Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.

On being put to vote it was agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 26 November 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members may make any declarations of interest at this point and may also make them at any point during the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest at this point in the meeting.

Matters arising schedule setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 6 January 2025.

The Democratic and Civic Officer noted that the matter relating to the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership invitation had been completed but would be revisited following the Committee Meeting, subject to any questions raised by Members during the discussions.

With no further comments, or requirement for a vote, the Matters Arising Schedule was DULY NOTED.

Presentation by Martyn Parker, Assistant Director, Public Protection, Adult Care & Community Wellbeing, Lincolnshire County Council, regarding the work of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership.

The Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager, Andy Gray, provided an overview of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership (SLP) Annual Report, which was submitted to the Committee by Martyn Parker from Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) and circulated to Members on 13 January 2025. Due to his absence, the Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager outlined the role of West Lindsey District Council within the partnership and addressed key highlights from the report.

The Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager explained that the SLP was the statutory community safety body for Lincolnshire and administered by LCC’s community safety function. The governance structure of the SLP included representatives from all district councils and other key agencies, such as the police, probation services, health authorities, and the reoffending team. It was noted that the SLP was usually chaired by a seconded police representative on a rotational basis, with Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE serving as the Lead Member, who had been allocated by LCC.

The Committee were also informed that the SLP operated with core priority groups: anti-social behaviour (ASB), crime and disorder, drug and alcohol abuse, reducing reoffending, and serious violence. Each priority area had dedicated workstreams, with individual districts contributing based on their expertise and resource. The Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager emphasised that while all districts were actively involved in the ASB workstream, their participation in other priority areas was more selective to ensure efficient resource allocation.

West Lindsey District Council’s contributions to the SLP were highlighted, which included financial support for the ASB coordinator, data analysis resource, and a shared case management system (ESINs). West Lindsey District Council also contributed to the statutory Domestic Abuse Reviews (DARs), formerly referred to as Domestic Homicide Reviews, which were required for every domestic homicide incident.

The Committee was informed of several key initiatives undertaken through the SLP. These included the development of a noxious odour policy to address cannabis-related complaints and a county-wide protocol for handling youth-related ASB, managed via the ESINs system. The Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager reported that the partnership had implemented a standardised procedure for ASB case reviews, also known as Community Triggers, under which shared arrangements allowed Officers from one district to conduct reviews for another.

A Women and Girls Strategy developed under the serious violence priority area was noted, aimed at addressing safety and prevention issues. The Committee was also updated on the Gainsborough Community Links Programme, which provided support for young individuals aged 11–21 involved in violent crime and aimed to reduce their risk of reoffending. This programme, alongside other initiatives addressing knife crime and youth weapon awareness, was funded through Home Office grants allocated to the SLP.

The Housing and Environmental Enforcement Manager stressed the value of West Lindsey District Council’s membership in the partnership, and mentioned benefits such as resource sharing, consistent policy implementation, and access to specialised expertise. It was also noted that while participation required a significant time commitment from Officers, arrangements were in place to ensure feedback from meetings was shared effectively across districts.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The Committee can identify items for pre-decision scrutiny (also known as pre-scrutiny) from those detailed on the Forward Plan. These could be items which are politically sensitive or of high public interest and where the Committee considers it would be of benefit to scrutinise the proposed decisions in advance.

These items can be selected from the Forward Plan during meetings of the Committee by a proposer, seconder and majority vote.

The Democratic and Civic Officer reminded the Committee that they could use the forward plan to identify items for pre-decision scrutiny. She noted that a proposer, a seconder, and a majority vote would be required to include an item in the Committee Work Plan. Otherwise, the item would be for noting only.

Councillor Bunney acknowledged the contributions of Inspector Head in previous Committee Meetings but noted that Lincolnshire Police had entered an extended consultation phase. He suggested inviting a more senior officer, possibly from the Chief Constable's office or the Police and Crime Commissioner's office, to provide insights into the strategic decision-making processes of the police.

Councillor Bunney referred to the 2023 PEEL report, which highlighted areas where the police had made insufficient progress. He stressed the importance of understanding strategic decisions at the constabulary level, beyond the neighbourhood planning of West Lindsey District. Members agreed unanimously. Councillor Bunney suggested that if an invitation were extended, it should focus on understanding the actions being taken within limited resources to address strategic problems, rather than exclusively financial constraints. He highlighted the need to explore this aspect in the wording of the invitation.

Upon being proposed, seconded and voted upon it was

RESOLVED that an invitation be extended to a senior police officer and/or the PCC’s Office.

The Democratic and Civic Officer informed the committee that she had contacted the Lead Local Flood Authority, inviting them to the February Committee Meeting and she would inform Member of progress that had been made.

With no further comments or questions, the work plan was DULY NOTED.

The Chairman thanked Members and Officers for their attendance and contributions and closed the meeting.

The meeting concluded at 7.01 pm.