Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Councillor Thalukdar and Councillor Westley.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

None.

The minutes of the meeting of the Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Commission held on 1 July 2021 are attached and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Agreed:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Neighbourhoods Services Scrutiny Commission on 1 July 2021 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.

The Monitoring Officer noted that none had been received.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer noted that none had been received.

The Director of Finance submits a report to provide an Executive response to the recommendation made by the Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Commission following a review of the viability and appropriateness of a community lottery.

The Director of Finance provided the Commission with an overview of the Executive response for the Commissions recommendations of not to persue a Community Lottery.

It was noted that the Overview Select Committee had endorsed the recommendations.

The Deputy City Mayor for Culture, Leisure, Sport and Regulatory Services paid tribute to the Late Councillor Jean Khote who chaired the Committee and noted that her input into the viability of a community lottery was dearly missed and thanked the Chair of the Commission for seeing the review through.

Members of the Commission supported the recommendations and suggested that the developing strategy on anti-poverty be considered as an agenda item to be added to the work programme for a future date.

AGREED:

1)    That the Members of the Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Commission and Officers be thanked for their contributions to the scrutiny review, and

2)    That, the Commission note and accept the position adopted by the Executive in response to the scrutiny review.

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submits a reportto provide the Commission with an overview of the work of the Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (CrASBU); outlining how complex, high-risk anti-social behaviour (ASB) cases are managed in the City.

The Deputy City Mayor for Culture, Leisure, Sport and Regulatory Services introduced the item.

The Director for Neighbourhood Services introduced the supporting Officers who delivered a presentation updating and informing Members of the Commission.

As part of the discussions it was noted that:

·         The CrASBU Team had undertaken work in the New Parks area, including community meetings where interaction with the public allowed for ideas to be communicated with local residents

·         Members of the Commission welcomed the Officer attendance at local community meetings and suggested that participation at regular community meetings allowed for a better understanding of resident concerns

·         The Housing Scrutiny Commission were also looking in more detail at the role of the Tenancy Management service in dealing with cases of anti-social behaviour, and that officers will be providing some evidence to that group given the relationship that CrASBU has with housing

·         Officers were working with the Police and CrASBU to deliver a working group

·         Community Safety Task Groups allowed for targeted work, currently work was being undertaken in high risk areas which were identified through the data that was collected

·         Joint action groups were in place to allow for work to be undertaken across the city and working with multiple groups allowed for good working practices to be implemented across the city

·         Members of the Commission shared their concerns with dangerous cannabis production factories in residential properties across the city. It was noted that the fist point of contact would be the police and that if it was within a council owned property then the CrASBU Team would alert the police and the council would always support the police to tackle criminal activity.

·         Enquiries that are received by the team are usually responded to within 10 days, but all enquiries are risk assessed on the day they are received and the serious cases are responded to sooner. It was suggested that this was a joint system shared with the police and this was an area that could be improved

AGREED:

1)    That the Commission note the update outlining the work of CrASBU Team;

2)    Members of the Commission thank officers and Executive Members for all of their work and for bringing this report to scrutiny and; 

3)    That Officers be requested to provide a further report on the work of CrASBU Team to the Commission within 12 months. 

The Director of Delivery, Communications, and Political Governance submits a presentation on the CrowdFund Leicester initiative.

The Head of the City Mayors team delivered a presentation providing an overview to Members of the Commission on CrowdFund Leicester and the projects that CrowdFund Leicester have been able to support.

As part of the discussions it was noted that:

·         Members of the Commission queried what could be done to engage with more working-class communities to deliver more projects across the more deprived areas of the city

·         Officers be requested to bring back the item to the Commission with a supporting report that details accountability and contractual governance

·         The Director of Neighbourhood Services suggested that the conversation on CrowdFund should continue as this was the new innovative approach to raise funding.

AGREED:

That Officers be requested that a report be provided to the Neighbourhood Services for the Commission meeting in December

The Director of Delivery, Communications and Political Governance submits a presentation on Voluntary and Community Sector Engagement.

AGREED:

That the item on Voluntary and Community Sector Engagement be deferred to a future meeting

The current work programme for the Commission is attached.  The Commission is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

·         That an item on Serious Knife Crime launch be added to the work programme for a meeting in the new year

·         That the anti-poverty strategy be added to the work programme

Members of the Commission thanked Councillor Solanki for stepping into the Chair’s position.

There being no items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 7:37pm