Agenda item

To inform the Committee of the performance of the Public Protection Partnership in line with the operating model and business plan and provide an update setting out performance during the first quarter of 2024/25.

The Committee considered the report (Agenda Item 8) which informed Members of the performance of the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) in line with the operating model and business plan, and provided an update setting out performance during the first quarter of 2024/25.

Sean Murphy (Service Lead – Public Protection) explained that the different sections of the report aligned with the PPP’s priorities.

Finances and Resources

Sean Murphy reported that this had been a challenging year financially and it had been necessary for the income shortfall to be reprofiled into 2025/26. A balanced outturn was however forecast. A pressure bid had been submitted to Bracknell Forest Council.

Human Resources

Budget pressures had resulted in some recruitment being postponed. However, the recruitment process had commenced in order to fill two management positions. Further posts had been successfully recruited to and other areas of recruitment were ongoing.

Action had commenced to recruit to the vacancies listed in paragraph 6.4 of the report.

All four Level 4 Apprentices had passed their examinations. Level 6 training was in progress. This was positive in terms of having qualified staff for the future.

Governance

The statutory Feed and Food Standards Controls Service Plan had been signed off for 2024/25.

The Peer Review of the shared service arrangement had commenced. The Peer Review Team had met with the Joint Management Board and would meet with Committee Members.

Questions

Councillor Howard Woollaston was very pleased to note the excellent progress being made by the Apprentices and raised the importance of doing all possible to retain them.

Sean Murphy concurred with that statement and added that two of the Level 4 Apprentices had been recruited into permanent roles. Level 4 Apprentices received training across many different areas enabling them to be generalists who could work across the PPP.

Moira Fraser (Principal Officer – Policy and Governance) explained that officers were able to progress through career graded posts as a way of aiding retention.

Sean Murphy added that it was the intention, budget permitting, to recruit more apprentices as part of the ‘grow your own’ ethos set out in the workforce planning strategy.

Where possible, officers were supported to develop themselves and progress within the team.

Councillor Justin Pemberton asked for further detail on the work of the PPP in tackling unfair trading and fraud. Sean Murphy explained that the focus was on prevention, gathering intelligence and enforcement work. A report on this area of work would be brought to the December 2024 meeting.

A significant amount of resource was put into supporting victims and helping them recoup their money. The sum of money reported as lost totalled £604k across the three local authorities in the first six months of the 2024/25 financial year. Victims were often vulnerable and/or older residents. In response, officers had conducted direct interventions and challenged perpetrators. This work had, to date, recouped £183k. A number of investigations were ongoing in this area and officers worked closely with the Police in gathering intelligence.

Councillor Jeremy Cottam queried the work that took place to ensure that food establishments took the necessary steps to protect customers with food allergies, i.e. nut allergies.

Sean Murphy outlined the comprehensive work undertaken. Inspections included sampling and ensuring adherence to food standard requirements. This was a high area of risk and was therefore a priority area.

Councillor Nick Allen queried if there was an issue across the PPP with establishments presenting a false food standards/safety rating following concerning reports of establishments doing so in other areas of the country. Sean Murphy reported that this would form part of the PPP’s inspection regime. It would be an offence, under Trading Standards legislation, to present an incorrect rating.

Councillor Pemberton asked if additional resource needed to be directed to working with unlicenced Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). Sean Murphy explained that a desktop Housing Conditions Survey had recently been conducted and the responses from that were being worked through. Officers worked with HMOs and action had been taken in cases where issues had been identified in licensed HMOs or where unlicensed HMOs were identified. This would continue to be an area of priority moving forward and the Committee would be updated on progress.

The Committee noted:

·       The 2024/25 Q1 data for the Public Protection Service.

·       The update on service delivery.