Agenda and minutes

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 the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

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 the following interests were declared:

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 (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2) agenda item 13(a) – Consultation Response to Integration and Cohesion Commission on behalf of HSP – be considered before item 12 – Update on Work Programme;

(3) all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 July and 28 September 2006 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

[Note:  The minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meetings held on 5 July 2006 and 28 September 2006 be taken as read and signed as correct records.

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 at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9.

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

[Ms Jean Bradlow, Director of Public Health, Harrow Primary Care Trust and the Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Bob Carr, will be in attendance for this item.]

The Sub-Committee received a report from the Director of Public Health, Harrow Primary Care Trust, together with a Draft Alcohol Strategy 2006/08 to be implemented through multi-agency working.  The Strategy set out:-

·                     national and local drivers for action;

·                     local needs;

·                     current services and gaps; and

·                     key priorities for implementation.

The Director of Public Health stated that alcohol misuse had a significant impact on people’s lives and their families.  It was closely related to fear of crime and impacted adversely on the health service, the police and support agencies.  She stated that:-

·                     accurate data on alcohol misuse was not available because of the manner in which data was collected;

·                     for crime committed as a result of alcohol misuse it was generally not recorded that alcohol was involved;

·                     education was key to preventing alcohol misuse.

Contributions on aspects of the Strategy were also received from the Harrow Police Borough Commander, the Harrow Police licensing officer, and Council officers.  In welcoming the Strategy, they stated that:-

·                     alcohol related crime and binge drinking had a huge impact on the police service;

·                     stricter control of licensed premises was essential;

·                     education on the adverse effects of alcohol misuse in schools was a way forward;

·                     high impact and controlled drinking zones would assist;

·                     multi-agency data collection was essential;

·                     specialist intervention services in GP surgeries would help;

·                     liaison between the police and the owners of licensed premises would continue and that various controls were available to the police under recent licensing legislation;

·                     various initiatives to help educate patrons of licensed premises and the general public would be investigated/implemented; and

·                     a ‘Train to Gain’ scheme could potentially be developed in order to provide training for door supervisors and security staff.

In response to questions, the Director of Public Health stated that each of the agencies involved would be requested to formally adopt the Strategy.  She added that some aspects of the Strategy had already been implemented and that a multi?agency forum would oversee its implementation.

The Chairman echoed the comments made by a Member and welcomed the Strategy on behalf of the Sub-Committee and wished it success.  He welcomed the partnership approach to dealing with the problems associated with alcohol abuse and offered the Sub-Committee’s support.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the report of the Director of Public Health and the Draft Alcohol Strategy be noted and welcomed;

(2)  the final Strategy be submitted to the Sub-Committee;

(3)  a performance report be submitted to the Sub-Committee in six to twelve months’ time.

(See also Minute 29).

Presentation by the Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Bob Carr

The Sub-Committee received a presentation from the Borough Commander that highlighted the policing and community safety priorities for Harrow in 2007/08 and the initiatives that would be undertaken to achieve these.

The presentation set out the current performance of Harrow Police in key areas and how the recommendations from the Fear of Crime Scrutiny Review were being addressed.  In support of the presentation a paper entitled ‘Fear of Crime and Crime Related Questions’ was circulated by an officer, which showed a breakdown of the MORI Harrow Residents Survey on fear of crime.  The Sub-Committee was informed that the “fear of crime” scrutiny recommendations were a priority in the crime reduction strategy.  In many cases fear of crime was based on perception rather than facts.

In response to questions from Members, the Borough Commander and the officer stated that:-

·                     gun-related crime was low in Harrow;

·                     Harrow was currently the second lowest borough in London in terms of total crime and the lowest in terms of the number of violent crimes recorded;

·                     although the statistics were based on recorded crime many things reported were recorded as a crime even when they were not, often for insurance reasons;

·                     the increase in racist incidents/crime was small but significant as a result of the introduction of the Third Party Reporting project. This was a very positive development as it indicated that individuals had the confidence to report such crime and in action being taken;

·                     the increase in the figures for possession of drugs was a result of the stop and search policy used to target robberies and drug issues in Harrow remained at a very low level; and

·                     it was intended to establish links with the Asian newspapers and radio channels, with a view to broadcasting personal safety campaigns, particularly during the festivals to reduce the incidence of robbery and burglary which peaked during festival periods.

On behalf of the Sub-Committee, the Chairman thanked the Borough Commander for his presentation and the paper provided by the officer on the MORI Harrow Residents Survey, which was a useful planning tool.  He stated that there was a relationship between fear of crime and the work of the Sub?Committee.  It was noted that the fear of crime issue was interlinked with anti?social behaviour, both of which would be addressed by the Safer Harrow Management Group (SHMG). 

RESOLVED:  That (1) the presentation and report be noted;

(2)  a report be submitted on the fear of crime review in twelve months’ time.

(See also Minute 29).

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy

The Members received a report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy, which set out the changes to the Local Area Agreement (LAA) relating to services within the Sub?Committee’s sphere of interest.  He stated that the “Refresh” had been signed off by the Government Office for London (GOL) and the number of local indicators had been reduced as these were now covered by the mandatory indicators.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Lifelong Learning and Cultural Services

Members considered a report of the Director of Lifelong Learning and Cultural Services, which set out the response, prepared on behalf of the Harrow Strategic Partnership (HSP), to the consultation on cohesion and integration from the Commission on Integration and Cohesion.

Members were informed that the response reflected a set of views of the representatives who were consulted and responded to the consultation of the Community Cohesion Management Group.

An officer outlined the issues raised during the consultation process and referred to the recommendations set out in the report.  She responded to questions from Members as follows:-

·                     a systematic way of identifying tensions, why they happened and early intervention to address them should be put in place;

·                     discussions on cohesion and integration “Talking Communities” would commence on 8 February 2007. The first event would look at older people and future events would engage on a range of issues, which would include the youth, would be explored.

Following discussion of the submission it was

RESOLVED:  That (1) the comments and the views expressed in the submission be noted;

(2)  the co-chairs of the Community Cohesion Management Group be invited to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee to discuss integration and cohesion in Harrow;

(3)  the Commission’s report, scheduled to be published in June 2007, be submitted to the Sub?Committee;

(4)  the Council’s Community Development Strategy be submitted to the Sub?Committee.     

Report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Director of People, Performance and Policy on this matter, which set out the progress made on the work programme since the last meeting.  The report sought changes to the Work Programme previously agreed.  

RESOLVED: That (1) the work undertaken since the meeting of the Sub?Committee be noted;

(2)  the review of financial inclusion be removed from the Sub-Committee’s Work Programme;

(3)  the Sub-Committee carry out a review of affordable warmth, beginning with a meeting to develop a scope for the review;

(4)  Members notify the Scrutiny officer of their interest in serving on the affordable warmth review and that Councillor Seymour chair the review group.

The Sub-Committee thanked the Director of Public Health, Jean Bradlow, and the Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Bob Carr, who were leaving their respective posts.

Members thanked them for their work and agreed that a motion should be submitted to Council commending their work in Harrow.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

In accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 6.6(ii)(b) it was

RESOLVED:  At (1) 9.58 pm to continue until 10.05 pm;

(2) 10.05 pm to continue until 10.10 pm.