Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

Director of Public Health and Wellbeing

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing regarding the One Coventry Bi-Annual Performance Report 2023 – March 2024. The Committee noted that the report would also be considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 1 October 2024.

The report indicated that the One Coventry approach helped to shape the way the Council worked with its partners to improve the city and improve people’s lives. It included the Council’s vision and priorities, new ways of working, and core areas of activity to deliver the One Coventry Plan objectives, key strategies, and approaches. A One Coventry approach put the needs of the communities at the heart of the continued vision to improve the health and wellbeing of Coventry’s residents.

The last performance report was presented to all Members in February 2024, and it was agreed that performance reporting should be twice yearly going forward. This increased frequency was to provide members, partners and residents with timelier assurance that progress was being made towards the priorities in the One Coventry Plan, and an opportunity to understand more quickly if envisioned impact was not being realised and to review plans accordingly. The data within the report was from April 2023- March 2024 and the next annual report would include data for the year Oct 2023-Sept 2024 and presented in Jan 2025, repeating this bi-annual pattern going forward.

For each objective within the One Coventry Plan, the report set out the trends, actions taken, and performance metrics to provide an assessment of the progress made against previous years and to benchmark against other places. The report also included case studies to capture impacts that were less easy to measure numerically.

The Leader, Councillor G Duggins, welcomed the One Coventry Plan Bi-Annual Performance Report (April 2023 – March 2024)advising this was a good guide to Council’s performance and recommended Members focus on the indicators that were not progressing.

The Committee considered the report and asked questions, sought assurances and made comments on a number of issues which were to be reported to the Cabinet meeting to be held on 1 October 2024, as follows:

• The recent collapse of construction firm ISG and what the future plans were for delivery of the Cultural Gateway.
• National data relating to the proportion of neighbourhoods amongst the 10% most deprived in England had not been recently updated.  In Coventry, this metric was marked by health and inequalities.
• The decrease in male life expectancy was a national trend however, Council’s Marmot approach had been refocused and would be monitored to measure impact.
• Council worked closely with the Marmot team to reduce health inequalities in the city.
• Digital exclusion measures were being developed along with measures for traffic control and the impact on congestion and air quality.
• Council tax end of year collection rate figures had decreased and were being monitored.
• The launch of the Job Shop had seen a positive uptake in employment.  An increase in the unemployment rate should improve as the city  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Community Safety Officer regarding the proposed creation of a city-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).  The previous Order had expired.  The new PSPO had conditions within it to address the unauthorised use of offroad motor bikes and other specifically mechanically propelled vehicles (MPV) in the city and it would also seek to control the drinking of alcohol in public places.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities must carry out a statutory consultation before implementing a PSPO.  A period of public consultation had taken place between 22 July and 19 August 2024.

The Committee noted that the report would also be considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 1 October 2024.

Members noted that the Council could only make a PSPO when it was satisfied on reasonable grounds that the activities carried out or likely to be carried out in a public place had a detrimental effect on the quality of life in the area and were persistent, continuing and unreasonable.  The Council would also need to be satisfied that the restrictions imposed were justified.

Within Coventry, the previous citywide PSPO addressed the drinking of alcohol in public places, consumption/possession of Nitrous Oxide canisters and nuisance use of MPV.

Under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities were required to review the conditions of the Order before renewing the Order.

The previous Order had a provision regarding Nitrous Oxide however, there had recently been a change in national legislation and the use and possession of Nitrous Oxide for anti-social purposes was now a criminal offence and as such, there was no need to make a provision in this Order.

The creation of the city-wide PSPO provided for the continued use of powers to address the following issues in Coventry:  Public consumption of alcohol and the use of off-road motorbikes.  It was recognised that both behaviours in public spaces were closely linked with anti-social behaviour.  The Order would allow authorised officers to order persons consuming alcohol in public places to stop drinking and also permit them to confiscate or dispose of cans or bottles.  The Order would also allow individuals to be challenged when consuming alcohol without the need for officers to wait for an incident to intervene.  Specific MPV usage, which includes off road motorbikes were a common problem across the city and this Order would allow people to be challenged for just being in possession of their bikes in public areas.

The Council had undertaken a statutory consultation with the Local Chief of Police, the Police Crime Commissioner, owners and occupiers of land within the affected area where reasonably practicable and appropriate community representatives.  The response from West Midlands Police had been previously circulated. The Police and Crime Commissioner was consulted but at the time of publishing this report, a response had not been received.  The response had now been received and was tabled at the meeting.

A city-wide 4 week consultation had commenced on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

Further to Minutes 31 and 32 above, it was noted that the following items would be added to the following Scrutiny Board’s Work Programmes:-

·  SB4 – National Highways Satisfaction Survey and rehabilitation of reoffenders (PSPO)

·  SB1 – Increased use of agency staff (T&F group) and digital exclusion (26 March 2025)

·  SB5 – Increasing life expectancy in Coventry

·  Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee – Coventry City Council Transformation Programme

·  Fly tipping (maximising fines) to be prioritised.

RESOLVED:-

1)  That the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee notes and approves the Work Programme and Outstanding Issues for 2024/25.

2)  That the issues above be included in the Work Programme for the relevant Scrutiny Boards and Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no items of urgent public business.