Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Pete Barrow, Graham Carr-Jones and Sherry Jesperson.

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2023 were confirmed and signed.

 

The Service Director invited the PCC to give an update relating to the actions that had been raised in the minutes, the details of which can be found at appendix 1.

 

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

 

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

 

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

 

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting.

 

The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  Further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council  

  

All submissions must be emailed in full to chris.harrod@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday 11 December 2023 

  

When submitting your question or statement please note that:  

  

·             You can submit 1 question or 1 statement. 

·             a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.  

·             It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted. 

·             Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.  

·             when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)  

·             Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.  

·             questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.  

·             all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.  

Dorset Council Constitution - Procedure Rule 9

 

Councillor Questions

 

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total. Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

 

The submissions must be emailed in full to chris.harrod@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday 11 December 2023.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There were no questions, statements or petitions received from members of the public or from Town and Parish Councils.

To receive the Q2 monitoring report 2023/24.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman put three strategic questions to the PCC. These and the PCC’s responses can be found at appendix 1.

 

The PCC gave an update on the quarterly monitoring report Q1 (00:13:38 on recording). He gave a brief overview of the report, highlighting some of the main points and progress to date before focusing on the 6 Priority areas in further detail.

 

Priority 1 Cut Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) (00:13:50 on recording)

 

The PCC highlighted the following points:

 

• A small uptick in dwelling burglary and plans for more prevention activity.
• ASB had continued to fall.
• The need to keep focusing on preventing road accidents in Dorset. Investment in preventing fraud.
• Supporting Young People

 

Follow on panel questions and responses from PCC (00:17:34 on recording) and at appendix 1.

 

Following a supplementary question that wasn’t of a strategic nature, The PCC invited members to provide details of any individual cases to him outside of the meeting and advised that would follow up on them.

 

Priority 2 Make Policing More Visible and Connected (00:29:05 on recording)

 

The PCC highlighted the following points:

 

• The launch of Bournemouth “Town Teams”, which had been put in place to ensure the safety of the public, particularly to support the nighttime economy.
• The reopening of three front-desks to the public, in Blandford, Swanage and Lyme Regis.

 

Additional Panel questions (00:31:55 on recording).

 

• Dorset Police needed to better explain how to use the single online home website and the PCC would work with the communications team at the force to communicate how best to use it.
• The 101 average response time was averaging at 15 minutes and the PCC aspired to reduce this average response time even lower. There had already been significant improvement in terms of response time.
• The single online home was designed to improve the quality of interaction between the police and the public.
• Dorset Police was working with BIDs, chamber of commerce’s and businesses to develop a suitable reporting system for shoplifting and the PCC suggested he could bring this particular issue back to the panel at a future meeting. 

 

Priority 3 Fight Violent Crime and High Harm (00:47:06 on recording)

 

The PCC highlighted the following points:

 

• Much violence can be linked to drug-related crime, progress being made across the county of Dorset.
• Bid submitted to home office for safer streets fund.
• He had commissioned domestic abuse charity to undertake a deep dive into the elements of domestic abuse pathways across Dorset.

 

Panel questions and responses from the PCC (00:50:37 on recording) and at appendix 1.

 

Additional Panel questions (01:10:27 on recording).

 

• The PCC could provide data relating to the victim satisfaction survey that is undertaken by the police.

 

 

Priority 4 Fight Rural Crime (01:13:36 on recording)

 

The PCC highlighted the following points:

 

• He and his regional counterparts were leading a campaign to combat the involvement of organised crime groups (OCGs) in rural crime.
• He had been working with partners to explore opportunities into preventing and enforcing fly-tipping.
• In his bid  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

To consider the report.

The PCC introduced the report which set out how the precept had been used for the year so far.

 

The PCC highlighted the following key areas:

 

• Set out priorities in a national context.
• Set out priorities in a local context.
• Fairer funding.

 

Panel questions and responses from the PCC (02:09:56 on recording) and at appendix 1.

 

NOTED

To consider the report.

The PCC introduced the report which provided the Panel with an update on the work being undertaken to tackle and prevent violent crime.

 

The PCC highlighted the following key points:

 

• Dorset had the second lowest figures in terms of knife crime, which was positive, however, this meant that it was challenging to receive funding to prevent it.
• The PCC was continuing to lobby for fairer funding that could allow Dorset Police to prevent knife crime, as opposed to having to combat it.

 

Panel questions and responses from the PCC (02:28:28 on recording).

 

• The PCC explained that he had a desire to establish a VRU in order to address the prevention of violent knife crime, particularly among young people.
• The PCC would provide a response to Cllr Canavan’s question relating to the Community Safety Partnership at the next meeting, once he was aware of all of the relevant details.
• Keeping people safe should be a key priority for all councils as well as the police force.

 

NOTED

 

In accordance with procedural rule 8.1 a vote was taken to extend the duration of the meeting.

To consider the report.

The PCC introduced the report which gave an update on the PCC’s work to target fly-tipping.

 

The PCC highlighted the following key points:

 

• There were two main offenders in relation to fly-tipping, unscrupulous companies and private individuals.

 

Panel questions and responses from the PCC (02:56:55 on recording).

 

• There were plenty of opportunities to reduce fly-tipping, including utilising the forces’ comms team to demonstrate where offenders had been made an example of. It would also be appropriate to showcase the effect on the environment where fly-tipping was prevalent.
• The PCC would be happy to support a campaign requesting signage, but this was not something that he would commit to funding as he felt that it would sit within the remit of the local authority.

 

Noted

To receive a verbal update.

Cllr L Fry gave a verbal update on complaints including feedback from the Complaints Sub Committee and advised that there were no live complaints at this time.

 

Noted

To consider the Forward Workplan.

The Forward Workplan was noted.

 

The Chair also advised that there was an informal session relating to the precept budget.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

 

There were no urgent items.

 

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

 

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

 

There was no exempt business.