OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE |
23 JANUARY 2024 |
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Environmental and Waste Crime Enforcement Review Covering Report |
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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 |
Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Any agreed actions arising from the review will be presented to the relevant Decision Maker in March 2024 |
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Lead Director |
Angela Woodhouse, Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Oliviya Parfitt, Principal 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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A report supplemented by the draft Committee report to conclude the ‘Environmental and Waste Crime Enforcement’ review. Once agreed, the report will be presented to the relevant decision makers from March 2024. |
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Purpose of Report Decision |
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This report makes the following recommendation to the Committee |
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1. That the Committee consider the report attached at Appendix 1, make amendments as required and agree the report for submission to the relevant decision maker. |
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Environmental and Waste Crime Enforcement Review Covering Report |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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
We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities at this stage.
Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP). |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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
Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP).
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
Risk Management |
See Section 5 of the report.
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
Financial |
Any recommendations agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will include a consideration of the budgetary implications and will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP).
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Head of Finance |
Staffing |
We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing. |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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 Committee to review and scrutinise the Executive Decisions made, or other actions taken relating to the exercise of Executive functions. – LGA 2000, Section 9F. Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP). |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
Information Governance |
The recommendations of this report do not impact personal information (as defined in UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) the Council processes. |
Senior Information Governance Officer |
Equalities |
The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment. |
Equalities & Communities Officer |
Public Health
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Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP). |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
Crime and Disorder |
The report’s recommendations will not impact Crime & Disorder.
Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP).
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Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
Procurement |
No impacts identified. |
Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
Biodiversity and Climate Change |
No impacts identified at this stage. Any actions agreed by the Committee as part of their review will be considered by the relevant Officers and Decision makers. This will take place via the presentation of the Committee’s formal report and Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP). |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 A review into ‘Environmental and Waste Crime Enforcement’ has been held by this Committee between October to December 2023. These meetings were attended by the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and the relevant Officers. The agenda papers and minutes for those meetings accessible through section 9 of this report.
2.2 A list of possible actions suggested by the Committee during the review was presented to the Committee in December 2023, for the Committee to consider as part of formulating its recommendations. All of the actions were agreed with some amendments.
2.3 The Committee is asked to consider and approve the report for submission to the relevant decision-makers, making changes where it feels these are necessary.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 Option 1 – Amend and/or Approve the (draft) Committee report as contained within appendix 1 to the report.
3.2 Option 2 – Do not amend and/or approve the (draft) Committee report as contained within appendix 1 to the report. This is not recommended, as this will prevent the Democratic Services Officer from formally submitting the Committee’s report (and recommendations) of the review to the relevant decision-makers. This will prevent the consideration of the Committee’s recommendations and prevent any subsequent actions from being taken.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Option 1 as outlined in point 3.1 of the report.
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
Committee Meeting |
Action |
June 2023 |
The Committee agreed to undertake a review into Environmental and Waste Crime Enforcement |
October 2023 |
The Committee received written and verbal evidence from the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and relevant officers.
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November 2023 |
As Above.
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December 2023 |
The Committee reviewed the suggestions made during the review, and agreed its recommendations from the review.
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7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 If agreed, the report will be presented to the relevant decision makers as outlined in point 2.3 of the report.
7.2 Following the report’s receipt, the decision maker will be presented with an Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP) at a future meeting. This SCRAIP will contain comments from the relevant officers on any considerations and/or impacts arising from each of this Committee’s recommendations. This will ensure that the decision-makers are presented with all the relevant, appropriate and applicable information before reaching a decision. This is standard practice and is reflective of good governance.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
· Appendix 1: (draft) Committee Report: Environmental and Waste Crime Review
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Agenda and Minutes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting held on 17 October 2023, 21 November 2023 and 19 December 2023: Your Councillors - Maidstone Borough Council