MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL

AGENDA ITEM 5

COMMUNITY SAFETY & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL

11 JULY 2016

COMMUNITY SAFETY & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL – WORK PROGRAMME - 2016/17

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

  1. To provide the Members of the Community Safety & Leisure Scrutiny Panel with information to assist in the consideration of suitable topics for inclusion in the panel’s work programme for 2016-17.

RECOMMENDATION

  1. That the panel identifies the topics it would like to include in its work programme for 2016/17 for consideration/approval by the Overview & Scrutiny Board.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  1. Each of the Council’s scrutiny panels agrees an annual work programme of topics for investigation. The work programme is then considered and approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Board. Following approval of the work programme topics, detailed terms of reference are then agreed by the scrutiny panel at the start of each investigation.
  1. All Council Members have been consulted on possible topics for inclusion in the work programme and any suggestions received from the public are also included.Suggestions received and topical issues are set out below:

Possible Review Topics 2016/17
Sexting / Sextortion / - Cleveland Police have seen an increase in sextortion (April 2016).
- 22.5 % of year 9 girls and 14% of year 9 boys in Middlesbrough Schools report having already sexted a rude image of themselves.
- sexting is growing very quickly and self-generated images are posing a big risk to children in relation to CSE.
- There has been an increase in self-harm (younger, more aggressive and more frequently repeated.
Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Middlesbrough / -Childhood Obesity (aged 10-11) – JSNA one of the biggest threats to the health of the population of Middlesbrough.
-In 2006/07 physical inactivity cost Middlesbrough PCT nearly £2.7million (Department of Health 2009)
-Childhood Obesity brave and bold action needed – Health Committee November 2015
-Stark warnings / significant cuts in public health budgets £200 million in year – NCMP in jeopardy & not linked to any treatment or support for children who are identified as overweight or obese.
Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) / ASB incidents in Middlesbrough are twice the national average. Under the Mayor’s vision for 2020 the Mayor is aiming to create a safer Middlesbrough. Promise 4 states the local authority will work jointly with the Police and community groups to tackle anti-social behaviour effectively. Working in a new way, pooling resources as well as information. What outcomes are the Council and Cleveland Police seeking to achieve through this work?
Gaps in prevention activities - Domestic Violence / My Sisters Place has reported that there are a number of gaps in prevention activities including limited educational programmes on healthy relationships in Middlesbrough schools. Only 1 per cent of perpetrators are receiving any kind of intervention. Resources for victims are aimed at high risk cases with strict gatekeeping procedures in place and children who have witnessed abuse are not getting the services they need to retain strong parental bonds. 12 % of all victims of crime are Domestic Abuse related. Incidents of domestic violence have increased year on year from 2013.
Drugs and Alcohol Services / Middlesbrough has the highest rate of illicit drug users in England. Admissions to hospital for alcohol related illnesses are significantly higher than the national average. Isservice provision in Middlesbrough effective in assisting residents in recovery from dependence?
Legal highs / psychoactive substances / Legal highs / psychoactive substances – is the use of legal highs / psychoactive substances on the increase in Middlesbrough? What services / advice are available for young people and parents on this issue?
Sports injuries in schools / An increasing number of young people are sustaining injuries when participating in school sports, particularly Rugby. Is this an issue in Middlesbrough and if so what action is being taken to tackle this issue?
Homelessness and advice service / The issue of homelessness is flagged as red in the Supporting Communities Outcome Delivery Plan document for 2015-18. It is envisaged that by 2018 a combined (and incrementally reducing) contract for homelessness service, based on early help principles will be in place – what does this mean for the service?
Project Griffin / Project Griffin: Protect yourself, your staff, your business and your community. The project aims to encourage and enable members of the community to work in partnership with the police to deter and detect terrorist activity and crime.Project Griffin holds briefing events to increase public and staff awareness of how to reduce and respond to terrorist activity. Trained police advisors deliver a range of CT awareness modules.
Street Beggars / There has again been an increase in reports of street beggars operating in Middlesbrough. How is this issue being addressed?
Overcrowding and suicide in prisons / The Prison Reform Bill announced in May 2016 is the biggest shakeup of prisons since Victorian times. The first six reform prisons have been named and include HMP Holme House and HMP Kirklevington Grange. These reforms will give unprecedented freedoms to prison governors, including financial and legal freedoms, such as how the prison budget is spent and whether to opt-out of national contracts; and operational freedoms over education, the prison regime, family visits, and partnerships to provide prison work and rehabilitation services.
A new regime of transparency will hold governors to account, with comparable statistics to be published for each prison on reoffending, employment rates on release, and violence and self-harm. In 1998 there were 37 suicides in prison. In 2015 there were 89 suicides and the problem is getting worse. What impact will the prison reform bill have locally?
Hate Crime / What is the position locally, has there been an increase in reports following the EU referendum and what is the Council’s role in respect of this issue.
Smuggling of items into local prisons / Banned items were thrown over the walls of prisons 2,151 times in 2015. The figure has more than doubled since 2013 when contraband was recorded as having been thrown over 797 times. Is this a challenge facing prisons locally?
Chuggers – Improving standards and behaviours of direct debit street fundraisers / In November 2012, the LGA and Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority (PFRA) signed a joint national agreement to tackle growing concerns about the behaviour of some face-to-face charity collectors on the high street. In 2014 Middlesbrough Council introduced the agreement to given the authority more control over chuggers. Has this approach been effective?
  1. It should be noted that the suggested topics outlined above are exactly that, suggestions. The content of the scrutiny panel’s work programme is entirely a decision for the panel to make. When considering the work programme, the panel is advised to select topics that are of interest to it, as well as topics that the panel feels by considering it could add value to the local authority’s work.
  1. Scrutiny panels have also previously responded on an ad-hoc basis to emerging issues - such as considering relevant new legislation, guidance or Government consultation documents. This approach occasionally results in further topics being identified for investigation or review throughout the year. In addition, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board has requested that the scrutiny panels consider how they can be involved with, and influence, the Council’s Change Programme.
  1. Members are advised that the list of possible topics is not exhaustive and additional topics can be added and considered at the scrutiny panel meeting.To assist the panel in its deliberations a high level summary of the Supporting Communities Outcome Delivery Plan for the period to 2020, which underpins the Council’s Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020 is attached at Appendix 1.
  1. It should be noted that the suggested topics outlined above are exactly that, suggestions. The content of the scrutiny panel’s work programme is entirely a decision for the panel to make. When considering the work programme, the panel is advised to select topics that are of interest to it, as well as topics that the panel feels by considering it could add value to the local authority’s work.
  1. The panel also has a responsibility to address certain issues each year and these are presented as follows:
  • Middlesbrough Community Safety Partnership- is Middlesbrough’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP). The powers of the Police and Justice Act 2006 relating to Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009 require the CDRP to present the partnerships intentions, and actions to Scrutiny on an annual basis. This requirement commenced in 2009 and the panel has met with the CDPR each year since that time. The last time the panel met with CRDP representatives was November 2015 to receive an update on the changes to partnership arrangements. However, it is in the panel’s gift to identify the time and frequency for the CDRP to attend a panel meeting. A copy of the Crime Needs Assessment (JSNA) for 2016 is attached at Appendix 2.
  • Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA)– The panel has a duty to assess the intentions and actions of RIPA and the last time the panel received information on this was November 2015. The panel was informed that during 2015, fourRIPA applications were submitted by Middlesbrough Council in relation to tobacco and copyright infringement.In terms of process the number of authorising officers in the Council has reduced from six to three. A recent inspection by the Office of Surveillance Commissioner, on 1 April 2015, reported that it was pleased with Middlesbrough’s performance but suggested some improvements. An action plan was formulated as a result which included training and awareness for staff and to refresh officers or procedures. The panel can determine the frequency they would require updates or specific information from the service regarding RIPA.
  • Domestic Violence- The panel has shown a sustained interest in the area of Domestic Violence and the pressures around funding to deliver the Council’s Domestic Violence strategy. The panel has monitored this area and last received updates and a position statement for Domestic Violence in February 2016.
  • Preventing Terrorism–In 2011 the Prevent strand of the UK’s long-term strategy for countering international terrorism, known as CONTEST was explicitly changed by the Government to deal with all forms of terrorism, and to target not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism. This change in strategic direction was enacted in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The Act, which became law in February 2015 places a duty on specified authorities to have “Due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. In response an Action Plan for Middlesbrough has been developed to respond to the specific elements of the Prevent agenda. The panelhosted a scrutiny seminar on the Prevent agenda in October 2015 and it is within the panel’s gift to request an update on this issue.
  1. The panel is also advised that, under the terms of the Local Government Act 2000, local authorities have a responsibility of community leadership and a power to secure the effective promotion of community well-being. Therefore, in addition to the Scrutiny Panel’s generally recognised powers (of holding the Executive to account, reviewing service provision, developing policy, considering budget plans and performance and financial monitoring), panels also have the power to consider any matters which are not the responsibility of the Council but which affect the local authority or the inhabitants of its area. For example, issues that have been considered locally have included policing matters, flood prevention, health issues and post office closures.

Update reports

  1. In addition to any agreed work programme topics, Members are asked to note that the panel has also previously requested update reports in respect of the following previous scrutiny topics:

a)Child Sexual Exploitation

b)Alternative Delivery Model for Sport and Leisure Services

c) Reoffending and Rehabilitation

d)Prevent

  1. The scrutiny panel’s agreed work programme should be flexible to allow work to be undertaken in the required detail and also to permit the panel to investigate any additional relevant areas of work which arise during the course of its work. Topics may be investigated as detailed scrutiny reviews over the course of several months, or, where appropriate, as shorter topics over one or two meetings.
  1. The panel should also ensure that the agreed work programme is not overly ambitious so that it can be delivered in the municipal year.

Scrutiny Work Plan Prioritisation Aid

  1. Members may wish to use the aid below to prioritise issues where scrutiny can make an impact, add value or contribute to policy development.

  1. At today’s meeting, the scrutiny panel is asked to consider and agree its work programme for the 2016/17 municipal year.
  1. To assist in determining possible work programme topics, the Assistant Director, Supporting Communities has also been invited to attend the scrutiny panel meeting. The Assistant Director (or appropriate representatives) has/have been requested to provide an overview of key issues facing the service in the year ahead.
  1. When considering its work programme, the scrutiny panel is asked to ensure that topics agreed for inclusion:
  • Affect a group of people living within the Middlesbrough area.
  • Relate to a service, event or issue in which the Council has a significant stake or over which the Council has an influence.
  • Are not issues which the Overview and Scrutiny Board or the scrutiny panels have considered during the last 12 months.
  • Do not relate to an individual service complaint; and
  • Do not relate to matters dealt with by another Council committee, unless the issue deals with procedure
  1. It is suggested that the scrutiny panel has a mixture of working styles in its programme. This can include detailed and in-depth reviews, shorter topics, or one-off investigations.
  1. Once the panel has identified the areas of priority, support staff will draw those topics into a programme for approval by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

  1. There were no background papers used in the preparation of this report:

Contact Officer:

Caroline Breheny

Scrutiny Support Officer

Legal and Democratic Services

Telephone: 01642 729752(direct line)

e-mail:

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