Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Cutkelvin (Chair) and Councillor Desai.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this time.

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Committee held on 3^rd September are attached, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

It was noted that Councillor Sood (Assistant City Mayor, Community Involvement, Partnerships and Equalities) was present at the meeting and that her attendance had been omitted from the Minutes.

RESOLVED:

that, subject to the addition of Councillor Sood’s attendance, the minutes of the meeting of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission held on 3 September 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

In accordance with Council procedures, it was reported that no Petitions had been received by the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer to report the receipt of any Questions, Representations and Statements of Case submitted in accordance with Council procedures.

In accordance with Council procedures, it was reported that no Questions, Representations or Statements of Case had been received by the Monitoring Officer.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presents a report, requested by the Scrutiny Commission, on the Noise Control Service that details staffing levels over the last 5 years. Information is also provided in relation to the hours the noise monitoring service operates currently.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presented a report which provided information on the Noise Control Service and detailed staffing levels over the past five years.  Information was also provided in relation to the hours the Service currently operated.

The Assistant City Mayor (Neighbourhood Services) was invited to comment on the report.  In presenting the report particular comment was made on the investigation of complaints and the formal action which was taken against perpetrators once persistent noise nuisances were witnessed.  It was noted that this action could involve the seizure of noise making equipment and/or prosecution.

The methods of obtaining evidence were described and the Commission noted that Digital Audio Tape (DAT) recorders were used which provided information about noise volume.  It was also noted that DATs did not however provide evidence concerning the source of the noise and in reply to a question from a Commission member it was confirmed that direct evidence obtained by Officers was preferable.

The report also outlined the elements of the Noise Team’s work as a consultee on planning and licensing applications and comment was made on the pressures that the Team were facing to complete consultative work.  The recent review and re-organisation of all enforcement resources was reported and it was noted that an opportunity existed to review the level of resourcing between various enforcement services.

In response to questions it was reported that confiscated equipment was normally disposed of and was not resold, as it generally involved high-bulkage low-value equipment. 

In response to a question from the Chair it was confirmed that the restrictions on the Noise Team’s budget had not affected the provision or use of monitoring equipment.

The Commission noted the report.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presents a report that outlines the current services available to victims of anti-social behaviour through Leicester City Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presented a report which outlined the services available to anti-social behaviour (ASB) victims through the Leicester ASB Unit.

The Assistant City Mayor (Neighbourhood Services) was invited to comment on the report.  It was noted that changes to the service since the organisational review had led to a streamlined front-facing service with an increase in ASB Investigators.  The strategic co-ordination of the Service had also been redesignated.

The Commission were informed of the statistical data of the numbers and types of recorded incidents and the methods of dealing with cases dependent on the severity of the complaint, including referral to the Joint Action Group.

In response to a question from a Commission member concerning the reporting of incidents in the media and the contact made with Ward Councillors it was reported that criminal cases were dealt with separately to the Council’s remit.  It was further reported that a majority of the cases reported were repeat cases.

In conclusion, it was confirmed that the ‘Sentinel’ case management system which had recently been introduced was operating effectively and an increased ability to identify and manage those individuals at risk was being realised.

The Commission noted the report.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presents a report that provides an update on the current domestic violence services that have been commissioned in Leicester by Leicester City Council in September 2012. The report also outlines the performance of these services and also highlights the intention to re-launch and celebrate the work carried out to date.

The Director of Environmental and Enforcement Services presented a report which provided an update on the Domestic Violence Services and outlined the performance of the service.  It was reported that a re-launch of the Service was being arranged which would celebrate the work carried out to date.

The Commission discussed the partnership arrangement of the countywide strategy for Domestic Violence which were to run from 2009-2014 which included prevention, support and protection.

It was reported that as a result of a commissioning exercise four principal services were established to offer support to victims and witnesses of domestic violence.  It was noted that support to those perpetrators who wished to change their behaviour was also included in the services offered.

In response to questions it was confirmed that no services had been deleted following the recent organisational review and the integration of functions within the Directorate.

Commission members congratulated the Service on its achievements and noted the report.

RESOLVED:

that information on the risk factors that may lead to someone carrying out domestic violence and ward statistics on the number of cases be made available to commission members outside of the meeting.

The Director of Delivery, Communications and Political Governance presents a report that sets out progress being made by the City Council on making use of Census 2011 data as part of its corporate programme of data collection and analysis.

The Director of Delivery, Communications and Political Governance presented a report which provided an update on progress made with the corporate programme of data and collection analysis arising from the 2011 Census.

It was reported that the next phase involved the production of common core service planning information and that initial analysis had begun.  It was confirmed that the information and outputs concerning local communities could be collated on a Ward basis.

The Commission noted the report.

RESOLVED:

that the second phase of the data collection at neighbourhood level be brought to a future commission meeting when available.

The Scrutiny Commission to receive the Draft Work Programme 2013/14 for consideration and comment.

The Scrutiny Support Officer presented the Commission’s Work Programme for information and comment.

It was reported that Councillor Cutkelvin had taken a written report to Overview Select Committee on 3^rd October highlighting the recommendations made by the commission following the fees & charges report.

Overview Select Committee welcomed the work done and asked for a regular impact assessment to be carried out which looks at the use of Community Centres and the cumulative impact of the various reviews currently taking place. Therefore that will be added to the work programme for 6 monthly impact assessments.

Members were informed that there is a consultation commencing on 28^th October regarding the commissioning of contracts with the Voluntary and Community Sector and will have a more detailed report on this in December.

It was reported that the report concerning the Impact of Welfare Reform, in joint consideration with Overview Select Committee and Housing Scrutiny Commission, would be submitted to the Commission early in 2014.

Members were informed that the plans for a review to look into the involvement of young people at ward community meetings will no longer take place as the project team are already carrying out much of this work and it is felt a separate review on this would be a duplication of work. The Commission will instead receive an update on progress at the December meeting.

The Work Programme was noted.

RESOLVED:

that the work programme be amended to reflect the work discussed.

The meeting closed at 6.50 pm.