Notice of Meeting                                                                                                               

 

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee

Monday 2 July 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:            Please note that there will be a pre-meeting at 9.15 am for all Members of this Committee (meeting room 2).

Date of next meeting: Monday 17 September 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)                                                  21 June 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 Interestsee 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.                Scrutiny Work Programme

10:15

Background Information:

A composite list of suggestions for the Scrutiny Work Programme is attached at CM7 (download as .pdf file). 

Why has it been included?

The Committee is asked to:

(a)   consider whether it wishes to replace any items in the proposed Work Programme (A.) with items in the supplementary list (B);

(b)   decide which reviews from the proposed Work Programme (A.) should commence first and second.

The Committee is also asked to make other suggestions for inclusion in the Work Programme.

How is the Committee going to deal with it?

Members will discuss the proposals set out in the paper, together with any suggestions they may have and then determine in which order they wish to commence their first and second pieces of work.

 

The Committee will then be asked to submit its proposed programme to the next Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group meeting on 30 July.

 

Work to be done prior to the meeting:

Members’ attention is drawn to the attached programme (CM7). Members may also wish to think of any suggestions which they may wish to put forward.

 

8.                Update on Coroner’s Caseload and Interaction with Oxfordshire County Council Scrutiny Review

11:00

Background Information:

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

Why has it been included?

This item has been included on the agenda to inform the Committee of current progress on the review and to enable Councillors to ask questions on areas of interest.

How is the Committee going to deal with it?

The Committee will receive a verbal update on progress from Members of the Lead Member Review Group and is asked to comment/ask questions on any issues raised.

 

9.                Emergency Planning Scrutiny Review: Evaluation

11:10

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 CM9.

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.

 

10.           Presentation on Flu Pandemic

11:40

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.

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?

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

 

11.           Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Annual Response Standards Report

12:10

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 Mike Smyth (Deputy Chief Fire Officer).

Work to be done prior to the meeting:

Members are asked to consider the attached report (CM11).

 

12.           Tracking Scrutiny Items

12:20

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

12:25

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 July 2007 to October 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).

 

12:30 - 14:00 Break for Lunch

 

14.           Select Committee on Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGS)

 

·        How can Oxfordshire County Council and County Councillors best engage with the County’s Neighbourhood Action Groups?

14:00

Background Information:

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor Rodney Rose.

Neighbourhood Policing is currently being rolled out in Oxfordshire.

This select committee discussion will provide the opportunity for Members of this Scrutiny Committee to open a discussion with the Police about governance arrangements and the involvement of Oxfordshire County Council and local elected members.

Why has it been included?

To enable Members of the Committee to gather information, which will enable them to offer advice to the Cabinet on how County Councillors and officers should engage with the County’s NAGS.

How is the Committee going to deal with it?

Through a ‘Select Committee’ style question and answer session.

The Committee will hear evidence needed to inform its eventual recommendations.

The programme for the afternoon is attached (CM14(a)). (download as .doc file)


 

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 all those listed on the programme.

When are they going to do it?

During this meeting.

Following the meeting (on a date to be determined), Members will formulate a set of recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet.

Work to be done prior to the meeting:

Members are asked to consider the information pack attached at CM14(b) (download as .pdf file), together with the background information that will be circulated separately to them, in preparation for the discussion.

Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

None.

 

16:30 Close of Business*

 

16:30 – 17:00 Reflection by the Committee on the afternoon and initial conclusions*

 

* These times may vary on the day.

 

 

Please note:

 

There will be a pre-meeting for all members of the Committee at 9.15 am on the morning of the meeting (meeting room 2).

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