Agenda item

LOCALITY WORKING

The panel will receive a report from the Assistant Director for Safer Communities on the future of locality working.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Director for Safer Communities and Devon and Cornwall Police Representatives on the future of locality working. It was reported that –

 

       (i)            a decision was made by a resolution of full council to discontinue area committees;

 

     (ii)            in their place six ‘Localities’ had been identified within Plymouth. Services can be organised around consistent boundaries. Each Locality would consist of a number of Plymouth’s 43 Neighbourhoods based on well-established natural boundaries, recognised by local people;

 

    (iii)            Locality Service Co-ordination Teams would be set up, involving practitioners from partner agencies;

 

    (iv)            consultation would be joined up at the local level and the Council would work more closely with the Police in these areas;

 

      (v)            Locality Service Co-ordination Teams would involve ward councillors, working with Police and Health Sector partners. To help identify priorities, Councillors would be invited to attend neighbourhood Partners & Communities Together (PACT) meetings;

 

    (vi)            previous PACT meetings had been limited in their terms of reference. The Police would with the council to increase PACT effectiveness;

 

   (vii)            there would be a meeting closed to the public, where ward councillors, council officers, police officers, community representatives and other agencies would be able to make decisions about the local area. The meeting would be followed by a public forum where residents could raise concerns. Discussions were ongoing on how to formalise the process but neighbourhood structures would not be imposed.

 

The Chair opened the meeting to the members of public present, in response to their questions it was reported that –

 

 (viii)            the parking problems at Salcombe Road were a good example of a local issue which could be taken on by a locality team to move forward;

 

   (ix)            Salcombe Road and the surrounding area had been identified as a priority tasking for the local police sector, not only for parking issues but also for issues around anti-social behaviour.

 

In response to questions from members of the committee, it was further reported that –

 

     (x)            closed meetings are being considered as it was often difficult to make a decision in and difficult to get other agencies to attend an open forum;

 

   (xi)            Police authority liaison meetings would continue;

 

  (xii)            there would be an officer at Assistant Director level who would be the contact for that neighbourhood

 

(xiii)            neighbourhoods would make the decisions on what structures they would like to have in their area;

 

 (xiv)            a senior locality team member would Chair local meetings;

 

  (xv)            Police and Council officers had not met to discuss how local meetings would work;

 

 (xvi)            the way in which meetings would be conducted across the 43 neighbourhoods would not be dictated. If it was decided in an area that the recording of meetings and published minutes were required then that would happen.

 

There was a general concern expressed that localities would not work effectively, concerns were raised regarding-

 

(xvii)            the role of the Ward member in relation to the localities team;

 

(xviii)            the perceived democratic deficit and lack of accountability;

 

(xix)            the funding arrangements and the impact that meetings would have on the Authority as they would not be official council committees.

 

Supporting documents: