Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Chilvers.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already entered in their Register of Interests.

Councillors should leave the meeting and take no part in the consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests.  Having made the declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring Officer.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee held on 20 January 2022.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2022.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 20 January 2022 for signing by the Chair.

The Chair thanked the representatives from the emergency services who were in attendance at the meeting for joining the Committee.

In attendance will be representatives from North Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and North Yorkshire Fire Service to update the committee on their work. Guests invited include:

-       Chris Neal, Group Manager Selby District, NY Fire and Rescue Service

-       Supt. Mark Khan, NY Police Service

-       Rachel Pippin, Deputy Head of Operations, YAS

-       Ken Lowe, Area Operations Manager covering Selby, YAS

Members noted that present at the meeting were:

-       Chris Neal, Group Manager for Selby District, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

-       Supt. Mark Khan, North Yorkshire Police Service

-       Rachel Pippin, Deputy Head of Operations, Yorkshire Ambulance Service

-       Ken Lowe, Area Operations Manager covering Selby, Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Each representative gave an update on the service that they covered.

Chris Neal, Group Manager for Selby District, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

·           A new risk and review model would be published in March and would set out how services would be delivered in the next year; a public consultation would begin following publication.

·           The staff at Selby fire station operated on a four-on/four-off basis, with an on-call crew also available, as well as being backed up be other stations across the area including Tadcaster and York; there was also cross-border liaison with South Yorkshire and Humberside services.

·           Following the pandemic, it was felt that fire crews needed to be more visible once again; as such, preventative work with businesses and communities that the fire service was good at would be started again, including flooding mitigation and preparedness.

Members asked questions around the use of fire stations for women fleeing domestic violence, which could be difficult at Selby as it wasn’t manned 24 hours a day, and how links to the PFCC could affect the fire service’s budget. The Group Manager explained that the service had a Chief Fire Officer who decided on policy and was then scrutinised by the PFCC, who could set the service’s protected budget. The governance model in place in North Yorkshire was pioneering and there were distinct advantages to the arrangements.

Supt. Mark Khan, North Yorkshire Police Service

·         The Supt. emphasised that all crime was a priority and that the control strategy was the service’s plan as to what they would be focusing on, which were:

-        Serious and organised crime;

-        Safeguarding and violence against women and girls;

-        Community harm; and

-        Road safety.

·         The Uplift Programme was increasing the number of officers in North Yorkshire from 1,400 to 1,500; for the Selby area this equated to a quarter vacancy for a PCSO and three for full officers. The student officer programme in Selby currently had 32 enrolled in it, in their first and second years. Individuals now needed a degree to become an officer, for which there was an Open University course, as well as practical experience. The first cohort would be available from June and backfilling the Selby vacancies.

·         The Neighbourhood Policing model would be investigated in order to develop a better three-to-five-year plan as to how the service operates prevention and early intervention, including a public health approach to policy. More information would be available about this plan in the next 12 to 24 months.

·         Fixed site cameras were not being taken forward but this, to an extent, depended on the view of the PFCC; there had been discussions with the road safety team as to why not. In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

To consider the Committee’s work programme.

The Committee considered the 2021-22 work programme as presented in the agenda.

Members asked for several additions and amendments to the work programme and also discussed remote meetings; the Committee generally agreed that remote meetings were easier for Members to attend and should continue, but that some matters were better dealt with in person.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Democratic Services Officer write to the attendees for the previous Blue Light Services item to thank them for joining the meeting.

2.  That the Ward Members that covered Barlby be invited to the future education themed meeting.

3.  That North Yorkshire Police be invited back to a future meeting of the Committee to present new information on the Neighbourhood Policing model, which would be developed as a better three-to-five-year plan as to how the service operated prevention and early intervention, including a public health approach to policy; more information would be available about this plan in the next 12 to 24 months.

4.  That an attendee from the Sherburn Dental Practice be invited to the forthcoming single-issue meeting on dentistry provision in the district.

5.  That, if possible, the single-issue housing and property services item be presented to the Committee as soon as practicable, and that updates on housing be provided on a more regular basis.