Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor C. Guy-Davies and C. Burgess, D. Houghton, D. Marjoram (Co-opted Members).  It was explained that Councillor C Guy-Davies, having been appointed as one of the Council’s representatives on North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, had been invited to attend its induction day ahead of its Annual Meeting, hence the reason she could not be present at the Committee’s meeting.               

In response to concerns raised by Councillor T.R. Hughes regarding Co-opted Members needing to attend all three Scrutiny Committees which discussed items pertaining to education matters. 

The Corporate Director: Learning and Communities explained that the changes to the scrutiny structure had been agreed by Council and a further review of the system would be undertaken at the end of the current Council year.  He confirmed that in order to attempt to address the problem items relating to education matters would be included for consideration at the beginning of the agenda.  The Scrutiny Co-ordinator outlined the role of the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice Chair Group in coordinating the Work Programmes of the respective Scrutiny Committees, which included the consideration of items pertaining to education matters.  The Chair agreed that he would convey the concerns expressed by Members to the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice Chair Group.

To appoint a Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing year.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution CVs/statements had been requested from interested parties for the office of Committee Vice-Chair.  A CV had been received from Councillor H.O. Williams prior to the meeting and circulated to all Members.  Councillor Williams was nominated and seconded for the post of Committee Vice-Chair.  A second nomination was received at the meeting for Councilor W. Mullen-James and the Committee agreed that the nomination be accepted for consideration despite the fact that no CV/statement had been received beforehand.  Councillor Mullen-James’ nomination was seconded.

The Committee received presentations from Councillors W. Mullen-James and H.O. Williams, outlining their qualities and attributes for the office of Vice-Chair of the Committee for the ensuing year.  Following a secret ballot it was:-

RESOLVED – that Councillor H.O. Williams be appointed Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing year.

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests in any business identified to be considered at this meeting.

No personal or prejudicial interest were declared

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

No items were raised which in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

To receive the minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 12^th April, 2012 (copy enclosed)

The Minutes of a meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, 12^th April, 2012 were submitted.

The Scrutiny Co-ordinator informed Members that Appendix 4 to the Scrutiny Work Programme report included information on the progress achieved to date with the resolutions agreed at the previous meeting of the Committee.

Matters arising:-

6.                 Community Engagement Update – In response to a question from Councillor P.A. Evans, the Scrutiny Coordinator explained that the request relating to the boundary maps had been referred to Ordinance Survey for amendment.

RESOLVED – that, subject to the above, the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

To consider a report by the School Effectiveness Performance Officer: Secondary (copy enclosed) which details the findings of the Estyn Inspection of the Conwy and Denbighshire Adult Community Education Partnership and seeks the Committee’s observations on the Inspectors’ recommendations.

9.45 a.m.

A copy of a report by the School Effectiveness Performance Officer:  Secondary had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The School Effectiveness Performance Officer:  Secondary provided a summary of the report which detailed the findings of the Estyn Inspection of the Conwy and Denbighshire Adult Community Education Partnership (Cyswllt Dysgu).  The salient points outlined in the report included:-

·        Estyn had aimed to answer the three following key questions through an analysis of self-evaluation, performance data, lesson observations and meetings with stakeholders:

                (i)     How good are the outcomes

                (ii)    How good is provision

                (iii)   How good are leadership and management

·        Judgement on all three questions had been good.  An overall judgement on the partnership’s current performance had been considered to be good with the prospects for improvement being excellent.

·        The Estyn Inspection report had highlighted the levels of ability achieved from learners from different backgrounds and age groups.

·        Not enough Welsh speaking learners had utilised their Welsh language skills well enough as a medium for learning or for assessing their progress.

·        Most learners improved their confidence through learning and as a result were better able to manage their lives and support their children.

·        Teaching had been good or better in most of the sessions observed by the inspection team.

The Partnership’s Leadership had provided good leadership with Leaders collaborating well with a broad range of other key Groups.  The partnership had good arrangements for self-assessment, with clear objectives and timescales and Estyn had considered that partnership working had been excellent with improved standards being achieved by learners, an improvement in the quality of teaching and in assessment.

The Committee noted Estyn’s recommendations that, in order to further improve the partnership would need to:-

(i)           increase the number of classes and learning activities in which learners achieve excellent standards in their work.

(ii)            increase the amount of excellent teaching and assessment.

(iii)          promote a common approach to safeguarding to raise the standard of all partnership members’ policies and procedures, and

(iv)           promote and improve the use of Welsh as a medium of communication for learning.

In reply to a question from Ms G. Greenland regarding the monitoring of the collaboration process between Authorities, the School Effectiveness Performance Officer: Secondary explained that the Partnership’s Executive Group would receive reports from the Sub-Groups.  The Local Authority would monitor progress, the quality of courses and student numbers through Services Level Agreements and Service Groups based at the Colleges.

Councillor W. Mullen-James referred to paragraph 4.6 of the reportwhich highlighted that not enough Welsh speaking learners use their Welsh language skills well enough as a medium for learning or assessing their progress.  The School Effectiveness Performance Officer: Secondary expressed the view that there was a need to offer more Welsh medium courses across the Partnership.  He also explained that in many cases there was a confidence issue with many students choosing to learn through the medium of English.  In reply to a question from Councillor H.O. Williams, it was explained that it would be difficult to monitor the number of Welsh speaking students attending University outside the locality.

Councillor J.M. Davies referred to Estyn’s expectations that the outcomes from the report, which were good, should be transformed into being excellent and questioned how this could be achieved.  The School Effectiveness Performance Officer: Secondary explained that Estyn only provide a judgement and would not offer guidance or direction with regard to achieving further improvement.  It would be up to the Partnership itself to determine how it would strive to improve further.

The School Effectiveness Performance Officer: Secondary responded to a question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider a report by the Scrutiny Coordinator (copy enclosed) seeking a review of the committee’s forward work programme and updating members on relevant issues.

12.00 p.m.

A copy of a report by the Scrutiny Coordinator, which reviewed the draft Forward Work Programme for the Communities Scrutiny Committee and provided an update on the relevant issues, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Committee’s draft forward work programme (FWP), Appendix 1, had been inherited from its predecessor Committee.  Members were requested to consider whether the FWP reflected the new Committee’s wishes and priorities.  Members were informed that details of the FWP for the Partnerships and Performance Scrutiny Committees had been included in the information papers circulated previously.

The Cabinet’s FWP had been included at Appendix 3 to the report and a table summarising recent Committee resolutions, advising Members on progress with their implementation, had been attached at Appendix 4. 

It was explained that, In performing its role, the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs Group could seek individual Scrutiny Committees to take ownership of specific topics.  At its last meeting in April, 2012 no specific recommendations were made with respect to Communities Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee considered the draft FWP for future meetings as detailed in Appendix 1, and reference was made to the following issues:-

A completed proposal form from officers for a report to be included on the Committee’s forward work programme had been included at Appendix 2.  This request related to resource levels and the principles of community engagement with respect to major infrastructure projects that affect the County.  Members felt that this important matter merited discussion and the item was included in the Committees FWP for July, 2012. 

Members supported a suggestion by the Corporate Director: Customers that a report be submitted detailing the progress in respect of the recent highway investment programme.  Councillor J.M. Davies requested that the report be extended to include the Council’s strategic vision with respect to major transport infrastructure developments in Denbighshire.  The Committee agreed that a report on progress with highways in Denbighshire, including major infrastructure links within the Highway Network be included in the Work Programme for October, 2012.

Having regard to the optimum number of agenda items to be transacted at a meeting, Members agreed that the reports on Control of Caravan Sites and the Management of allocation of Section 106 Commuted Sums, scheduled for the July, 2012 meeting be rescheduled for a later date.

At the request of Members the following matters were included in the Work Programme, either as information reports or as reports for consideration by the Committee:-

-          Winter Maintenance and Gritting

-          Grass Cutting

-          School Transport Arrangements

-          Allotments

-          Town Plans

In response to a question from Councillor J.M. Davies relating to Objective 1 funding and a building on Kings Avenue, Prestatyn which had not been let and remained empty, the Committee agreed that an information report be submitted in respect of this matter.

The Scrutiny Coordinator explained that the September meeting of the Scrutiny Committee would be held in Rhyl due to consideration of the three workstreams in the programme which related to the Rhyl Going Forward Project.  It was explained that the meeting could examine other issues pertaining to Rhyl, such as the new cycle bridge, and include a tour of the key sites.

The Committee considered the appointment of Committee Representatives on the following Council Groups and Boards:-

Service Performance Challenge Groups - Scrutiny Committees had been invited to appoint a representative to each Group to act as the Committee’s contact for each service.  The following Members were appointed:-

Housing & Community Development – Councillor R. Murray

Children and family Services – Councillor W. Mullen-James

Adult & Business Services –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider a report by the Section Manager: Passenger Transport (copy enclosed) which provides information and seeks observations on changes to the way bus services are funded which will have a marked impact on fares and levels of service provided.

10.15 a.m.

A copy of a report by the Section Manager: Passenger Transport, which detailed how bus services were organised, changes to Welsh Government (WG) funding for bus and related services and the consequences for the County Council, and proposed mitigation measures had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.  The report also started the consultation process on the potential reductions in services.

The Section Manager: Passenger Transport introduced the report and explained that bus services in Denbighshire had improved following an increase in numbers, with passengers travelling free of charge under the Cerdyn Cymru arrangements for people over 60, and those with certain disabilities.  This reflected additional County Council and WG funding for newer and more accessible vehicles and improvements in frequency.

The report detailed the three categories of bus services in Wales which include Commercial, Contract and Other services.  The status of each bus service in Denbighshire had been summarised in Appendix 1 to the report.  The bus network had evolved incrementally over a number of years, particularly since the deregulation of bus services.  Denbighshire had enjoyed a relatively stable and growing local bus market and the factors relating to the level of service provision in each respective area had been outlined in the report.

It was explained that the several sources of support for the provision of bus services were changing and would all be affected by recent WG announcements, which had been received too late for consideration under the Council’s budget setting process for the current financial year.  The changes would include reductions in the Local Transport Services Grant (LTSG) from £396,000 to £288,000, over a full year.  Subsequently, the WG had offered a minimum of three months’ transitional funding, possibly extending to six or even nine months.  The extension would be dependent upon a national, strategic ministerial review of funding which might see radical changes.

Members were informed that despite the potential future funding changes Denbighshire would need to plan for an imminent reduction in WG bus funding.  Details of funding arrangements for bus services, and the impact of the WG’s changes, had been included in Appendix 2 to the report and suggested possible future changes had been outlined in Appendix 3.  Officers suggested that there would be a need to accommodate service pressures for changes to bus services and a modest overspend in 2011/12.  Savings of approximately £145,000 would be required over a full year on a combined 2011/12 budget of £911,000.  It was felt that most of the proposed changes could prove unpalatable and, for the reasons stated in Appendix 3, consultation had been recommended with stakeholders putting forward alternatives which officers considered to be more acceptable.  The officers confirmed that there were no proposals to alter or reduce services which transport school children.  Information pertaining to bus services which transport school children and fare paying passengers was provided for the Committee, together with, details relating to the use of single fares, day and rover tickets.

In reply to questions from Councillor J. Butterfield regarding the provision of bus services to hospitals for both patients and visitors, particular reference being made to difficulties in accessing Abergele Hospital.  The Section Manager: Passenger Transport explained that nationally between 2% and 5% of passengers use bus services to travel to hospitals.  He confirmed that services were provided to all main Hospitals and consultation would continue with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BUHB), who was reviewing patient services, and the Ambulance Trust with a view to identifying passenger transport service requirements.  In response to a suggestion from Councillor Butterfield it was agreed that the Committee receive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider a report by the Senior Community Safety Enforcement Officer (copy enclosed) which provides details of historical, current and future methods of prevention and detection of dog fouling, and seeks the Committee’s views on matters relating to enforcement action with regards to dog fouling

11.00 a.m.

A copy of a report by the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Regulatory Services which detailed the effectiveness of enforcement action regarding dog fouling within Denbighshire, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

Copies of Appendices were circulated at the meeting, together with, documents relating to:-

The Public Realm and Environment Crime Working Group held on the 5^th November, 2008 and 26^th January, 2009.

A report to Environment Scrutiny Committee dated 15^th October, 2009

A letter from the Chair of the Environment Scrutiny Committee to the Chief Constable dated the 30th December, 2008.

The report provided information on historical, current and future methods of prevention and detection of dog fouling in Denbighshire.              Dog Fouling remained the single most complained about public nuisance in Denbighshire.  This type of crime was categorised as “Environmental Crime”, and the offence was dealt with under the provisions of the Dogs Act 1996 and the Environmental Protection and Clean Neighbourhood Act 2005.  It was explained that employees of the Authority and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were authorised to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

The Head of Planning, Regeneration and Regulatory Services outlined the following salient points contained in the report:-

-   issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices as an alternative to prosecution, payment and prosecution procedures.

-          a ‘robust enforcement regime’ had been adopted by Denbighshire County Council’s Public Protection Service since 2008.

-          details of Enforcement Activities between 2008 and the current date.

-          methods employed by Community Safety Enforcement in Denbighshire in preventing and detecting offences dog fouling.

-          criteria for classification of stray dogs and details of the Dog Walking Charter.

-          use of publicity and CCTV and the investigation of offences.

-          lack of participation of Police and PCSOs in issuing FPNs

-          communication with the public and encouragement and the use schools   pupils to educate parents and the general public with respect to the dangers of dogs fouling

-          requests to have dog foul cleared and audits to establish the need for bins and signage.

-          engagement of private contractors through employment agencies.

-          the conclusions drawn through experience of dealing with the problem of dog fouling.

The Committee viewed a video of a case study undertaken in the Marine Lake area of Rhyl which highlighted the operational aspects of the work undertaken by officers and the effectiveness of surveillance work and evidence gathering leading to the issue of a FPN.

The officers provided the following responses to matters raised by members:

-          the issue of replacing and updating dog fouling signs would be addressed.

-          agreed to examine the possibility of treating areas where dog fouling had occurred with an appropriate spray substance.

-          officers agreed to approach North Wales Police with respect to having a greater emphasis placed on PCSOs issuing FPNs as a method of preventing and reducing crime

-          confirmation was provided that Denbighshire had employed contractors to issue Fixed Penalty Notices, but that this approach seemed to have been more effective in relation to litter enforcement than incidences of dog fouling

-          details were outlined of the collaborative working between Conwy and Denbighshire, with Denbighshire being the Lead Authority.

-          the need to expand on the imitative undertaken at Bodnant School, Prestatyn

-          the problems and legal implications which could arise if bans were implemented on the use of school playing fields, and if dog control orders were introduced.

The officers provided details pertaining to the issuing and distribution of dog waste bags and provision of dog waste bins in identified hot spot areas.  Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider a joint report by the Project Officer and Housing Strategy Officer (copy enclosed). which provides an update on the progress made with the Single Access Route to Housing (SARTH) collaborative project and seeks the Committee’s views on the Common Allocations Framework prior to proceeding to public consultation

11.30 a.m.

A copy of a joint report by the Project Officer and Housing Strategy Officer, which outlined the progress made with the Single Access Route to Housing (SARTH) collaborative project and provided an opportunity for the Committee to influence the future direction of the project, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Housing Strategy Manager summarised the report and sought the Committee’s views on the draft Common Allocations Framework (CAF) before proceeding to public consultation.    

It was explained that SARTH was a partnership project between all the major social landlords in North East Wales, covering the local authority areas of Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham County Borough.  The partners included Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Cartrefi Conwy, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd, North Wales Housing and Wales and West Housing.

The overall aim of SARTH would be to provide a common access route to a range of affordable housing options which was transparent, legal, efficient and accessible to all sections of the community.  Concerns had been expressed that, when seeking housing, applications would be required on five different lists.  The report presented a draft common allocations framework (CAF) which had three points outstanding which would require agreement prior to consultation. 

A summary of the key elements of the CAF had been summarised in the report and further detail provided in Appendix A, and the project generally in Appendix B.

The Housing Strategy Manager informed the Committee that a Member training session would be held on the 22^nd June, 2012 and outlined the issues to be discussed and considered in terms of allocation issues. 

Councillor T.R. Hughes welcomed and expressed his support for the initiative.  The Housing Strategy Manager responded to questions from Members in respect of:-

·        the presentation of the report to 5 Registered Social Landlord Boards

·        the provision of Affordable Housing within the County.

·        the availability of agricultural housing in Denbighshire.

·        the availability of one bedroom flats within the County.

During the ensuing discussion the Chair noted the progress made and the work undertaken to date and officers undertook to provide the additional information which members had requested to them via the Scrutiny Coordinator.  The Committee:

RESOLVED – to note the contents of the report and endorse the progress made to date with the SARTH project and the draft Common Allocations Framework.

Meeting ended at 12.40 p.m.