Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 14th November 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 14^th November 2022 were approved.

For information, disclosable pecuniary interests and registrable interests relate to entries that are included, or should be included, on a councillor’s register of interests. Non-registrable interests relate to any other matters.

No disclosures were made.

The following disclosures were made:

No declarations were made.

No questions were submitted.

No questions were submitted.

A report of the Director of Housing and Wellbeing to provide an update on the outcomes of the internal ASB service review and what has changed because of the review.

A report of the Director of Housing and Wellbeing was submitted to provide an update on the outcomes of the internal ASB service review and what has changed because of the review.  (Item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Lead Member for Community Support attended remotely and the Director of Housing and Wellbeing and the Head of Regulatory and Community Safety attended to assist with the consideration of the item.  The following Summarises the discussion:

·         A review on Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) had taken place to assess what was working well and what wasn’t, and the Council continued working with partners to achieve better outcomes. 

·         An external consultant had been engaged to undertake the review and met with a wider range of stakeholders.  It had been important to get an objective external view.

·           The Council was working to action ASB reports more swiftly and managing the way it engaged with offenders to more effectively reach the best outcomes.

·           The departments were working well together.  The outcomes had been positive.

·         A refinement of the job title ‘ASB Facilitator’ would take place so that it more accurately reflected the role.

·         The corporate project across the Council consisted of three major workstreams:

o   The first workstream looked at the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and the Council’s role within it.  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 required Authorities to have strategies in place for the reduction of crime & disorder within their areas.  There had been a focus to involve more input from across the CSP, the local police commander had presented data and a workshop had taken place so that the partners understood their roles.

o   The second workstream looked at the reporting and recording of ASB, taking a wholesale view on how it was reported.  New ASB-specific webpages had been completed along with a guide for customers so that all the information was now in one place.  The online reporting form had a triage process so that officers could focus on medium and high risk cases.  The guide provided information on how to approach incidents of ASB, which agency to report them to, and whether the Council could help and how to report to the Council if it could.  The majority of data-entry in this system was done by customers online, however, existing reporting mechanisms were still in place.  This new system had reduced demand in the Customer Contact Centre.  Low-risk ASB reports were subject to an automated response providing information and advice on how to approach it, however, cumulative low-risk cares of the same nature would escalate in risk.

o   The third workstream focussed on case management and the risk assessment process that determined what action was taken.  Training had taken place and there had been reviews of risk-management structures.  The new process encompassed issues such as repeat victimisation, the vulnerability of the victim and hate-based ASB.  Mandatory action was to be taken if the risk-level was high.  The ASB management system was known as Sentinel.  Further training-needs had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

A report of the Director of Housing and Wellbeing to  provide the void property information requested by the Scrutiny Commission at its meeting on 4th April 2022 (minute number 125 2021/22).

A report of the Director of Housing and Wellbeing was submitted to provide  the void property information requested by the Scrutiny Commission at its meeting on 4th April 2022 (minute number 125 2021/22).  (Item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Chair of  Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee attended remotely to assist with the discussion.

The Lead Member for Private Housing and the Director of Housing and Wellbeing assisted with the consideration of this item. The following summarises the discussion:

·         Due to a combination of unfavourable circumstances, including the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a backlog of void properties, and it appeared as though some voids in sheltered accommodation were unlikely to ever be let.  Therefore a strategy was being formed on how to work through this backlog.

·         One part of the strategy was the replacement of bedsit accommodation in St Michael’s Court with bungalows.

·         Regarding voids in repair, there had been pressures on resources caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and a challenging labour market. 

·         Action was being taken to bring performance back on track.  The major number of voids ready to let this year was now at pre-pandemic levels.

·         The Chair of Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee welcomed the report and suggested that it could be linked with the underspend in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget. 

·         Regarding the possibility of selling void properties within sheltered accommodation, it was necessary to consider the use of the blocks and housing need and options.  Sale of property was just one option.  Sale of land had been considered for St Michael’s court.

·         Regarding the possibility of selling void properties within the general needs accommodation, there was a demand for housing stock within the waiting list.  Some properties were considered for sale where there were significant structural issues which carried a degree of risk.  Housing was remedied and repaired rather than sold where possible.  There was a current exercise looking at the performance of assets which looked at which were performing well and which were costing the Council and it was suggested that this could be used to inform the disposal strategy and the acquisition strategy.  If properties were sold through the Right to Buy then the Council could not keep all of the money from the sale.  The Director of Housing and Wellbeing would need to check the position in respect of disposals.

·         With regard to properties ‘awaiting shortlist’, these depended on allocations resources and officer time and training.  A lot had been done on voids in repair and another contractor had now been engaged so it was thought that the number of voids in repair would decrease.  In terms of allocations, it would take time to work through the backlog.  Rigorous performance information was available and this could be brought back to the Scrutiny Commission. 

·         In response to a recommendation that performance monitoring should include Key Performance Indicators to reduce the backlog a metric could be applied to this and the Team Leader had been written to proposing to set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

There are no items of this nature on the Cabinet agenda for the Commission to consider.

There were no items of this nature on the Cabinet agenda for the Commission to consider.

There are no Cabinet items selected for pre-decision scrutiny.

There were no items identified for pre-decision scrutiny from the Cabinet agenda.

There were no pre-decision scrutiny items at the last meeting of the Scrutiny Commission.

There were no pre-decision scrutiny items at the last meeting of the Scrutiny

Commission.

The Lead Member for Private Housing left the meeting during the consideration of this item.

A report of the Head of the Governance and Human Resources to consider updates on the work of scrutiny panels.

A report of the Head of Governance and Human Resources to review the progression of scrutiny panels was submitted. (Item 11 on the agenda files with these minutes).

The Lead Officer assisted with the consideration of this item. The following summarises the discussion:

·         The report from the Waste Management Scrutiny Panel would go to Cabinet on Thursday 15^th December 2022, presented by the Panel Chair.

·         The Loneliness Scrutiny Panel had not yet concluded.

·         The Tourism Scrutiny Panel would commence in 2023.

·         It was necessary for all Scrutiny Panels to conclude before the election on 4^th May 2023.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Commission reviewed the progression of scrutiny panels.

Reason

To ensure timely and effective scrutiny of the matter/subject.

A report of the Head of Governance and Human Resources enabling the Commission to review and agree the scrutiny work programme.

A report of the Head of Governance and Human Resources to enable the Commission to review and agree the Scrutiny Work Programme. This includes reviewing the changes made by the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee and adding items to their work programme. (Item 12 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Lead Officer assisted with the consideration of this item.

It was noted that as Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee were not specifically considering voids, the Scrutiny Commission could consider a detailed report on voids at the meeting on 6^th March 2023.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Scrutiny Commission reviewed the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Work Programme and make any amendments the Commission feel necessary.

2.    That the Scrutiny Commission agreed that the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Work Programme be updated in accordance with the decisions taken during consideration of this item and any further decisions taken during this meeting.

Reasons

1&2 To ensure timely and effective scrutiny of the matter/subject.

2.To ensure that the information contained within the Work Programme is up to date.

A report of the Head of Governance and Human Resources setting out the list of forthcoming Executive Key Decisions and the Group’s Work Programme for consideration, in order to identify items for future scrutiny.

For information, further meetings of the group are scheduled as follows:

9th January 2023

6th February 2023

A report of the Head Governance and Human Resources was considered, to enable the Commission to consider its work programme and forthcoming Key Decisions and decisions to be taken in private by the Cabinet in order to schedule items for pre-decision scrutiny. (Item 13 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Lead Officer assisted with the consideration of this item.

In response to a query from the Chair, it was explained that the Capital Strategy and Treasury Management Strategy were annual strategies, but the Scrutiny Commission could consider them if they so wished.

It was noted that updated key decisions would come through to the Scrutiny Commission.

If members wished an item to come to Scrutiny Commission they were to contact the Democratic Services Officer and copy in the Chair.

RESOLVED

1.    That forthcoming Executive Key Decisions or decisions to be taken in private by the Executive, set out in Appendix 2 to the report, and scheduled scrutiny of those matters, be noted.

2.    That the Commission’s current work programme be noted.

Reasons

1.    To ensure timely and effective scrutiny.

2.    To ensure effective and timely scrutiny, either to provide Cabinet with advice prior to it taking a decision or to ensure that the Council and external public service providers and partners were operating effectively for the benefit of the Borough