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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE Community, Leisure Services and Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on Tuesday 11 June 2013 |
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PRESENT: |
Councillors Barned, Mrs Blackmore, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Grigg, Mrs Joy, Mrs Mannering, Munford, Mrs Parvin and Yates |
1. The Committee to consider whether all items on the agenda should be web-cast.
It was resolved that all items be web-cast.
2. Apologies.
Apologies were received from Councillor Ash, Beerling and Brindle.
3. Notification of Substitute Members.
Councillors Mrs Parvin, Councillor Mrs Grigg and Councillor Barned substituted for Councillor Ash, Beerling and Brindle respectively.
4. Notification of Visiting Members.
Councillor Mrs Ring attended as a Visiting Member, present as a witness for item 8 on the agenda, Cabinet Member for Environment - Priorities for the Municipal Year 2013-14.
5. Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
It was resolved that:
a) Councillor Mrs Blackmore be appointed as Chairman for the municipal year 2013-14; and
b) Councillor Mrs Joy be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2013-14.
6. Disclosures by Members and Officers.
There were no disclosures.
7. To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information.
It was agreed that all items be taken in public as proposed.
8. Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and Cabinet Member for Environment - Priorities for the Municipal Year 2013-14.
Councillor Mrs Ring, Cabinet Member for Environment took questions on her priorities which included:
- Littering;
- Air Quality Management Plan;
- A new dog fouling scheme, ‘Dog Watch’;
- The Waste Contract with Swale and Ashford; and
- The Commercial Waste Contract.
Members raised questions on littering problems on grass verges and pieces of land where the ownership was unclear. The Committee was informed that a map had been created to identify individual pieces of land.
The Cabinet Member informed the Committee on the Air Quality Management Plan which was a Kent County Council directive. It was explained that Maidstone Borough Council would have a supporting role.
Members considered issues with dog fouling and were informed that a new campaign was to be launched. In the past incentives had been offered to encourage dog owners; under the new scheme owners could receive a £75 fixed penalty notice.
The Committee felt that some dog owners were unaware that dog waste bags could be placed in any bin. The Committee suggested that information could be provided to residents via the Council’s website in a Frequently Asked Question and in an advert on the carousel of news images on the website front page. An information update could also be included in the Borough Update.
Members queried the take up of the new Commercial Waste Service. They were informed that approximately 70 customers had taken up the service and if successful it would be able to provide the Council with an income. The Committee felt it was important to record what types of business were taking up the service and recommended that this information was recorded going forward as it could prove useful when developing the service in the future.
It was recommended that:
a) The Air Quality Management Plan be noted as a work programme suggestion to be discussed under Item 9, Work Programming, 2013-14;
b) Business type be recorded going forward as part of the information collected about customers using the Commercial Waste Service;
c) That the use of all bins for residents disposing of dog waste be communicated via:
· The Borough Update;
· In a frequently Asked Question on the Council’s Website; and
· In an advert on the carousel of news images on the website front page.
9. Work Programming 2013-14.
Prior to the meeting the Committee had visited a Council department ‘marketplace’ and spoken to officers from Council departments relevant to it remit about important areas of work to be undertaken over the coming year.
The Committee considered all the suggestions put forward and selected the following topics for its 2013/14 Work Programme:
- Parish Services - a joint meeting later in the year with the Strategic Leadership and Corporate Services Overview and scrutiny Committee;
- Homelessness Review – Including Homelessness Strategy and working with church, voluntary and charitable organisations
- Gypsy and Traveller Sites - Joint meeting with Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee
- Health Inequalities Review – main focus on Mental Health and Dementia Care Services. To include the Health Inequalities Action Plan, main focus on Mental Health and Dementia Care Services.
- Play Areas – July Meeting
Members also made the following request for information:
- Further details on what the Community Partnerships Department’s role and responsibilities are.
The Chairman informed the Committees of its responsibility to act as the Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committee, meeting twice in this capacity during the next Municipal Year.
The Committee decided that the focus of these two meetings should be:
- The appointment of the Youth Crime Commissioner and Anti Social Behaviour; and
- CCTV Protocols.
Members felt that it was important to include and represent young people at the meeting on Anti Social Behaviour.
The Committee agreed that Health Inequalities should be its first review topic and a Working Group established. Members discussed a previous scrutiny review on Adult Mental Health Services undertaken by the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in 2010. It was agreed that this should be the Working Group’s starting point with progress reported back to the Committee at its August meeting.
It was recommended that:
a) The following topics be included in the Committee’s work Programme for 2013-14:
· Parish Services - a joint meeting later in the year with the Strategic Leadership and Corporate Services Overview and scrutiny Committee;
· Homelessness Review – Including Homelessness Strategy and working with church, voluntary and charitable organisations
· Gypsy and Traveller Sites - Joint meeting with Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee
· Health Inequalities Review – main focus on Mental Health and Dementia Care Services. To include the Health Inequalities Action Plan, main focus on Mental Health and Dementia Care Services.
· Play Areas – July Meeting
· The appointment of the Youth Crime Commissioner and Anti Social Behaviour (Crime and Disorder OSC);
· CCTV Protocols (Crime and Disorder OSC).
b) The Scrutiny Officer fulfil the following information request for the Committee and circulate in due course:
- Further details on what the Community Partnerships Department’s role and responsibilities are.
c) That the Scrutiny Officer contact the Committee via email to request volunteers for the Health Inequalities Review Working Group.
10. Duration of meeting.
7.00 p.m. to 8.40 p.m.