Issue - meetings

The Community Safety Manager presented a report in respect of implementing the provisions of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.  The guidance in relation to this legislation had been issued in 2017 and the report detailed the implications for the Council, including a requirement to change the list of officer delegations for anti-social behaviour.

One of the key issues that had been addressed in both the legislation and the guidance was the previously inconsistent approach that had been adopted by Councils across the country to establishing protection orders against anti-social behaviour.  The government had concluded that there needed to be a similar approach in all areas and the Government guidance recommended that the Executive Committee and Council to consider and agree any future requests for Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).  Members were advised that there were five PSPOs in Redditch on the date of the meeting which mainly related to alcohol consumption and anti-social behaviour.  All of these would need to be reviewed.

Following the presentation of the report Members discussed the proposals in detail.  Questions were raised about the new Closure Power in the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 and Officers confirmed that Closure Notices could only be request by a police officer in the position of an Inspector or in a higher position and any follow up action could be only be undertaken by a Chief Inspector or someone more senior.

Members noted that many of the powers detailed in the report would be delegated to Officers and they suggested that the use of these powers needed to be monitored.  An additional proposal was therefore brought forward for a monitoring update to be undertaken which would be reported to the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel.  Some discussion was held about how frequently this monitoring should take with some suggesting that this could occur on an annual basis.  However, Members concluded that this should instead take place every six months.

RESOLVED that

1)        the powers available to the Council under the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, as amended in December 2017 be noted;

RECOMMENDED that

2)        the Council’s Scheme of Delegation is amended, in accordance with the recommendations outlined in Section 3.6 of this report, to allow relevant officers to apply these tools and powers; and

3)        a monitoring update report, detailing action taken in relation to the powers provided in the scheme of delegations to officers (as outlined in recommendation 2 above), should be delivered to the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel on a biannual basis.