Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and reminded the Board that there would be a two-minute silence at 11 am to mark Remembrance Day.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting. In relation to the item entitled, ‘Progress Review: Consultation on the Police and Crime Plan’, Councillor J Jarosz drew the Board’s attention to her position as Chair of the Youth Offending Partnership (Minute No. 49 refers).

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Bentley and Councillors N Buckley and G Hyde, with Councillors M Robinson and C Towler in attendance as substitutes.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2013.

Further to minute no. 39 in relation to tracking the fuel poverty inquiry recommendations, the Board referred to recent announcements made by energy companies to increase prices up to 10 per cent and expressed its concern that such increases would put further pressure on fuel bills.  The Board requested that the next fuel poverty tracking report reflects the potential impacts of such price increases.

RESOLVED –

(a) That the minutes of the meeting held on 21st October 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

(b) That the potential impacts of recent fuel price increases are reflected within the next fuel poverty tracking report.

To consider and provide a response to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s stakeholder consultation on how the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan is currently working.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development referred to the recent consultation launched by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to gain feedback from stakeholders and partners on how the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan 2013-2018 is currently working.

The Commissioner’s consultation document ‘Progress Review: The Police and Crime Plan’ was attached to this report, along with a full version of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan 2013-2018. 

The following were in attendance for this item:

-  Councillor Peter Gruen, Executive Board Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning and Support Services

-  Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Housing

-  Keith Gilert, Chief Officer Community Safety.

In consideration of the consultation document, the Scrutiny Board agreed to provide a more general response to the consultation. However, Board Members were encouraged to also respond individually to the questions set out within the consultation document in terms of reflecting on how the Plan has made an impact within their own localities.

The key points raised during the Board’s discussion were as follows:

·  Acknowledging that the relationship with West Yorkshire Police remains strong and that the Safer Leeds Partnership continues to work positively and proactively together.

·  That whilst the Safer Leeds Partnership has developed a good relationship with the Police and Crime Commissioner, this has not necessarily added to the commitment already demonstrated by the Partnership in responding to the community safety priorities of the city, as set out in the Safer Leeds Strategy.

·  Members referred to the Commissioner’s commitment towards Neighbourhood Policing, as set out in the Police and Crime Plan, and emphasised the importance of the Commissioner maintaining this commitment.

·  Acknowledging the important role of the Commissioner in supporting victims, particularly victims of serious sexual offences, and the associated links in terms of promoting greater public confidence in the broader criminal justice system.

·  The Commissioner’s on-going commitment in working closely with the Youth Offending Partnership.

·  The importance of the Commissioner continuing to consult effectively with partners and the public to better inform and deliver effective services.

·  The valuable role of volunteers, including special constables.

·  The need for further clarity in terms of the evidential data to support the narrative in future Plans.

RESOLVED – That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser, in liaison with the Chair, provides a general response to the Commissioner’s consultation to reflect the Board’s discussion today.

To consider the report of the Director of Environment and Housing setting out the position at Quarter 2 in relation to the performance areas that fall within the Director of Environment and Housing’s responsibilities.

The report of the Director of Environment and Housing presented a new way of reporting performance which reflected the outcomes of discussions between the Director and the Scrutiny Board.  The new quarterly highlight report referred to the position at Quarter 2 in relation to the performance areas that fall within the Director of Environment and Housing’s responsibilities.

The following were in attendance for this item:

-  Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Housing

-  Debra Scott, Head of Performance and Service Review.

In consideration of this report, the following issues were discussed:

·  Missed bin collections – Members acknowledged that work is on-going to assess and improve data quality and performance monitoring around missed bin collections.  Issues were also raised around effective workforce management during peak service times.

·  Consultation and engagement with refuse staff – it was noted that Supervisors meet more regularly with crews and improvements have also been made in terms of appraisal and staff development processes.  Particular reference was also made to the significant benefits arising from the input received from collection crews in rolling out alternate weekly collections of residual and recyclable waste.

·  Tonnage to landfill (domestic waste only) – it was noted that reference to the 142,000t was the minimum target associated with tonnage to landfill performance.

·  Recycling rates and comparisons with other core cities.

·  Household Waste Sorting Sites – Members were pleased to note the programme of staff development and support aimed at enabling staff to engage more proactively with the public and provide assistance at sites.

·  Fly-tipping and bulky waste – issues were raised around improving service responses to fly-tipping and collecting bulky waste.

The Board was reminded that in addition to receiving a quarterly highlight report, Members had also asked for separate more detailed alternate quarterly reports covering the Safer and Stronger aspects of the Board’s remit from the Directors of Environment and Housing and Citizens and Communities.  It was therefore agreed that the next performance report would focus on the Safer aspect of the Board’s remit.

RESOLVED –

(a) That the Scrutiny Board continues with the format of the quarterly highlight report and notes the content of the Quarter Two performance position.

(b) That the next quarterly highlight performance report will also include a separate more detailed report covering the Safer aspects of the Board’s remit.

To consider the Board’s work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the Board’s latest work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year. 

The Chair highlighted that a report on the provision of the bulky waste service will now be brought to the Board’s December meeting.

In relation to Scrutiny of the initial 2014/15 budget proposals relevant to the Board’s remit, the Chair confirmed that this would be undertaken via a working group meeting in December and also during the Board’s January meeting.

Reference was also made to the request that had been made by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel back in July to have a coordinated review undertaken by the five West Yorkshire Scrutiny Committees on the role, number and targeting of PCSOs in West Yorkshire (Minute No. 26 refers).  The Chair reported that whilst the timeline for all Scrutiny Boards to report their findings to the Panel is still yet to be determined, the Scrutiny Board has agreed to undertake work immediately via a working group meeting to enable initial views from Scrutiny to also be considered as part of the budget setting process for 2014/15.  This would then dovetail into the wider piece of work requested by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel. 

RESOLVED –

(a) That the Board’s work schedule be updated to reflect the above additional pieces of work.

(b) That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser liaises with Board Members to confirm details of the working group meetings relating to the work around PCSOs and the initial 2014/15 budget proposals relevant to the Board’s remit.

Monday, 9 December 2013 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds (Pre-meeting for Board Members at 9.30am)

Monday, 9 December 2013 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 a.m.)

(The meeting concluded at 11.20 am).