Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded to use their microphones when speaking.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Committee noted that the meeting would be webcast.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor R Church would be substituting Councillor D Bateman, Councillor P McMillan would be substituting Councillor G Mohindra and Councillor Mrs C Pond would be substituting Councillor P House.   

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 November 2006.

The main agenda indicated these minutes would follow. They are attached herewith. Please bring them with you to the meeting.

It was agreed that as the minutes for the meeting on 9 November 2006 had not been made available prior to meeting, they be deferred to the next meeting for conformation.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interest were made pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To receive a progress report from Harlow Police on the Neighbourhood Policing Initiative.

(Joint Chief Executive (Community)). Members will recall that on 2 March 2006, the Committee received a presentation from Chief SuperintendentAndy Adams on the Neighbourhood Policing initiative. Members noted the purpose of the scheme which was to solve local issues through the provision of local policing teams. Members also considered progress with the role out of the District initiative, Dispersal Orders, response times to enquiries, incidents of anti-social behaviour, priority areas and resourcing issues both for the scheme and in general.

Superintendent Graham Carey of Harlow Police who is in charge of Neighbourhoods and Partnerships will be attending this meeting to present a progress report on the scheme.

It was reported that on the 2 March 2006, the Committee received a presentation from Chief Superintendent Andy Adams, the Divisional Commander for the District on the Neighbourhood Policing Initiative.

The Committee heard about the key elements of the scheme designed to provide accessible and local known police officers to tackle local issues of concern. They also received information on progress with the roll out of the scheme in the District, and more general policing issues including Dispersal orders, response times to enquiries, anti-social behaviour and resourcing issues.

The Chairman welcomed back Chief Superintendent Andy Adams to report on progress with the local initiative and wider policing issues.

Mr Adams reiterated the aims behind the initiative which he anticipated Members also recognised and valued. He reminded the Committee that the task of providing a local visible policing presence in the District was a significant challenge due its geographical size (which covered a significant ‘chunk’ of the area in the Western Division) its diverse character and the problems in the surrounding areas. Mr Adams referred to a copy of the presentation containing the contact details of the officers for the local wards to be made available to all members of the Council.

He reported on the structure of the Western Division covering Harlow, Epping Forest and Brentwood including a total of 58 wards and 18 neighbourhood teams. He reported that the Epping Forest Division had four stations in Epping, Waltham Abbey, Loughton and Ongar which constituted most of the Western Divisions stations.  He referred to its staffing establishment comprising a Divisional Commander, three Commanders and under this local neighbourhood teams.

In terms of current policing initiatives, he reported on the Automated  Number Plate Recognition Scheme (ANPRS) facilitated by the installation of CCTV in Loughton to provide intelligence on car crime. The Committee noted the number of incidents captured by the system in the Loughton High Road area during November 2006 indicating its effectiveness in dealing with car crime. The scheme was a part Council , part Police driven process. The Committee noted action to deal with crime in railways stations with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership using scanning technology  to check for knives. The Committee noted performance against tackling knife related crime and the provision of schemes supported by visible local policing in ‘problem’ areas to reduce this. The Committee heard about the Mobile Rural Police Office for the provision of information and help on local crime.

Reference was made to an operation, carried out over a 24 hour period, to show the forces commitment to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured in car accidents although this was not a significant  problem in the District. The Committee noted figures indicating the schemes success. Members expressed support for this and asked that the work be carried out frequently.

In response the presentation, the Committee asked to received an update on the roll out of the District Neighbourhood Policing Scheme. It was clarified that phase one was to introduce  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

(Head of Environmental Services). To consider the report of the Task and Finish Panel.

Members should also note that the consultants for the report (Parking Associates Ltd) will be attending this meeting to present their findings. 

The Committee considered a report of the Task and Finish Panel for Town Centre and Car Parks forwarding recommendations concerning the development of the new parking enforcement contract.

The Head of Environmental Services apologised for the unavailability of the consultants, Parking Associates Ltd, who had been due to report to the meeting on options for the development of the new contract as discussed with the Panel.

A final report of the consultants was attached to the agenda.  The report considered the form of the new contract, ticket targets, car parks, lines and signs, pay and display machines, vehicle removals, parking shops, the new Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA) and IT systems. The report had formed the basis of the Panels discussions and also had helped shape their recommendations.

It was reported that the Panel had met on two occasions to review the operation of contract ahead of the letting of the new contract due to come into operation in October 2007. The Panel had received two reports from the consultants on how best to proceed with the contract in view of the TMA, to replace Decimalised Parking Enforcement with Civil Parking Enforcement, and the governments views on how parking enforcement should be undertaken. The Committee considered each of the Panels recommendations in turn.

(a)               Type of Contract

It was reported that in view of the need for the new contract to provide a partnership between the Council and the service provider, as both parties would be responsible for ensuring its success, the Panel had recommended that the new style of contract introduced by the British Parking Association and supported by central government be used for the contract. It was envisaged that this would provide greater transparency and accountability and performance indicators on which payment would be partly determined.

(b)            Tender Process

The Panel had considered the clear directions in the TMA and agreed that it was essential that the new contract placed greater emphasis on quality of the service.  As a result the Panel had recommended, following consideration of the advise of the consultants, that there should be a 40% price, 60% quality balance in the contract.

(c)        Signs and Lines

The Panel had proposed, given the complex process for arranging simple maintenance work brought about by the return of the highways function to the County, that the Council should open up discussions with the County with a view to them enabling the Council to commission minor works such as the repainting of yellow lines and the replacement of signs subject to the use of an approved County Contractors.

A Member requested that the word ‘replace’ in the text of the report be substituted by the word ‘initiate’ to state that the Council should be able to initiate yellow lines and signs rather than merely replace them. In reply, the Head of Environmental Services clarified that he was happy to speak to the County Council to see if this further flexibility could be taken forward.

(d)            Consultation

It was noted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

(Chairman of Customer Services and ICT Panel). To consider the attached revised terms of reference for the Customer Services and ICT Panel  

The Committee considered the updated work programme.

Standing Panels

(a)            Constitutional and Member Services

The Panel had considered a report on options for supporting Councillors subject to complaint when officer support could not be provided. The Panel had considered and broadly supported proposals for the establishment of an insurance scheme however asked that the proposed service provider be asked to provide clarification on certain items in the proposals. The report was to be considered by the Cabinet on 18 December 2006.

The Panel gave further consideration to proposals to establish an Audit and Governance Committee and the relaxation of the proposed membership rules to enable scrutiny members to serve on it. The Panel had stressed the need for training for the members and supported the proposals.

(b)            Customer Services and ICT Standing Panel

The Panel had revised their terms of reference to reflect the changes to the Customer Services Transformation Project.  The Committee were asked to agree the changes.

RESOLVED:

That the revised terms of reference for the Customer Services and ICT Panel be adopted.

Task and Finish Panels

(d)            Leisure

The Chairman of the Panel, Councillor Mrs H Harding reported on the current work of the Panel.  The Panel had visited the Great Stoney Theatre Resources Centre and held meetings with the Grange Farm Trust and the Essex Wildlife Trust over the future management of  the Roding Valley Nature Reserve.

(e)       Town Centres and Car Parking

The Panel had looked at the development potential of five Council owned car parks. The Panel had recommended to the Cabinet that further work be carried out on the  suitability of development, with an element of public car parking, on two of the sites and proposed that  the remaining three be retained as car parks.

(f)        Crime and Disorder

The Panel had last met on 23 November 2006 to consider the link between criminal activity and mental health issues. During the discussion, the Panel heard from representatives of the local PCT and Essex Fire Service and expressed a wish for their next meeting, to be arranged in the new year to hear from the

(h)       Local Strategic Partnership

At its last meeting in November 2006, the Panel had heard from a representative from Essex County Council on the Local Area Agreement. The Panel had arranged to meet on 15 December 2006 to consider their final report to be circulated in the new year.

(i)            Overview and Scrutiny Committee

It was noted that on 19 December 2006, the Council would be asked to appoint two Members to the external scrutiny body for the Fit for Future Hospital Services Review which was considered at the 9 November 2006 meeting of the OSC. The February 2007 OSC was to receive a further presentation from the Local Commissioner for Childern’s  and Young Peoples Services on outcomes. County Highways would be attending the March 2007 meeting and London Underground would be attending the April 2007 meeting.

The Committee considered a late report of the Constitutional and Members Services Standing Panel on their review of the structure and membership of the Area Plans Sub – Committees.

The Chairman of the Committee had determined that this item should be dealt with at this meeting as a matter of urgency in order that the review could be concluded now rather that await the Committee’s next meeting in February 2007.

The Chairman of the Panel, Councillor R Morgan, reported that the Panel had been asked to address a number of main issues covering the workload and membership of Area Plans C; the principle that all members should have a seat on their local Area Sub – Committee and whether there was merit in changing the areas covered by each Sub – Committee.

The Panel had consulted the local Councils and all members of the council through the members bulletin on the future shape and pattern of the Sub – Committees. As a result many often conflicting views had been expressed.

At its last meeting on 6 November 2006, the Panel considered four options previously identified. These concerned the issue of changing to a there sub – committee option (Area A plus two new subs reflecting a rural urban split in the rest of the District); adjusting the present four Sub – Committee structure by changing the areas of Area B and C or combining them to create a three Sub – Committee structure. The Panel also considered the option of no change.

The review clarified that a reduced number of Sub - Committee could improve the speed in determining planning applications, which had been improving anyway, and increase Planning Delivery Grant. It also clarified that the improvement might be marginal and would need to be supported by other improvements to raise performance to meet top quartile standards. 

The Panel established that, due to the smaller workload and membership size of Area ‘C’, concerns had been expressed about it being inquorate although this was not a regular occurrence. The real balance of argument was about local consideration of planning matters as against holding meetings for a relevantly small number of applications. Another issue was about travelling distances by members should there be any expansion in the areas, especially the larger rural areas, covered by the Sub – Committees. 

The Panel determined the question of whether change was supported before they considered any of the options in detail. The Panel decided by a majority to that no change be made to the pattern of the Area Plans Sub – Committees.

The Panel also considered a further issue regarding whether the Membership of Plans A should be expanded to allow all 25 local Members to serve on the Sub - Committee. The Panel were mindful of the views of several Area ‘A’ members that they did not seek changes to any aspect of that Sub – Committee and recommended that the Sub – Committee should be asked to express a view on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

Members are reminded that the agenda for the next Cabinet meeting on 18 December 2006 will not be published and made available until the day after this meeting (8 December 2006). However to give Member early sight of the issues to be discussed, a list of the agenda titles will be circulated at the meeting. Any issues raised will be reported by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting through the usual OS item.

It was reported that, during this cycle of meetings, scrutiny had considered and commented on a number of Cabinet reports(Cabinet Item 8 (Civic Ceremonial ) 11 (Code of Conduct, Legal Expenses Cover for Councillors) and 24 ( Review of Housing Allocations Scheme)

It was noted that the comments would be reported to the Cabinet meeting for consideration. Subject to this no further issues were raised.