Committee details

SCRUTINY PANEL 2 -   THE IMPACT OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ON THE TOWN

 

1.    Purpose/Objectives of the Review

 

• To investigate the impact of anti-social behaviour on the town

 

Key lines of Inquiry:

Ø  To investigate the levels of anti-social behaviour in the town, such as tackling psychoactive substances, alcohol, littering (including chewing gum), graffiti, fly-tipping, street urination and dog fouling

Ø  To consider the nature of the psychoactive substances market and any health consequences

Ø  To review the policies and strategies for dealing with the impact of anti-social behaviour in the town

Ø  To consider the paper/Bill that is currently being drafted by the Home Office to address the issue of psychoactive substances

Ø  To identify the prevention strategies that can help to address anti-social behaviour on the town

Ø  To identify `hotspots’ of the impact of anti-social behaviour on the town

Ø  To consider the enforcement powers that the Council and other Agencies has in respect of anti-social behaviour

Ø  To consider how Northampton Borough Council can work in partnership with local groups, Agencies, organisations and residents to reduce and prevent the impact  anti-social behaviour has on the town

 

2.   Outcomes Required

 

• To make informed recommendations to all relevant parties on methods to deal with anti-social behaviour on the town  

 

 

3.   Information Required

 

Background data, including:

 

• Presentation to set the scene:  “The Council’s responsibilities in respect of  dealing with anti-social behaviour and how issues outside the Council’s responsibilities are dealt with”  and “what psychoactive substances are”

 

• Relevant national, other background research papers and relevant Legislation, such as:

 

Drug Strategy 2010

Ø  Environmental Protection Act 1990

Ø  Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act2005

Ø  Fouling of Land By Dogs Order 2014

Ø  Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Ø  Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985

Ø  Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014

 

• Relevant data:

 

ØHotspots and trends

ØStatistical data, such as Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN), Community Protection Notices (CPN)

ØJob descriptions of Neighbourhood Wardens and Park Rangers, Northampton Borough Council (NBC)

 

• Best practice and successful initiatives in both Northampton and elsewhere
• Case studies
• Witness evidence:

 

Internal

Ø  Cabinet Member for Environment, Northampton Borough Council (NBC)

Ø  Cabinet Member for Community Safety, NBC

Ø  Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, NBC

Ø  Neighbourhood Wardens and Manager

Ø  Park Rangers, NBC

Ø  Community Safety Manager, NBC

Ø  Town Centre Manager, NBC

Ø  Environmental Health and Licensing Manager, NBC

Ø  Town Centre Ranger

 

External

 

Ø  Parish Councils

Ø  Area Commander, Northants Police

Ø  Town Centre Police Inspector, Northants Police

Ø  Northamptonshire Drug And Alcohol Action Team (DAAT)  

Ø  Substance 2 Solutions (S2S), Northamptonshire (services for adults)

Ø  CAN, Northamptonshire (services for young people)

Ø  Director of Public Health, Northamptonshire County Council (NCC)

Ø  Director, Accident and Emergency, Northampton General Hospital

Ø  Chief Executive, Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH)

Ø  Chair, Market Action Group

Ø  Chair, Town Centre BID

Ø  Director, Trading Standards, NCC

Ø  Conservation Area Committees

Ø  Chair, PubWatch

Ø  Chair, Northampton Retail Crime Initiative

Ø  Director, Network Rail

Ø  Director, London Midland

 

4.   Format of Information

 

·         Background data

·         Background reports and presentation

·         Best practice data

·         Desktop research

·         Evidence from expert external witnesses

·         Evidence from expert internal witnesses

·         Site visits

 

5.   Methods Used to Gather Information

 

·                     Minutes of meetings

·                     Desktop research

·                     Site visits

·                     Officer reports

·                     Statistical data

·                     Presentations

·                     Examples of best practice

·                     Witness Evidence:-

 

Ø  Key witnesses  as detailed in section 3 of this scope

 

6.   Co-Options to the Review

 

None suggested for this Review

 

7   Considerations for Community Impact, such as health, equalities and human rights

 

This Scrutiny Review will investigate the impact of anti-social behaviour on the town.  It will seek to put forward informed recommendations to all relevant parties on methods to deal with anti-social behaviour on the town. 

 

The Scrutiny Panel, in having regard to the general equality duty, will be mindful of the protected characteristics when undertaking this scrutiny activity; so that any recommendations that it made could identify disproportionate and unintended potential positive and negative impacts on any particular sector of the community, including any potential mitigation required.  This will be borne in mind as the Scrutiny Panel progresses with the review and evidence is gathered. 

In order that the Scrutiny Panel obtains a wide range of views, a number of key witnesses will provide evidence as detailed in section 3 of this report.

Any recommendations that explore ways of dealing with the impact of anti- social behaviour on the town will consider impact and potential mitigation as appropriate and relevant across all protected characteristics. Impact assessments will be integral to any reports including actions plans.

 

8      Evidence gathering Timetable

 

Meetings to commence at 6.00 pm

 

13 July 2015

10 September

 8 October

10 December

28 January 2016

17 March

 

Various site visits will be programmed during this period, if required.

 

9.           Responsible Officers

 

Lead Officer            Debbie Ferguson, Community Safety Manager

                                   

Co-ordinator              Tracy Tiff, Scrutiny Officer

 

10.         Resources and Budgets

 

Debbie Ferguson, Community Safety Manager, to provide internal advice.

 

11.       Final report presented by:

 

Completed by March 2016.  Presented by the Chair of the Panel to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and then to Cabinet.

 

12.       Monitoring procedure:

           

Review the impact of the report after six months  (December 2016)