Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meetings held on 21^st December, 2016 and 4^th January 2017 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meetings held on 21^st December 2016 and 4^th January 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

An Officer from Lancashire County Council has been invited to attend the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Steve Scott, Head of Waste Management, Lancashire County Council and the Chief Officer (Environment) to the meeting.

Steve Scott provided the Committee with an update on recycling and waste management within Lancashire including details of the permit scheme that had been introduced at the County’s Recycling Centres. It was reported that each household could apply for a permit to dispose of a quarter of a tonne of building waste each year.

With regard to the impact on fly tipping, it was reported that there had been a slight increase in the district but it was only at the level it had been in 2011/12.  Across the County it was still a problem.

To tackle fly tipping across Lancashire, the Waste Partnership, which consisted of officers from all of the local authorities from the County, was working on proposals to combat the problem. Centrally funded enforcement was being investigated and the Partnership had signed up to the Environment Agency’s ‘Right Place, Right Waste’ campaign.

Members were advised that the County Council had recently opened a re-use shop in Preston which sold re-usable items that had been brought to the recycling centre. The shop was working well and it was hoped this could be replicated around Lancashire. The County Council was also proposing to re-use items by donating them to vulnerable people if it could arrange storage.

Committee Members asked a number of questions relating to fly tipping and the permit scheme.

Resolved :-

(1)  That Steve Scott be thanked for his attendance at the meeting.

(2)  That officers make enquiries regarding a site visit by Members of the Committee to the waste management facility within the County.

Cabinet Member with responsibility for :

·         Markets

·         Voluntary Sector

·         Older People

·         Rural Affairs

Councillor Pattison has been invited to attend the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Margaret Pattison, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Markets, Voluntary Sector, Older People and Rural Affairs, to the meeting.

Councillor Pattison provided the Committee with an overview of her portfolio. It was reported that the Markets were generally doing well and officers were investigating the possibility of some extra specialised markets.

It was reported that the Cabinet Member had a place on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority as the District had Lancashire’s 1% of the National Park within its boundaries.

The Committee was informed that the Cabinet Member was willing to attend a meeting of the Voluntary and Faith Sector Commissioning Informal Task Group to give evidence.

With regard to older people it was noted that Councillor Pattison attend the Older People’s Forum where champions from across Lancashire shared good practice. Members were also informed of the good work being undertaken at the Dementia Hub that had been established.

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions relating to Councillor Pattison’s portfolio.

Resolved :-

That Councillor Pattison be thanked for her attendance at the meeting.

The Chairman of the Task Group has been invited to attend the meeting to present the report.

The Report will be circulated separately.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Charlie Edwards, Chairman of the Late Night Economy in the Lancaster District Informal Task Group, to the meeting.

Councillor Edwards gave the Committee an overview of the work that had been undertaken by the Informal Task Group.

It was reported that the Task Group had gathered evidence from many different sources such as the Police, Pubwatch, NHS, BID both Morecambe and Lancaster, as well as Council officers from Licencing, Environmental Services and Street Cleansing.

The following issues were highlighted by the Task Group through its themed meetings:

·         Littering

·         Night-time economy blending with the day time economy

·         4.00 am to 6.00 am most problematic time

·         Litter

·         Music

·         Anti-Social Behaviour

·         Safety of women

·         Serving alcohol to people who are intoxicated

·         Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Lancaster

The report highlighted the good work that was being undertaken by the local Pubwatches and the need for a group to continue the work and liaison that had been established by the Task Group. 

One key issue that emerged was the need to continue, in some form, CCTV within Lancaster City Centre.

The Committee discussed the findings and recommendations of the Informal Task Group and made a few minor amendments to the recommendations.

Resolved :

It was unanimously agreed that the report of the Informal Task Group be approved, with the recommendations as amended and set out below :-

Recommendation 1

(a)        That the Community Safety Partnership be requested to establish a Sub-Group             to continue the work of the Scrutiny Informal Task Group with the membership             mirroring the existing Task Group, including Pubwatch.

(b)        That the Community Safety Partnership Sub-Group consider appropriate levels             of training of licensed premises staff and receive updates provided by             Pubwatch representatives of Lancaster and Morecambe.

(c)        That the newly formed Sub-Group consider the city centre’s ability to gain             Purple Flag Status and also investigate the introduction of a rewards system             for well-run licensed premises.

Recommendation 2

(a)        That based on the evidence heard, the Task Group recommends to Council             that it continues to give its full support to the Public Space Protection Order             (PSPO) covering the central area of Lancaster.

 (b)       That updates on the use of the PSPOs be reported to the annual Community             Safety meeting of the City Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(c)        That the feasibility of the PSPO for Morecambe Town Centre and Promenade             be assessed by Lancaster City Council and the Police and reported to the City             Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Recommendation 3

That, after considering the evidence provided, it be recommended that CCTV is vital to the infrastructure of Lancaster city centre and Morecambe. The Task Group agrees that public CCTV is a vital community asset which provides reassurance, deterrence and response.

Further to this, it is recommended that work continues with all of the potential partnership participants on building a business case for how a partnership approach to the delivery of a repurposed CCTV system might operate and that a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

It was noted that there had not been any requests for items to be considered in accordance with the Councillor Call for Action process.

It was noted that there had not been any requests for items to be considered in accordance with the Petition process.

It was noted that an update had been requested from Lancashire County Council on locality working.

Resolved :-

That the update be noted.

Report of the Chief Executive. 

Members considered the Committee’s Work Programme including an update on the meeting to consider the Civic Task Group’s final report which would meet shortly and report back to the next meeting of the Committee.

With regard to an update on pot holes, Members were advised that Lancashire County Council had offered to attend a future meeting of the Committee to give Members details of the current situation within the district.

Members were reminded that the Community Safety Partnership meeting to consider the Council’s referral on hate crime was taking place on Wednesday, 15^th February 2017 at 10.00am, with all Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members invited to attend.

Resolved :-

That the report be noted.