Agenda item - Statutory Crime & Disorder Committee

Extract from the proceedings of the Governance Committee meeting held on the 28 April (to be circulated), together with a report of the Director of Strategy & Governance (copy attached).

86.1       Councillor Ann Norman formally moved the report and the recommendations of the Governance Committee, which were detailed in the extract from the meeting, held on the 28^th April and had been circulated as part of the addendum papers.  She stated that the council was required to establish a Crime & Disorder Committee, and having considered various options it was felt that the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee (ECSOSC), should be designated has having responsibility for Crime & Disorder.  The Community Safety Forum would remain in place and continue to operate as it has, whilst having the ability to refer matters onto the ECSOSC for consideration.  She also noted that the proposed arrangements could be reviewed as part of the 12-month review of the constitution and if necessary any amendments put forward for consideration by the council in due course.

86.2       Councillor Oxley stated that the proposals enabled the council to fulfil the legal requirements, whilst retaining the Community Safety Forum in its current form.

86.3       Councillor Duncan accepted that the legal requirement was met, but queried whether the arrangements would have been operating sufficiently for them to be included in the 12-month review.  He believed that there was a need or a separate Crime & Disorder Committee, especially given the current work load of the ECSOSC.  He noted that the Cabinet portfolios for Environment and Community Safety had recently been split and suggested this should be reflected in the scrutiny set up.  He therefore wished to move an amendment as detailed in the addendum papers which had been circulated separately.

86.4       Councillor Kennedy formally seconded the amendment.

86.5       Councillor Mitchell stated that it was difficult to take on board new legislative requirements which directly affected the way in which the council operated.  The creation of the Community Safety Forum in 1998 had been an innovative step by the then Brighton Borough Council and it had grown from strength to strength to become an integral part of the council.  She did not therefore feel that it should become the formal Crime & Disorder Committee as this would disengage its members and its effectiveness.  It was therefore necessary to look at what options were available and she believed that the proposal to use the ECSOSC was a good one at this point in time.  It also enabled the situation to be reviewed as part of the 12-month review of the constitution.

86.6       Councillor Elgood stated that he had some sympathy with the proposed amendment and felt that the community representatives could sit on a formal committee.  He was also concerned that only the Leader and Opposition Leader had been consulted on the matter and hoped minority group Leaders would be included in the future.

86.7       Councillor Simson noted the comments and stated that she believed the Community Safety Forum had a key role to play and was hopeful that its meetings could be held out in community venues in the future.  She felt that the proposal outlined in the report was the right way forward and hoped Members would support it.

86.8       The Mayor noted that an amendment had been moved by Councillor Duncan and put the amendment to the vote, which was lost.

86.9       The Mayor then put the recommendations as moved to the vote.

86.10    RESOLVED –

(1)   That the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee (ECSOSC) be designated as the council’s Crime & Disorder Committee;

(2)   That the protocol detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, governing the interface between the Community Safety Forum and ECSOSC be adopted;

(3)   That the Chair of ESCOSC (being the Chair also of the Crime & Disorder Committee), become a member of the Community Safety Forum;

(4)   That the Head of Law be authorised to put these arrangements into effect, following Full Council approval, including any necessary amendments to the council’s constitution; and

(5)   That the Had of Law be instructed to monitor the effectiveness of the arrangements implemented under resolutions (1) and (2) above, and, if appropriate, to submit a report to the Governance Committee, as part of the council’s 12-month review of the constitution, or any changes considered necessary.