Contact your Parish Council
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EXECUTIVE |
18 April 2023 |
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Report of the Overview and Scrutiny acting as the Crime and Disorder Committee – Safety in the Town Centre Review |
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Will this be a Key Decision? |
No |
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Urgency |
Not Applicable |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Executive |
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Lead Director |
Angela Woodhouse, Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Oliviya Parfitt, Democratic Services Officer |
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Classification |
Public |
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Wards affected |
All |
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Executive Summary |
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This report provides an outline of the Overview and Scrutiny, acting as the Crime and Disorder Committee’s review into Safety in the Town Centre, and the recommended actions produced as a result.
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Purpose of Report Decision
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This report makes the following recommendations to the Executive: That |
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1. The report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be received; and 2. A substantive response to the report be provided within two months, via the completion of the SCRAIP report. |
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Report of the Overview and Scrutiny acting as the Crime and Disorder Committee – Safety in the Town Centre Review |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
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Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The four Strategic Plan objectives are:
· Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure · Safe, Clean and Green · Homes and Communities · A Thriving Place
Accepting the recommendations may materially improve the Council’s ability to achieve all corporate priorities and have been put forward by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following its review into Safety in the Town Centre.
It is expected that an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, which will contain comments from the relevant officers on the recommended actions. |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Cross Cutting Objectives |
The four cross-cutting objectives are:
· Heritage is Respected · Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced · Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved · Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected
Accepting the recommendations may materially improve the Council’s ability to achieve all cross-cutting objectives and have been put forward by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following its review into Safety in the Town Centre. It is expected that an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, which will contain comments from the relevant officers on the recommended actions. |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Risk Management |
See Section 5 of the report
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Financial |
The recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny review will need to be delivered within already approved budgetary headings. If any new funding is required for implementation this will need to be addressed as part of the annual budget process.
The Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, with a ‘financial implications’ section included to highlight any costs and or savings associated with each recommendation.
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Head of Finance |
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Staffing |
The delivery of any of the recommendations produced by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be subject to consideration by the relevant Senior Officers for the applicable Service Area.
It is expected that an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, which will contain comments from the relevant officers on the recommended actions.
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Legal |
In accordance with Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) the Council is operating under Executive Arrangements. These arrangements must include provision for the appointment of one or more Overview and Scrutiny Committees to review and scrutinise the Executive Decisions made, or other actions taken relating to the exercise of the Authority and/or Executive Functions – LGA 2000, Section 9F.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has exercised this power through its review and associated recommended actions for presentation to the Executive, and has done so as the Council’s Crime and Disorder Committee.
It is expected that an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, which will contain comments from the relevant officers on the recommended actions; should further advice be required at a later stage, such as at a future decision-making stage relating to the recommended actions, this would need to be raised by the relevant Senior Officers.
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Interim Team Leader (Contentious and Corporate Governance) |
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Information Governance |
The recommendations do not impact personal information (as defined in UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) the Council processes. |
Senior Information Governance Officer |
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Equalities |
The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment.
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Equalities & Communities Officer |
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Public Health
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We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals.
An update on any further implications arising from public health will be given at the meeting. |
Public Health Officer |
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Crime and Disorder |
No impacts identified.
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Procurement |
No impacts identified. |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Biodiversity and Climate Change |
There are no implications on biodiversity and climate change at this stage of the review.
It is expected that an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan will be provided to the Executive at a future meeting, which will contain comments from the relevant officers on the recommended actions. |
Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) conducted a review into ‘Safety in the Town Centre’ between October 2022 to February 2023. These meetings were attended by a variety of internal and external stakeholders, with the agenda papers and minutes accessible through section 9 of this report.
2.2 The OSC produced a total of 15 recommended actions from the review, 14 of these are applicable to the Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement’s remit.
2.3 The recommended actions are contained within Appendix 1, alongside each action’s ‘intended outcomes’ and relevant Lead Officer/s. This is to provide the Committee’s reasoning in putting forward each action, alongside providing a clear record of which Officers and Members have responsibility for the applicable service areas.
2.4 The report attached at Appendix 1 for the Executive’s consideration was agreed by the OSC at its March 2023 meeting.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 Option 1 – Request further information on the recommendations.
Request further information on the recommended actions from the relevant officers, in the form of an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP). The completed SCRAIP would then be presented to the Executive at a subsequent meeting, in producing a formal response from the Executive to the OSC.
3.2 Option 2 – Amend and/or Agree to implement the recommended actions.
If agreed, the relevant Lead Officers will implement the agreed actions or conduct further work, as appropriate. However, this would involve amending and/or approving the recommendations without having considered advice from the relevant officers.
3.3 Option 3 - Reject the recommended actions.
The Executive could choose not to implement the recommended actions however this may mean that an opportunity to improve Safety in the Town Centre, is missed.
3.4 The OSC will be formally informed of the Executives of the decision taken by the Executive, with further information outlined below in points XXXX.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 There is no preferred option from an officer perspective, as this report has been produced to support the OSC in presenting its recommended actions to the Executive as the relevant decision-maker. The OSC unanimously agreed the recommended actions for the Executive.
4.2 As outlined above in point 2.3, the reasons for the recommended actions are contained within the ‘intended outcomes’ section for each action.
5. RISK
5.1 The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework. We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.
6. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
6.1 This is the first time that this issue has been presented to the Executive, although the Lead Member for Communities and Public Engagement attended the 6 October 2022, to observe the Briefing provided to the Committee.
6.2 The actions taken by the OSC in conducting the review are briefly outlined in points 2.1 and 2.2 of this report, with full details provided in appendix 1 to this report.
6.3 The outcome of this report’s consideration and eventual response will be reported to the OSC at the next appropriate meeting.
7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 The Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be provided with a formal response on behalf of the Executive, which will outline the Executive’s consideration of this report and associated appendices and which actions were agreed, if any. This is a legal requirement, where an Overview and Scrutiny Committee has formally published a report to the Executive resulting from a review.
7.2 Consideration could be given as to whether the Overview and Scrutiny Committee receives a further update post-implementation of any agreed actions. However, this would not need to be decided at this point.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:
· Appendix 1: Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Safety in the Town Centre Review.
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Agenda and Minutes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting held on 6 October 2022: Your Councillors - Maidstone Borough Council
Agenda and Minutes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting held on 18 October 2022: Your Councillors - Maidstone Borough Council
Agenda and Minutes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting held on 20 December 2022: Your Councillors - Maidstone Borough Council
Agenda and Minutes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting held on 21 February 2023: Your Councillors - Maidstone Borough Council