Agenda item

To receive a presentation from the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety providing a brief overview of the Portfolio followed by a wider question and answer session using the pre-prepared question template.

(Oral report and report attached)

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Councillor Hartnett, attended the meeting to provide the first Annual Report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

As specified by Members, Councillor Hartnett produced a ten minute presentation on the subject of Community Safety.  Members were informed that Councillor Hartnett liaised with Officers, Members and relevant local partnerships, such as the County Safer Communities Board, in his capacity as Portfolio Holder for Community Safety.  Councillor Hartnett explained to Members that the Council had launched various activities during his tenure as Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, such as the introduction of the secure access system for the residential units at Woodrow district centre.  Councillor Hartnett concluded that the Council had performed positively in the area of community safety.

Councillor Hartnett detailed to Members a range of initiatives that would be considered by the Community Safety Team in the following months.  These initiatives would include the organisation of a seminar to disseminate awareness of good practice learnt during a trip to Cardiff and the development of a response to the crime and disorder version of the Community Call for Action (CCA). Members were also informed that the Executive Committee had agreed in principle to the installation of mobile Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) although the budget had not been available to fund their provision.

Councillor Hartnett explained to the Committee that he had visited Cardiff with relevant Officers, representatives from the Worcestershire County Trading Standards and representatives of the local Police to learn from an example of best practice in action on licensing. 

Members asked Councillor Hartnett whether extending the remit of Portfolio Holders, especially with regard to greater responsibility for relevant budgets, would enhance the ability of a Portfolio Holder to secure action on issues within their area of interest.  Councillor Hartnett reminded Members that increased responsibility for Portfolio Holders would entail greater accountability.

Councillor Hartnett also suggested that this development of the role of a Portfolio Holder would have implications which would require consideration by the full Council.

Members requested clarification of the different forms of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and the impact of these arrangements in Redditch.  Officers explained the differences between the various types of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and informed Members that Dispersal Orders had proved to be the most effective method for tackling anti-social behaviour amongst young people within the Borough.

Members discussed Councillor Hartnett’s report and the implications for future Portfolio Holder annual reports.  The Chair suggested that Members would need to reduce the number of questions addressed to Portfolio Holders to enable the Portfolio Holders to express all prepared comments at Committee meetings. 

Members agreed to ask Portfolio Holders to prepare answers relating to four themes at following meetings.  These themes would be the Portfolio Holder’s responsibilities; key issues for the Portfolio; the Portfolio Holder’s role in relation to budget and resource allocation; and a specific focus on the remit of the individual portfolio. 

Councillor Hartnett was thanked for attending the meeting and was asked to provide a copy of his written notes for reference purposes (Appendix A).  Members requested that Officers provide a copy of Councillor Hartnett’s notes for consideration at the following meeting. 

RESOLVED that

subject to Members’ comments, as detailed in the preamble above, the report be noted.