Agenda and minutes

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Berryman.  In addition, an apology for absence was also received from Councillor Vanier, the Cabinet Member for Communities. 

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business (late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with as noted below).   

None.

None.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of 10 March 2015.

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting of 10 March 2014 be approved. 

To note the terms of reference for the Panel.

AGREED:

That the terms of reference for the Panel be noted.

To receive a presentation on actions to address Priority 3 within the Council’s Corporate Plan;  “A clean, well maintained and safe borough where people are proud to live and work”. 

Alison Crowe, Programme Manager for Priority 3 in the Environment and Community Safety Service, provided the Panel with a presentation on the actions being undertaken to deliver objectives under Corporate Priority 3. 

The priority was to create “A clean, well maintained and safe Borough where people are proud to live and work.”  This was split down into 5 objectives with 17 projects making up the overall programme. 

Objective 1 was “To strengthen partnerships and work with our communities so that people feel safe in and proud of their neighbourhoods, particularly by reducing anti social behavioural crime such as flytipping”.  There were specific targets relating to increasing confidence in policing and reducing fear of crime and perception of anti social behaviour.  Police attitude surveys would be used to monitor progress. 

In respect of actions to take forward objective 2 – “to make our streets, parks and estates clean, well maintained and safe” – a range of indicators would be used to monitor progress including data relating to littering and flytipping. 

Objective 3 was “to move to more sustainable modes of transport by making Haringey one of the most cycling and pedestrian friendly boroughs in London”.  The aim was to achieve top quartile status by 2018.  Objective 4 was “to prevent and reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG)”.  This was an underdeveloped area of policy that required the collaboration of a number of different agencies.  

Objective 5 was “to work with partners to prevent and reduce more serious crime, in particular youth crime and gang activity.”  Targets had been set by the Mayors Officer for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Youth Offending Team for improvements.

She provided an overview of key workstreams for the next year.  These included:

•      The new approach to waste and cleansing;

•      A new delivery model for highways and street lighting;

•      The bus accessibility programme;

•      Community in Action – a community engagement trial focussed in Noel Park; and

•      The introduction of joined up enforcement.

In respect of the targets within Objective 2 regarding bus reliability and safer roads, it was noted that these were largely the responsibility of external partners and based on national targets.  In particular, Transport for London (TfL) was responsible for funding a lot of initiatives relating to sustainable transport. 

The Panel noted that community engagement on key work streams would be both informal and statutory, as appropriate.  In respect of sustainable transport, it was noted that baseline data was provided by a perception indicator in respect of cycling.  In addition, there was also a LIP indicator to increase levels of walking by 3% by 2018.  The Panel noted that improving traffic flow could mean requiring drivers to drive more slowly.

In respect of street cleansing, the Panel noted that although changes had been made to “put out” times, they were under constant review.  It was challenging to find a time that suited everyone.  An update on progress could be made to the Panel in due course.

In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To agree the items for prioritisation within the work plan for the Panel for recommendation to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Panel considered in detail proposals arising from the discussions that had taken place at the Scrutiny Café event.  There had been two proposals for in-depth pieces of work;

·         Joined up enforcement ; and

·         Cycling.

In addition, following discussion with the Police Borough Commander for Haringey, it had been proposed that the Panel undertake a piece of work aimed at improving communication and liaison between licensees and community safety partners.

The Panel noted that, following further discussion with the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet Member for Environment, it was now proposed that the main Committee undertake work on the issue of joined up enforcement as this was felt to be a cross cutting issue.

Panel Members were of the view that the issue of development and green space was an issue that deserved priority.  Councillor Wright, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, reported that it was likely that the main Committee would be undertaking some work on the issue as it was a cross cutting issue that impacted on a number of policy areas, particularly regeneration, 

It was noted that, although there were only two more Panel meetings that were currently scheduled, more would be added dependent on what was in the final work plan.  An additional meeting was likely to be scheduled in the autumn to consider the crime statistics for the borough and look at associated crime and community safety issues.  Proposals in the work plan would be developed further including how they would be approached, witnesses and sources of evidence.  Agenda items for meetings would be based on the outcome of this process. 

Panel Members were of the view that the issues of both reducing waste and cycling warranted in-depth pieces of work.  Waste was a major concern amongst residents.  However, it was noted that there had already been several pieces of in-depth scrutiny work on the issue of waste.  The Assistant Director of Environment and Community Safety commented that the specific issue that needed addressing was how people’s behaviour could be changed.  As part of this, work could be undertaken on what other local authorities were doing to address the issue, especially in respect of communications.  The cost of dealing with waste was high and even increasing so even a small improvement could be significant. 

In respect of cycling, it was noted that there had not been any previous in-depth scrutiny work on this issue.  Current policies could be looked at to see where improvements could be made.   The Assistant Director reported that it was the aim to make Haringey the most cycling friendly borough in London and there was a lot of scope for development.  Work could be undertaken to see what the boroughs that comparatively high levels of participation in cycling, such as Hackney, had done to encourage it.  A challenging target of increasing levels in Haringey from 2% to 5% had been set and any help that could be provided in achieving this would be most  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider any items admitted at item 3 above.

None.

·         17 September 2015; and

·         1 March  2016.

·         17 September 2015; and

·         1 March 2016.