Agenda and minutes

Members to note any apologies and substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillors Meredith and Sargeant.

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.

The Chair proposed that a Vice Chair be appointed for the duration of the Panel. It was agreed that this would be Councillor Palethorpe.                                   

Members to state any interests.

Councillor Glynane declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest (for the duration of the panel) as a member of Northamptonshire Police Authority.

The Scrutiny Panel to scope the Review.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and commented that the priority was to set the scope of the review.  The panel agreed that the objective and purpose of the scope be widened as demonstrated in the attached document.

The panel agreed that there was a need for partnership working to allow for other agencies to feed information into the review and identify any potential gaps that would need to be addressed. It was also agreed that a benchmark be put in place to allow for measurability.

It was proposed that a Neighbourhood Warden be invited to offer information and evidence on Serious Acquisitive Crime in Northampton; the panel requested that another Warden be invited, who covered another area of Northampton, to offer a balanced perspective.

The panel agreed that they would contact a number of people/organisations to feed into the review, which included:

1)     A representative from a Northamptonshire Prison.

2)     A representative from Victim Support

3)     Representation from a youth group such as the Youth Forum or from the University.

4)     The new Northamptonshire Police Commissioner, when in post.

5)     A representative from the Police with regards to the planning aspects of reducing crime through architectural and environmental design.

6)     A representative from Public Health regarding A & E data that is collected on violent crime.

The panel agreed that domestic violence was also another key consideration as it was highlighted by one member, that during large sporting events – i.e the Olympics that the number of cases of domestic violence escalated.

Emphasis was placed on the need for a good working relationship to be established with the new Police Commissioner.

It was noted that a review of the impact of the report would be heard after 6 months.

AGREED:  That the scope of the Review as attached at Appendix A be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28^th May 2012 for approval