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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN

Contact: Moira Fraser / Jo Reeves 

Items
No. Item

37.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 268 KB

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 December 2017.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2017 were approved as a true and correct record by the Committee and signed by the Chairman.

38.

Declarations of Interest

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration, and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members’ Interests, the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received.

39.

Notice of Public Speaking and Questions

To note those agenda items which have received an application for public speaking.

A period of 30 minutes will be allowed for members of the public to ask questions submitted under notice.

The Partnership welcomes questions from members of the public about their work.

Subject to meeting certain timescales, questions can relate to general issues concerned with the work of the Partnership or an item which is on the agenda for this meeting. For full details of the procedure for submitting questions please contact Democratic Services.

Minutes:

No notice had been received that members of the public wished to address the Committee on any of the agenda items.

40.

Future Plan pdf icon PDF 53 KB

To detail future items that the Committee will be considering.

Minutes:

The Committee reviewed the current version of its forward plan. Clare Lawrence noted that PP3392 would consider fees and charges in relation to all of the Partnership’s activities and not just those in respect of licensing.

Sean Murphy noted that the Partnership’s Scheme of Delegation would need to be added to the forward plan.

41.

Twyford Crossroads & Wokingham Town Centre Air Quality Action Plan (PP3320) pdf icon PDF 54 KB

To outline the requirements for an Air Quality Action Plan for Twyford Crossroads and Wokingham Town Centre  to improve air quality with the Air Quality Management Areas (areas identifed within Wokingham Borough Council where levels are failing to meet the Governments objectives for Nitrogen dioxide).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report (Agenda Item 6) which outlined the requirements for an Air Quality Action Plan for Twyford Crossroads and Wokingham Town Centre to improve air quality with the Air Quality Management Areas (areas identifed within Wokingham Borough Council where levels were failing to meet the Governments objectives for Nitrogen dioxide).

Clare Lawrence advised that the Public Protection Partnership, alongside consultees in Wokingham Borough Council had prepared the document. She expressed the view that the joint working to prepare the document was indicative of the positive impact of the Partnership.

Anna Smy advised that the report would be sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and be subject to annual review; the annual status report would be shared with the Committee.

Councillor Firmager stated that he was supportive of the measures propsoed in the action plan. He asked whether levels of nitrogen dioxide were anticipated to decrease in general as a reuslt of fewer diesel cars on the roads and more biofuel vehicles. Anna Smy responded that in the past, predicted changes in emission levels had not been realised as emission forecasts were based on modelling. Should there be a substantial decrease in emissions there might be a case to withdraw the air quality management area. Councillor Firmager noted that the use of electric trains through Twyford would help to decrease levels of air pollution. Anna Smy stated that she hoped the measures contained in the action plan would assist to accelerate the reduction in air pollution in the area.

Councillor Dominic Boeck noted that both petrol and diesel vehicles produced nitrogen dioxide but diesel vehicles also produced particulates. A large scale switch to electric vehicles would be some distance in the future.

Councillor Nick Allen asked whether there were other areas across the three local authority areas that required action. Anna Smy noted that there were seven air quality management plans across the three areas including Newbury, Thatcham, Wokingham, parts of the M4, Twyford, Crowthorne and Bracknell. There were action plans for Newbury, Crowthorne and Bracknell. Annual reports were being produced for each local authority area using 2017 data which would be ready for presentation to the Committee in September.

Clare Lawrence stated that officers had established a group with colleagues in other parts of the Councils in order to ensure any crossover actions were implemented.

Councillor Norman Jorgensen advised that he was keen for the short term actions to get underway.

RESOLVED that the Committee agree the action plan.

42.

Public Protection Partnership Strategic Assessment (PP3385) pdf icon PDF 82 KB

To inform the Committee on the outcomes of the first Strategic Assessment (SA) of the PPP and to agree the priorities and Control Strategy (CS) to deliver against these for the 2018-19 period. These documents have been developed to inform and direct our proactive project, intervention and enforcement activities as part of our adaptation of the National Intelligence Model.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 7) to consider the outcomes of the first Strategic Assessment (SA) of the Public Protection Partnership and to agree the priorities and Control Strategy (CS) to deliver against these for the 2018-19 period. These documents had been developed to inform and direct proactive project, intervention and enforcement activities as part of our adaptation of the National Intelligence Model.

Sean Murphy referred to the diagram on page 99 of the agenda which revealed how the principles and priorities which formed the basis of the inter-authority agreement that created the PPP fed into the business plan, strategic assessment, control strategy and the planned work activity.

Peter Northey explained that the Communications Strategy was also informed by the shared principles and where the direction of resources could have the greatest impact. It was recommended that the Committee maintained the agreed priorities for 2018/19.

Sean Murphy advised that four cross cutting issues had been identified (Vulnerable Persons, Serious & Organised Crime, Modern day slavery and eCrime) which linked with the work of the Police. Peter Northey noted that every contact from a member of the public provided useful intelligence which would help to protect vulnerable people from scams.

Sean Murphy stated that the Communications Strategy was in draft form but it was important that the partnership was able to get information out to the public to send a message to perpetrators and encourage the public to come forward with concerns.

Councillor Jorgensen asked for more information regarding the cross cutting themes Peter Northey noted that there were links to the police through the Partnership’s licensing work such as rogue traders where sometimes vulnerable people were forced to work.

Paul Anstey advised the Committee that a lead officer had recently been appointed and this was possible because of the proceeds of crime money recovered by the Partnership.

Councillor Boeck highlighted that in West Berkshire the costs of the waste contract were being tackled which was leading to residents concerns about flytipping. There needed to be more public information regarding unlicensed waste carriers as residents might not know that their waste was being flytipped. Sean Murphy advised that there were arrangements between the PPP and the waste teams in Bracknell and Wokingham to support enforcement work however arrangements with West Berkshire were less formal. He added that social media was often used by residents seeking waste disposal and they might not realise that waste could be dumped.

Paul Anstey highlighted that public perceptions did not always present a true picture of major issues so the PPP would gather evidence to assist in targeting activity. Priorities would be reconsidered annually based on data.

Peter Northey stated that the document was a snapshot of an evolving picture.

Councillor Jorgensen enquired how the PPP’s work related to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) in respect of high rise buildings. It was noted that different legislation prescribed different functions but a memorandum of understanding had been signed regarding the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

43.

Public Protection Partnership Performance Report (PP3389)

To provide a verbal update on current performance.

Minutes:

Anna Smy gave a presentation in respect of Agenda Item 8 regarding the performance of the Public Protection Partnership (PPP). She advised that at the next meeting she would report on indicators which aligned to the PPP’s priorities, in a similar way to the three Councils’ performance reports.

Councillor Allen noted activity in respect of dog fouling and asked about reporting. Anna Smy explained that the ambition was to have, as with pest complaints, links on each Council’s website to a central point. The Communications Strategy would contain more information regarding websites.

Sean Murphy noted that there had been good publicity about rats in Wokingham following proactive advice published by the Partnership.

RESOLVED that the update was noted.

44.

Any other items the Chairman considers to be urgent

Minutes:

The Chairman did not raise any further urgent items.

45.

Date of Next Meeting

Meetings have been scheduled for:

 

·         12 June 2018

·         18 September 2018

·         11 December 2018

·         20 March 2019

Minutes:

The next meeting was scheduled for 12 June 2018, 7pm at Wokingham Borough Council Offices.