Notice of Meeting 

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee

Monday 30 April 2007 at 10.00 am

at County Hall, Oxford

Membership

Chairman – Councillor John Farrow

Deputy Chairman – Councillor Rodney Rose

Councillors:

M. Altaf-Khan

Patrick Cartledge

Lesley Legge
 

Charles Mathew

Olive McIntosh-Stedman

Bill Service
 

Nicholas P Turner

Carol Viney

  

Notes:            Date of next meeting: Monday 2 July 2007 at 10.00 am

What does this Committee review or scrutinise?

·                    Community Safety; Fire and rescue; consumer protection; emergency planning; police issues; coroner’s service; gypsies and travellers; drugs and alcohol awareness.

·                    Those regulatory functions of the Planning & Regulation Committee not falling within the remit of the Environment Scrutiny Committee

·                    Conduct of best value reviews as specified in Paragraph 9 of Schedule 2 to the Functions Regulations

How can I have my say?

We welcome the views of the community on any issues in relation to the responsibilities of this Committee. Members of the public may ask to speak for up to 5 minutes on any item on the agenda or may suggest matters which they would like the Committee to look at. Requests to speak must be submitted to Committee Services no later than 9 am on the working day before the date of the meeting.

For more information about this Committee please contact:

Chairman                                         -      Councillor John Farrow

                                                            E.mail: john.farrow@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Committee Officer                             -      Kath Coldwell, Tel: (01865) 815902

                                                            E.Mail: kath.coldwell@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Tony Cloke
Assistant Head of Service (Democratic)

19 April 2007

About the County Council

The Oxfordshire County Council is made up of 74 councillors who are democratically elected every four years. The Council provides a range of services to Oxfordshire’s 630,000 residents. These include:

  • schools
  • social & health care
  • libraries and museums
  • the fire service
  • roads
  • trading standards
  • land use
  • transport planning
  • waste management

    • Each year the Council manages £0.8 billion of public money in providing these services. Most decisions are taken by a Cabinet of 10 Councillors, which makes decisions about service priorities and spending. Some decisions will now be delegated to individual members of the Cabinet

    About Scrutiny

    Scrutiny is about:

    • Providing a challenge to the Cabinet

    • Examining how well the Cabinet and the Authority are performing

    • Influencing the Cabinet on decisions that affect local people

    • Helping the Cabinet to develop Council policies

    • Representing the community in Council decision making

    • Promoting joined up working across the authority’s work

    Scrutiny is NOT about:

    • Making day to day service decisions

    • Investigating individual complaints.

    Five Scrutiny committees ‘scrutinise’ or review and challenge decisions made by the Cabinet or the appropriate Cabinet Member and help it develop Council policies. There are Scrutiny Committees for:

    • Corporate Governance

    • Children’s Services

    • Environment & Economy

    • Community Safety

    • Social & Community Services

    There is also a Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee which brings together councillors from the County and the five district councils in Oxfordshire to scrutinise health issues.

    What does this Committee do?

    The Committee meets up to 6 times a year or more. It develops a work programme, which lists the issues it plans to investigate. These investigations can include whole committee investigations undertaken during the meeting, or reviews by a panel of members doing research and talking to lots of people outside of the meeting. Once an investigation is completed the Committee provides its advice to the Cabinet, the full Council or other scrutiny committees. Meetings are open to the public and all reports are available to the public unless exempt or confidential, when the items would be considered in closed session.

    AGENDA

    1.                Election of Chairman for the current Council Year

    2.                Election of Deputy Chairman for the current Council Year

    3.                Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments

    4.                Declarations of Interest – see guidance note

    5.                Minutes

    To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2007 (CM5) and to note for information any matters arising on them.

    6.                Speaking to or Petitioning the Committee

    7.                Flu Pandemic

    10:15

    Background Information:

    At a recent Chairman’s briefing meeting Councillor Lesley Legge suggested that Community Safety Officers should provide a short briefing to Councillors on emergency planning, business continuity and flu pandemic. This presentation will focus on business continuity and flu pandemic.

    An invitation has been extended to all County Councillors should they wish to attend for this item in order to listen to the presentation from Mr Travers Smith and ask any questions on areas of interest.

    Why has it been included?

    To enable the Committee to receive a presentation on business continuity and flu pandemic and to conduct a question and answer session.

    How is the Committee going to deal with it?

    During this meeting. Mr Ian Travers Smith (Business Continuity Manager - Community Safety) will give a 15 minute presentation to the Committee. The Committee will then have 30 minutes in which to conduct a question and answer session..

    8.                Emergency Planning Scrutiny Review: Evaluation

    11:00

    Background Information:

    The Lead Member Review Group comprises Councillors Ian Hudspeth, Olive McIntosh Stedman and Rodney Rose.

    The Cabinet considered this Scrutiny Review Report on 21 March 2006 and resolved to agree the majority of the review recommendations.

    Why has it been included?

    The Committee is asked to question the Cabinet Member for Community Safety in relation to implementation of the review outcomes to date.

    How is the Committee going to deal with it?

    By means of a question and answer session.

    Who is going to take part in this piece of work?

    All Members of this Committee, together with the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Mr John Kelly (County Emergency Planning Officer).

    Work to be done prior to the meeting:

    A reminder of the main objectives of the review and information on progress to date is attached at CM8.

    Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

    A copy of the full scrutiny review has been sent to all Members of this Committee. A copy of the Review will be available for public inspection and is also available on the County Council's website www.oxfordshire.gov.uk or from Kath Coldwell at Kath.Coldwell@oxfordshire.gov.uk, tel: 01865 815902.

    9.                Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Annual Response Standards Report

    11:30

    Background Information:

    The Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Annual Response Standards report sets out the emergency response standards achieved for the year 2006/07.

    Why has it been included?

    This item has been placed on the Agenda to enable Members of the Committee to offer any comments to the Cabinet Member for Community Safety.

    Who is going to take part in this piece of work?

    All members of this Committee together with the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Mr Martin Crapper (Service Delivery Manager, Community Safety).

    Work to be done prior to the meeting:

    Members are asked to consider the attached report (CM9).

    10.           Coroner’s Caseload and Interaction with Oxfordshire County Council – update

    11:50

    Background Information:

    The Lead Member Review Group comprises Councillors Marilyn Badcock, Lesley Legge and Charles Mathew.

    At the last meeting of this Committee Members amended a revised version of the scoping template.

    Why has it been included?

    To enable Members of the Committee to receive an update on progress with this review.

    11.           Scrutiny Work Programme

    12:00

    To review/update this Committee’s Work Programme (CM11) (download as .doc file).

    Members of the Committee are invited to suggest topics for possible inclusion in their future work programme and to allocate a priority order to them (high/medium/low).

    12.           Tracking Scrutiny Items

    12:10

    Report back on advice by this Committee to the Cabinet or Council.

    ·         Fire Service Control and Command Room

    Mr Colin Thomas, Community Safety Business Manager, Fire & Rescue Service has provided a written update on the progress of the project (CM12).

    13.           Forward Plan

    12:15

    The Committee is asked to suggest items from the current Forward Plan on which it may wish to have an opportunity to offer advice to the Cabinet before any decision is taken.

    (Please bring along to the meeting the latest copy of the Forward Plan which, at the time of writing covers May 2007 to August 2007).

    (Members are asked to contact the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and/or the Committee Officer at least 3 days before the meeting should they wish to raise an item on the Forward Plan for possible consideration).

    If you have any special requirements (such as a large print version of these papers or special access facilities) please contact the officer named on the front page, but please give as much notice as possible before the meeting

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