Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillors Tony Ansell and Janice Duffy.

Members to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2018 were signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record.

The Chair to note public address requests.

The public can speak on any agenda item for a maximum of three minutes per speaker per item.  You are not required to register your intention to speak in advance but should arrive at the meeting a few minutes early, complete a Public Address Protocol and notify the Scrutiny Officer of your intention to speak.

There were none.

Councillor Jamie Lane declared an interest as the Deputy Chair of the Planning Committee in agenda item 6 – Enforcement Contract Update.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to receive a presentation from Veolia.

A comprehensive presentation was received from Josie Falco and Chris Collier, representatives of Veolia.

A question and answer session ensued.  Key points:

·         The borough is being surveyed and should Councillors have a specific area that they would like to be surveyed they should notify officers.  The first six months of the contract will concentrate on “problem” areas.  The organisation has the relevant IT software regarding the identification of hotspots.  Any concerns should be logged through the normal channels.

·         A robust plan is in place

·         The Community Engagement Officer will build up community links and provide education.

·         An electronic system will be used to build a bin stock system.

·         Should recycling be contaminated, crews will leave notification and Officers can visit and provide education.  Communications will be consistent and clear. The Officers will communicate with Community Groups and Residents’ Associations.

·         Co mingling encourages more recycling. 

·         The vehicles are of Environmental Gold Standard.  They are all brand new and of the highest standard.  Smaller electric vehicles are being brought in.

·         Litter bins should be no more than 85% at any one time.  Intelligence will be built after time.

·         Route risk assessments are carried out for every route.  Collections will take place, Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm.

·         Private access ways are included in this contract

Josie Falco and Chris Collier were thanked for the informative address and presentation.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee received an update on the Enforcement Contract. Various statistics were provided.  The Committee was also show two short training videos that showed the Enforcement Officers working.

The Committee made comment, asked questions and heard:

·         Councillors had seen the Enforcement Officers issuing tickets outside the Grosvenor Centre.  It was noted that they are deliberately not obviously visible as Enforcement Officers.

·         Notices can only be issues to over 18s; it is not normal practice to issue warnings.  Warnings are only issued in exceptional circumstances, for example to under 18s.  A zero tolerance approach is applied.

·         Initially, the Team concentrated on the town centre but has begun to move out to the wards. Permissions have been given for the Team to go onto private sites too.

·         The Team can assist with parks and events in open spaces.

·         3,500 notices have been issued from the start of the contract to date.  6% was written off for various reasons.

·         There is a team of 6 Enforcement Officers, 1 supervisor and an Admin Officer.

AGREED:      That the information is noted.

Derrick Simpson, Town Centre Manager, provided the Committee with an update regarding Purple Flag.  Salient points:

·         Northampton Borough Council and the BID submitted an application for Purple Flag on 31 January 2018. The town was assessed on 23 March 2018, the assessment process was explained to the Committee.

·         Should the town have achieved Purple Flag, the Council will be notified on 11 May 2018.  It would be a great achievement for the town.

·         A presentation will be given on 27 June 2018, if Purple Flag is achieved.

AGREED:      That the update is noted.

The Committee discussed the Performance Monitoring Report December 2017. 

It was suggested that it would be useful for the Committee to undertake performance management scrutiny on

·         PP06% change in serious acquisitive crime from the baseline

·         PP07% Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles inspected which comply with regulations

·         HML01 total no of households living in temporary accommodation

·         HML07 number of households that are prevented from becoming homeless

at its June 2018 meeting.

The Committee commended Customer Services for the performance indicator measure in relation to dealing with customers on time.

AGREED:      That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee undertakes performance management scrutiny on the above at its 20 June 2018 meeting.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to approve the Work Programme 2018/2019 and set up the Scrutiny Panels.

The Chair confirmed that as a result of the Work Programme event a number of topics had been identified for Scrutiny review in 2018/2019.   He reminded the Committee of the priority order of these reviews.

The Committee was asked to prioritise the reviews and also indicate whether they wished to serve on the Scrutiny Panels. The Chair advised the Committee that other non-Executive Members would then be asked if they wished to serve on any of the Panels.

AGREED :-

That the three Scrutiny reviews for 2018/2019 be as follows:

Scrutiny Panel 1     - Homelessness and Rough Sleepers

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair             Councillor Cathrine Russell 

Deputy Chair Councillor Zoe Smith

Members        Councillors Aziz, Meredith,. Further members would be invited to join the Panel.

Scrutiny Panel 2 –  Impact of the move of the University of Northampton

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair              Councillor Graham Walker 

Deputy Chair Councillor Sam Kirby-Shaw

Members        Councillors  Aziz, Culbard, Meredith .

Scrutiny Panel 3   -  Northampton – Post Unitary

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair                 Councillor Brian Sargeant

Deputy Chair   Councillor Paul Joyce

Members       Councillors Aziz, Culbard, Lane, Kirby-Shaw, Stone and Walker.  The Chair confirmed that membership of this Scrutiny Panel was now full   

Working Group – Evaluation of O&S

Chair:  Councillor Jamie Lane

Members: Councillors Aziz, Bottwood, Meredith, Kilby-Shaw and Smith

The Chair advised that he would ask for reports and briefing papers regarding:

·         Enforcement of adults riding bicycles on pavements and the parking of cars on pavements

·         The Bus Station

·         Revenue from the hiring of rooms at the Guildhall

·         Report on tenancies and how housing stock is increasing and maintained

·         Littering and the cleanliness of the town

·         Research - HIMOs

 
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee further AGREED: 

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agrees its Work Programme for 2018/2019 from the issues suggested by the recent Work Programming event.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee invites other non-Executives, who are not a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to join the membership of the Scrutiny Panels.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee communicates details of the Work Programme 2018/2019 with all Councillors, and Directors.

The Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2018/2019 is published on the Overview and Scrutiny page of the Council’s webpage.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Panel to present the final report for approval.

Councillor Brian Sargeant, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 1 – Cemeteries, presented the final report of his Scrutiny Panel to the Committee for approval. 

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 1 - Cemeteries is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2018 meeting.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Panel to present the final report for approval.

Councillor Jamie Lane, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 2  - Culture and Tourism, presented the final report of his Scrutiny Panel to the Committee for approval. 

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 2 – Culture and Tourism is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2018 meeting.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Panel to present the final report for approval.

Councillor Cathrine Russell, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 3 – Dementia Friendly Town, presented the final report of his Scrutiny Panel to the Committee for approval. 

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 3 – Dementia Friendly Town is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2018 meeting.

The Chair of the Working Group to present the final report for approval.

Councillor Dennis Meredith, Chair,  O&S Reprovision of the Environmental Services Contract Working Group, presented the final report of his Scrutiny Panel to the Committee for approval. 

AGREED:      That the report of O&S Reprovision of the Environmental Services Contract Working Group,   is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2018 meeting.

Councillor Brian Sargeant to provide an update on the work of NCC’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report back from Councillor Brian Sargeant, NBC's representative to NCC's Health and Social Care  Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair confirmed that at the next meeting the Committee would agree the representative and deputy representative from NBC to this Committee for the year 2018/2019.

AGREED:      (1) That the update is noted.

                      (2) That at the next meeting the Committee would agree the representative and deputy representative from NBC to this Committee for the year 2018/2019

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider any potential issues for future pre decision scrutiny.

There were none.

There were none.