To receive apologies for absence, including notifications of any changes to the membership of the Board.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Kennedy and it was reported that, in accordance with the wishes of the Liberal Democrat Group, the membership of the Board had been amended to include Councillor Dudley in place of Councillor Atiya-Alla.  Apologies were also received from Councillor Steve Darling, Councillor Carter and Lincoln Sargeant representatives of the Safer Communities Torbay Partnership.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 9 November 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 9 November 2022 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairwoman.

1.         To receive an overview of the governance, structure, operation and engagement to help members understand the role of the Safer Communities Torbay - Community Safety Partnership (CSP) for which Overview and Scrutiny has a statutory duty to scrutinise.

2.         To understand how the priorities are developed and to monitor and review the effectiveness of the implementation and delivery of the agreed priorities. 

Note:  the following people will be in attendance for this item:

·         Tara Harris, Divisional Director for Community and Customer Services;

·         Dave Parsons, Antisocial Behaviour and Vulnerability Manager; 

·         Vicki McGeough, Partnership Lead Manager, Safer Communities

·         Lincoln Sargeant, Director of Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Board and CSP Partner;

·         Edward Wright, Police and CSP Partner; and

·         Michele Thornbury, Health and CSP Partner.

The Board received an update on the review of the Safer Communities Torbay – Community Safety Partnership (CSP) from Tara Harris, Divisional Director for Community and Customer Services, Dave Parsons, Antisocial Behaviour and Vulnerability Manager, Vikki McGeough, Partnership Lead Manager, Safer Communities, Acting Chief Superintendent Edward Wright, Police and CSP Partner; and Head of Safeguarding Adults NHS Devon, Michele Thornbury, Health and CSP Partner, who also responded to questions on the following:

·                     The diagrams showing the current governance structure looked very complex and were difficult to understand.

·                     What was the timeframe for the completion of the review of the CSP.

·                     What was the impact ‘on the ground’ of the work of the CSP.

·                     How does the CSP link back with schools and education.

·                     How was the CSP recognising individuals in need of support or intervention.

·                     Were there any common threads emerging where changes were required.

·                     Who chairs the CSP Board.

·                     Other areas governance seems to be easier to understand, what was being done to make our CSP governance easier to understand.

·                     How does the CSP fit with the Health and Wellbeing Board and could the two be merged.

·                     How does the CSP fit with Torbay’s Strategic Partnership (Torbay Together Place Board).

·                     How does the CSP hear the voice of the community and local businesses.

·                     What involvement does the CSP have with prevention for younger people.

·                     What was classed as anti-social behaviour.

·                     How does the crime data work, did it cover just Torbay residents or does it include every incident that happens in Torbay.

·                     How do we meet the highest needs in the most effective way.

·                     What support was given to local community centres by the CSP.

Members requested that the two Councillor representatives (Councillors Steve Darling and Carter) be asked to provide a written response on how many CSP meetings they have attended, if they feel the meetings were useful and how they look at using the information gained through the work of the CSP to help inform budgets and priorities.

Resolved (unanimously):

1.         that the Safer Communities Torbay - Community Safety Partnership be recommended:

a.         to be more focussed;

b.         to hear the voice of the community more;

c.         to identify clearer accountability to the community;

d.         to review its links and operations with the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Torbay Together Place Board and other bodies to reduce duplication; and

e.         to circulate a copy of the CSP updates to all councillors and the Members of the Overview and Board to advise the Chairwoman what they would like to see reported to Overview and Scrutiny on a six monthly basis; and

2.         that the Chairman of the Torbay Together Place Board be invited to a future meeting of the Board to explain the role and governance of the Torbay Together Place Board.

To consider the submitted report which sets out the Quarter 2 budget monitoring information for 2022/2023 and to make any recommendations to the Cabinet.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Cowell, outlined the submitted budget monitoring report which provided a high level budget summary of the Council’s forecasted revenue and capital income and expenditure for the financial year 2022/2023.  The report was based on figures as at the end of Quarter 2.

The report predicted a draft overspend for 2022/2023 of £1.686m which included a new pressure of £0.5m associated with the costs of supporting the impact on Council services of the asylum hostel.  Members noted that no new measures were in place but that the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer continued to closely monitor spend. 

Councillor Cowell and the Deputy Head of Finance, Sean Cremer, responded to the following questions:

·                     Were the 37 new homes being purchased by the Council temporary accommodation or social housing.

·                     How long was temporary housing provided for.

·                     What support was being provided to tenants in temporary housing accommodation.

·                     When were the first people likely to move into 37 new properties.

·                     The Finance Team were working on budgets over a four year period, when were historical budgets expected to be resolved.

·                     With the announced winding up of the proposed tenant for the Corbyn Head redevelopment, what alternative options were being considered for that site.

·                     Has the Council seen the impact of the cost of living on its collection fund and Council Tax collection rates.

·                     Was there any further proposals on the redevelopment of Crossways following the decision to demolish the site.

·                     Would adult social care funding be used towards the redevelopment of the Crossways site.

·                     There was a large saving in concessionary bus fares does this mean we could reduce the budget for next year.

·                     Did the concessionary bus fares funding include young people travelling to school or college.

·                     What was the reason for the increase in income from the Crematorium.

·                     What was being done to reduce costs in school transport.

The Board thanked the Deputy Head of Finance for all his hard work in presenting the budget monitoring to Councillors and wished him well in his new job.

Resolved (unanimously):

That the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board be recommended to review home to school transport.