Agenda and minutes

To note the appointment at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 June 2006 of Councillor Anthony Seymour as Chairman of this Sub-Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment at the Special meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 5 June 2006 of Councillor Anthony Seymour as Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Safer and Stronger Communities Sub-Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor Keeki Thammaiah as Vice?Chairman of the Sub?Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07. 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2006 of the Strengthening Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee (being the predecessor body to this Sub-Committee), having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2006 of the Strengthening Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee (being the predecessor body to this Sub-Committee), having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To note the terms of reference of the Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the terms of reference of the Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee be noted.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents/organisations under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8.

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received, at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules 8, 9 and 10 respectively.

Oral report of the Executive Director (Urban Living).

Members received a presentation from the Urban Living Directorate.  The Executive Director (Urban Living) tabled documents, which set out the Urban Living organisational arrangements for 2006/07 and an overview of the work area of his Directorate.

The Sub-Committee was advised of Urban Living’s main corporate priorities and how these would be delivered.  In response to questions from Members, the Executive Director advised that:

·         the recycling rate in the Borough had improved, which would help attain the target of a 40 per cent recycling rate by 2010.  Various measures had been taken to deal with complaints generated by the launch of the compulsory recycling scheme.  These included communications disseminated to the public and the Council’s online information;

·         improvements had been made to Canons Park Open Space, and a proposed solution to improving Prince Edward Playing Fields would be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting;

·         the establishment of an alcohol exclusion zone would help deal with anti-social behaviour linked to alcohol, which could be extended Borough-wide in the future depending on the evidence available.   

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.  

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy.

Members received a report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy, which provided information on the Sub-Committee’s proposed work programme and introduced key topics. 

A Member requested that new Members of the Sub-Committee be provided with information relating to the Crime and Disorder Act Review.   

RESOLVED:  That (1) the work programme long list for this Sub-Committee be noted;

(2)  the items in the work programmes of the other Sub-Committees be noted;

(3)  a further report be provided to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee incorporating more detail with regard to scope, prioritisation and methodology for topics;

(4)  information relating to the Crime and Disorder Act Review be circulated to new Members of the Sub-Committee; and

(5)  the Sub-Committee undertake a light-touch review of the Council’s self assessment of its effectiveness in mainstreaming section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and this be reported to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy.

The Committee received a report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy, which provided information on policy areas within the Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference. 

RESOLVED:  That the policy briefings be noted.

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy.

Members considered a report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy in this regard.

An officer advised that this issue had been overtaken by events and she stated that matters elsewhere on the agenda required early attention and that the issue of public call boxes could be deferred for the time being.  Members agreed with the advice given but suggested that this issue be publicised in Harrow People to enable the public to voice any concerns.      

RESOLVED:  That the decision to establish a review group to consider the question of the removal of public call boxes be deferred, and the issue be considered at a future meeting of the Sub-Committee.  

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy.

Members received a report of the Director of the Director of People, Performance and Policy on this matter.

An officer advised that an induction handbook had been developed for members of the Harrow Strategic Partnership, which could be made available to the wider community.

In response to questions, the Sub-Committee was advised that payment of the Pump Priming Grant and Reward Grant in relation to the Local Area Agreement (LAA) was expected shortly.  The balanced scorecard mechanism would monitor progress on all targets in the LAA.  The officer advised that work was underway to develop the balanced scorecard system, which would be supported by the new Management Information System (MIS) being introduced through the Business Transformation Project. 

RESOLVED:  That (1) the benefits of Partnership working be noted;

(2)  the lead taken on Partnership working by the Harrow Strategic Partnership be noted;

(3) the Local Area Agreement (LAA), which was an outcome of Partnership Working, be noted.

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living).

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) in this regard.

An officer advised Members that the Portfolio Holder for Urban Living – Public Realm was now attending meetings of the Safer Harrow Management Group.  The officer advised that Harrow’s over-60 population was not twice the national average as stated on page 57 of the report but in line with the national average.

Each recommendation was introduced and commented on in terms of the progress made within the two months since the report and recommendations had been finalised.  

During discussion, the following comments were made by Members:

·         The lighting in Rayners Lane Estate ought to be improved.  The Executive Director advised that funding for this was not currently available and that it would be a matter for Cabinet.

·         Lighting had been duplicated on George V Avenue.  The Executive Director advised that work was being done with residents to overcome objections.

Regarding Recommendation 8 from the Fear of Crime Review, it was advised that there was now also a Police Safer Neighbourhood Team for each ward.

In response to a query, the Executive Director advised that issues relating to road structure and lighting could be raised by Members directly with the manager of Environmental Services – Engineering, or with him.

RESOLVED:  That (1) progress against the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Fear of Crime be noted;

(2)  progress reports, which included user-friendly data, be submitted to the Sub-Committee every six months.   

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living).

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) on this matter.

In response to questions from a Member, an officer advised that the Sub-Committee could submit its views on the Crime and Disorder Act Review to the Home Office in the form of a written report.  A Member suggested that a special meeting would need to be convened for this purpose.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the probable implications for the Sub-Committee following the implementation of the recommendations attached to the Crime and Disorder Act Review be noted;

(2)  the Sub-Committee be kept informed of developments in this area and a briefing note be submitted to the Sub-Committee’s next meeting.