Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 19^th June 2007 having been printed and circulated were taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

It was confirmed that no public questions had been received.

The Board was advised that a matter had arisen which required immediate attention by the Board due to the timescales required in the need to submit the Abandoned Shopping Trolley Procedure to the Executive Board. Therefore, pursuant to Section 100b(4) and 100e, the Chairman ruled that the item be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Board received a draft Abandoned Shopping Trolley Procedure document produced by the Waste Management Working Party.  The document included an advisory letter to store managers, a draft Shopping Trolley Procedure and Policy, Abandoned Shopping Trolley and Luggage Notices and Powers in Relation to Abandoned Shopping and Luggage Trolleys.

 

 

It was noted that the issue of abandoned shopping trolleys had been an issue in Halton over the years. The Council’s approach was still to engage with the retail outlets but the Council would now be using powers in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to notify a store to take ownership of the trolley and to arrange for it to be collected within 48 hours of notification. If the store failed to collect, Waste Management would arrange collection and storage of the trolley, and recover costs from the owner in accordance with the guidance.

 

RESOLVED: That the draft Abandoned Shopping Trolley Procedure be recommended for adoption by the Executive Board.

The Board received a report, which detailed the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership Business Plan for 2007 - 2008. It was reported that since 2002 when the Cheshire Area Safety Camera Partnership was formed, there had been a 38% reduction in collisions over that four-year period. The Board was informed that since December 2005 the Secretary of State announced changes in the organisation of camera partnerships, therefore the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership was established in April 2007.

 

The Business Plan set out the vision, strategy and objectives of the Partnership and detailed a range of challenging targets, progress on these would be regularly monitored and reported annually to the Safer Halton PPB.

 

The Board was informed that there were six community speed watches currently in place where the Police Community Safety Officer PCSO’s were undertaking speed watch activities using portable safety cameras which had proved to be very effective. Members congratulated the Highways Division in relation to the success of reducing accidents.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)              The report be noted; and

 

(2)              The CSRP Business Plan 2007/08 be endorsed.

The Board considered the report of the Strategic Director, Environment which detailed the progress that had been made during 2006/07 on implementing the policies, strategies and programmes contained within Halton’s second Local Transport Plan (LTP2) and the funding being made available for integrated transport initiatives.

 

Members were informed that the LTP2 was recently graded as excellent status along with the LTP1 also being graded as excellent which resulted in the Authority being placed within the top 13 local authorities in England, and the award of a 25% increase in funding in its Integrated Transport Block was granted.

 

It was noted that due to Government cutbacks there would be a reduction in the funding as originally expected. Members considered the possibility of carrying out a trial where lighting would be switched off on expressways and such roads in order to encourage road users to slow down their speed and then in turn reduce accidents. Also detailed within the report was the LTP Capital Programme for 2006/2007.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)   the progress made during 2006/07 be welcomed;  and

 

(2)   the Integrated Block funding for LTP2 be noted.

The Board were advised of the proposed topic brief for Adult Protection in Halton for their Safer Halton and Healthy Halton joint scrutiny topic. Board Members were asked to comment and approve the draft topic brief on Adult Protection in Halton. Members wished to add the respect agenda and the dignity and care agenda.

 

Members were requested to advise the Chairman should they wish to be a member on the Joint Scrutiny Topic. The Chairman noted that he preferred cross-party support. Councillor Redhead and Councillor Murray put forward their names to be members on the Joint Scrutiny Topic.

 

RESOLVED: That Board Members comment on the draft Topic Brief and agree a final version.

The Board considered a report, which detailed several emerging developments within the field of community safety, which would have an impact upon the Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board over the coming months.

 

The report detailed the following issues –

 

§                     Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership Reform Programme

§                     Cutting Crime – The New National Crime Reduction Strategy

§                     Developments within Halton Community Safety Team

§                     Safer Halton Week; and

§                     Conclusions

 

Arising from the discussion reference was made to crime and disorder being reduced year on year, the new Community Watch Group which would be set up in the Ditton area, Safer Halton Week scheduled for 24^th September to the 30^th September and the need for the Council to use the resources in a more productive way to promote the Safer Halton message, for example by showing videos and DVDs promoting the Safer Halton message in buildings such as Halton Direct Link etc.

 

RESOLVED: That Board Members note the report, agree the conclusions and provide active support to members of the Community Safety Team needing to address issues as they develop.

At the request of the Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board Members considered the report of the Strategic Director, Environment which presented the Urban Renewal Strategic Review and draft Action Plan for 2007/10 for consideration.

 

In this respect, an update of the Urban Renewal Strategic Review and Action Plan 2007/10 was circulated at the meeting.

 

It was reported that this was a working document, which included activities that would have an effect on areas that were the responsibility of the Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board as well as the Employment Learning and Skills Policy and Performance Board.

 

Members were informed that the Draft Action Plan had been circulated to the Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board with a request for Members’ comments. Arising from the comments it was requested that an additional item be added into the draft in relation to parking, this had now been added into the Plan.

 

Members noted that a colossal amount of work and information had been put into the Urban Renewal Strategic Review and Action Plan and Major Projects were commended for the work that had been carried out.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)              the Safer Halton PPB note the contents of the Urban Renewal Strategy and Draft Action plan; and

 

(2)              Members consider how the activities of Safer Halton PPB complement and support the Urban Renewal Activities described therein.

The Board was advised of the updated National Alcohol Strategy entitled Safe, Sensible, Social. The Strategy was launched jointly, by the Home Office and the Department of Health, which outlined the next steps in the delivery of the National Alcohol Strategy. It was reported that at the centre of the Strategy, there was the desire to reduce the health harms, violence and anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol while ensuring that people were able to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly.

 

The report set out the need to sharpen the focus in the minority of the drinkers that caused or experienced the most harm to themselves, their communities and their families. These were noted as being –

 

§         18 – 24 year old binge drinkers, a minority of whom are responsibility for the majority of alcohol related crime and disorder;

§         Young people under 18 who drink alcohol; and

§         Harmful adult drinkers who do not necessarily realise their drinking patterns are damaging their physical and mental health and may be causing substantial harm to others.

 

The key actions detailed in the Strategy were noted as follows –

 

§         Sharpen criminal justice for drunken behaviour;

§         A review of NHS alcohol spending;

§         More help for people who want to drink less;

§         Toughened enforcement of under age sales;

§         Trusted guidance for parents and young people;

§         Public information campaigns to promote a new sensible drinking culture;

§         Public consultation on alcohol pricing and promotion; and

§         Compulsory Local Alcohol Strategies.

 

Members held a wide-ranging discussion in relation to the lack of funding available for alcohol problems, the need to involve traders for the prevention of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, the problem that due to lack of funding, comprehensive treatment for alcoholism cannot be provided, and what funding we do obtain from the Health Authority. Members agreed that the Health Authority be contacted in order to attend the next Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board to explain what their role was in terms of the alcohol harms and affects, what funding was available for investment in terms of comparison with St. Helens PCT.

 

RESOLVED: That Members note and comment upon the report.

Members considered a report of the Strategic Director – Health and Community, which advised of the National Consultation on Our Community Your Say – A National Consultation on the New Drugs Strategy. It was reported that it was nine years since the launch of the original Drugs Strategy and the Government was looking to review its approach to the issue. Our Community, Your Say was a national consultation exercise that would take place over the Summer and Autumn of 2007.

 

It was noted that the consultation would focus on clearly identifying outcomes and improvements in the areas of better intervention and education for young people and families, better public information, improved treatment and social care, reducing drug related crime and anti-social behaviour and greater, more visible disruption of drug supplies. It was noted that the consultation would also seek views on current delivery structures and what more could be done to mainstream responsibility for drugs. Members were requested to put forward a reply to the Local Strategic Partnership. The cut off time being the 19^th October 2007.

 

It was agreed that a collective response from all members of the Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board would be forwarded to the Local Strategic Partnership (SHP). In addition, should Members have any other comments regarding the consultation were to forward these comments to Steve Eastwood.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)   Members note and comment on the report; and

 

(2)   Members participate in the consultation exercise.          

The Board considered a report regarding the fourth quarter monitoring report for the Highways, Transportation and Logistics, Environmental and Regulatory Services, Health and Partnerships and Culture and Leisure.

 

The Board discussed areas of concern in relation to the need to able to scrutinise such a colossal amount of information and whether specific information could be extrapolated from the reports. In reply it was noted that this issue had been previously requested and the message from the Policy Division was that is was being investigated.

 

In relation to Highways, Transportation and Logistics performance monitoring, the progress against key performance indicators and other performance indicators had flagged up as two red lights where these should have actually read amber. These changes were noted.

 

RESOLVED: That the Quarterly Monitoring Reports be received.

Members noted the minutes from the Bereavement Working Party from 16^th July 2007.  Waste Management reported that minutes from the Working Party for Waste Management would be circulated in the near future and the results of the public satisfaction survey had also been distributed to Members of the Board.

 

RESOLVED: That the Minutes be noted.

The Board considered the report of the Strategic Director – Environment, which outlined the Road Traffic Collision and Casualty numbers within the Borough in the year 2006. The report also recommended a continuance of road traffic accidents reduction work.

 

Members noted that the statistics showing a reduction in the number of road traffic collisions was a great success for the Council.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)   the report be noted; and

 

(2)   the current programme of Road Traffic Collision Reduction Schemes and Road Safety Education training and publicity be endorsed.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied that in all of the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information the press and the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Health and Community, which outlined the key points of an Option Appraisal carried out by the Head of Strategic Asset Management, in liaison with the Divisional Manager, Consumer Protection, into the provision of new grave space during 2015 and beyond.

 

RESOLVED: That;

 

(1)              The Board debates the report and highlights its preferred solution to the provision of new grave space in the medium and longer term; and

 

(2)              The comments and suggestions of the Board be noted.