Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Sue Adams, Margaret Simon and Judy Snowball.

Councillors Patrick Redstone and Mike Sewart were present as substitutes.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 March 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 14 March 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

There is no facility to allow questions by members of the public at meetings of the Scrutiny Committee. However, a period of 10 minutes will be provided at the beginning of such meetings to allow members of the public to make a statement on any matter that falls within the remit of the committee, subject to individual speakers being restricted to 3 minutes.

There were no registered public speakers.

To receive an update on SCEP.

The committee received a presentation from the Safer Cheshire East Partnership (SCEP), a statutory function governed by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which aims to bring partners together to ensure that Cheshire East remains a safe place to live, work and visit. Representatives from the Local Authority, Police, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Probation, Youth Offending Team, Health and Voluntary Sector all work together as part of the SCEP which is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.

The committee were informed that the SCEP operates by using partners data, statistics and intelligence to inform the Community Safety priorities, issues, risks, emerging threats and identifies factors, known as the Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA). The data aids understanding about crime and disorder issues, explores further threats and opportunities and considers where a community safety partnership can make the most difference in the community. The SIA informs a Partnership Plan which has indicators to identify root causes, areas of risk and identify challenges for the next 12 months. In addition it was noted that the local authority has a constitutional duty to produce a plan to reduce crime and disorder.

Reviewed annually, the SIA information includes: Overall Crime data, Adults/Children at Risk, Sexual Offences, Domestic Abuse, Serious and Organised Crime, Violence with injury, Hate Crime, Environmental Crime, ASB, Cyber Crime, Fire Safety, Road Safety. By identifying intelligence, this allows the SCEP to have an understanding of areas of risk and challenge for Cheshire Constabulary.

Members were informed that the SCEP meets quarterly with wide representation of senior partners at a strategic level. Current priorities regarding safeguarding and police matters were discussed with the committee, along with how SCEP priorities link and work alongside the priorities of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Representatives from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service informed the committee of their Risk Management Plan, which spans over 4 years and highlights areas of improvements in operational response. In addition, the service has community engagement initiatives which includes supporting all Cheshire East Schools with having the opportunity to visit the facilities at Safety Central.

It was highlighted to the committee that the SCEP works closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, with priorities of the SCEP being aligned to the Strategic Policing Requirements set by the PCC’s Office. Key projects supported by SCEP were also discussed with the committee, including training relating to Internet Scams and Taxi Driver Safeguarding,

The item was opened up for questions and discussions that included:

-       SCEP Funding

-       Road safety and mobile Smiley SIDs

-       Implementation of 20 mph areas

-       PCSO restructuring and local PC resources

-       Activities to reduce anti-social behaviour

-       Safeguarding training for Taxi Drivers

-       Police resources at emergency operations

It was agreed that further information would be provided to members outside of the meeting in relation to;

-       The collection and analysis of data in relation to victim satisfaction surveys  undertaken by Cheshire Constabulary

-       Illegal sales of vapes -  what is being done regarding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To note the urgent decision taken by the Chief Executive on behalf of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the committee noted that an urgent decision under Procedure Rules 2.10 and 2.11 was taken by the Chief Executive on 18 June 2024 to appoint Councillors Liz Wardlaw and Rob Vernon as the council’s 2024-25 representatives on the Cheshire and Merseyside Joint Health Scrutiny Committee.

To consider the Work Programme and determine any required amendments.

The committee considered the Work Programme and noted the following updates:

-       Following the cancellation of the June 2024 committee meeting, the ‘Macclesfield Hospital Intrapartum Services – Post Implementation Review’ item had been moved to be presented at the December 2024 meeting.

-       A new item had been added to the Work Programme for the committee to receive an update on the Leighton Hospital Expansion Programme in December 2024.

-       Review of Prevent and Channel Guidance will be moved to later meeting date, to be agreed with the Chair.

-       The Scrutiny Committee recommend to the Highways and Transport Committee that a review of 20mph speed limits in residential areas across the borough be undertaken.

-       That an item be added to the work programme in relation to ‘Right Care, Right Person’ following its implementation, review a year on, the impact it has had on residents and policing across the Cheshire East area.

-       That an item be added to the work programme in relation to ‘Vapes’ and the multi agency approach to assess the impact of trading standards and illegal selling.

-       That an item be added to the work programme in relation to ‘Early Release from Prisons’, to enable the committee to understand the impact on the Probation Service following the early release of two cohorts of Prisoners, and also the support being provided by Housing Partners and their commitment to residents in conjunction with Anti Social Behaviour.

-       That an item be added to the work programme in relation to ‘Cheshire & Merseyside Health Partnership’. Following the setting of a number of objectives, how is the partnership meeting the 2 objectives of ‘improving population health and health care’, and ‘tackling health inequalities’, –have they been achieved, and what is being done to achieve them.

-       That an item be added to the work programme in relation to ‘Domestic Abuse Related Deaths and Inquests at Coroners Courts’. The committee to scrutinise why it can take a significant amount of time for an inquest to be undertaken.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme be noted and additional items be added, with the Chair and Democratic Services to agree the appropriate timeframes for items to be presented.