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Agenda and minutes

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Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

None.

 

2.

Public Open Forum

Select Committee Public Open Forum ~ Guidance

 

Our Select Committee meetings are live streamed and a link to the live stream will be available on the meeting page of the Monmouthshire County Council website

 

If you would like to share your thoughts on any proposals being discussed by Select Committees, you can submit your representation via this form

 

·      Please share your views by uploading a video or audio file (maximum of 4 minutes) or;

·      Please submit a written representation (via Microsoft Word, maximum of 500 words)

 

You will need to register for a My Monmouthshire account in order to submit the representation or use your log in, if you have registered previously.

 

The deadline for submitting representations to the Council is 5pm three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

 

If representations received exceed 30 minutes, a selection of these based on theme will be shared at the Select Committee meeting.  All representations received will be made available to councillors prior to the meeting.


If you would like to suggest future topics for scrutiny by one of our Select Committees, please do so by emailing
Scrutiny@monmouthshire.gov.uk

 

Minutes:

No submissions were received.

 

3.

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Responsibilities pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To familiarise the Committee with their Crime and Disorder Scrutiny responsibilities – Short Presentation by the Scrutiny Manager (attached).

 

Background Information: Welsh Government Guidance for the Scrutiny of Crime and Disorder Matters – Wales.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Hazel Ilett delivered the presentation.

 

4.

Community Safety in Monmouthshire

To discuss Community Safety in Monmouthshire with the chair of the Community Safety Partnership (Safer Monmouthshire), through presentation of the Safer Monmouthshire Plan.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Chief Inspector John Davies gave a brief overview of his role and Safer Monmouthshire. Sharran Lloyd, Andrew Mason and John Crandon delivered the presentation and answered the members’ questions with the Chief Inspector.

Challenge:

Regarding crime recording, those are Home Office categories? But there is no overall Home Office category for domestic abuse – they are mostly recorded under ‘Violence With/Without Injury’?

A sexual offence would still be that, though considered as domestic abuse-related: a substantive offence in a domestic setting with two co-habiting adults over 18 would be tagged as a domestic abuse incident. It is a domestic abuse ‘tag’ which is part of HO statistics that links it to being a domestic abuse crime. A domestic-related incident could involve a number of different strands, which is why they are the primary crime, then tagged with the domestic abuse part of it.

Per head of population, incidences of rape and other sexual offences are the second highest in Gwent?

Yes, Monmouthshire is the second highest, despite our relatively low population. It could be that people are more confident in reporting here, compared to some of the other authorities.

When talking about concentrations of domestic abuse and violence, there is reference to socio-economic factors. However, incidences in Mill (Magor West) are higher than in Dewstow, and Mill doesn’t have particular issues in socio-economic terms.

Socio-economic reasons for domestic abuse have been pointed to over the years but we have seen a huge amount of under-reporting in areas where socio-economic issues haven’t been particularly stark. This is important for us to note as our work progresses. We are one of the few boards at this level that’s taking it so seriously.

Will implementation of a 20mph speed limit be scrutinised by the Community Safety Partnership?

We are setting up a road safety traffic group to look at this in more detail, so hopefully we will have more to say on that in the future.

The reason for apathy in reporting is clear: so many feel that it isn’t worth calling the police, as they don’t believe that their call will be followed up, or that anything will be done. This is one of the main things that needs to be addressed.

Placement of resources is done on basis of threat and risk. Dedicated neighbourhood resources…When we look at the threat and risk, we have come out of Covid into a different landscape, including things like placement of people into hotels….These are things we have to learn to react to. Through the Partnership arrangements we are trying to have more joined up thinking….cause and effect of that decision needs to be understood…might end up being offenders. They often go into those locations and end up as victims…Our new partnership arrangements are to ensure that we are more joined up in our decision-making.

We do have issues about people being able to contact us…..There is a massive piece around reassurance, where we aren’t communicating the positives as much as we should be….sits within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

To consider the Public Services Scrutiny Committee's forward work programme pdf icon PDF 361 KB

Minutes:

Dementia Services will be scrutinised on 28th November, with Health Board and Gwent Regional Partnership Board in attendance. The committee could consider a future item on the role and remit of the Integrated Services Partnership Board. Also reviewing the efficacy of the Early Years Transformation Plan. Revisiting today’s report will go on to the work programme for the future.

6.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 18th July 2022 pdf icon PDF 351 KB

Minutes:

The minutes were confirmed and signed as an accurate record, proposed by Councillor Stevens and seconded by Councillor Jones, with the following amendment:

Councillor Bond noted that her question/suggestion regarding role-modelling behaviour in the use of plastics included Coleg Gwent i.e. whether the college could be influenced to reduce their plastics use.

 

7.

To note the date and time of the next meeting:

Minutes:

Monday 28th November, 10.00.