait until the next meeting.
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