Agenda and minutes

Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 24th April, 2017 1.30 pm

Venue: Bridges Room - Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Helen Conway Email - helenconway@gateshead.gov.uk

Items

No.

Item

CPL26

Minutes of the last meeting PDF 305 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting held on 6 March 2017 were approved as a correct record.

CPL27

OSC Review - The Impact of Gambling on the Borough - Final Report PDF 388 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

The Committee received the final recommendations from the review of the impact of gambling in Gateshead.

The following points summarise the key findings from the OSC’s review:-

1) The Council should use every opportunity to contribute to the national debate about the harms that can be caused by irresponsible and problem gambling.

2) The Council should continue to develop its productive working relationship with the Gambling Commission.

3) The Council should contribute to the continuing debate and proposed consultations on the harms associated with fixed odds betting terminals.

4) The Gambling Commission’s introduction of Local Area Risk profiles represents a new opportunity for Gateshead Council to think more deeply about the protection of vulnerable people from gambling related-harm. The Council should develop Local Area Risk Profiles for the borough.

5) Gateshead Council as a licensing authority should examine the range of data available locally and evaluate how this can be used in Local Area Risk Profiles.

6) Gateshead Council as a licensing authority should also begin to consider what data and evidence is missing and establish closer working links with other services within the Council and with partner agencies to develop a better knowledge base and a better range of data.

7) That further update reports be provided to the OSC on a regular basis.

RESOLVED -	i)	That the information be noted
	ii)	That a briefing note is prepared for all councillors updating them of the outcomes of the review.

CPL28

Opportunities to Promote Rural Gateshead - Monitoring Report PDF 316 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which provided an update on the actions arising from the OSC Review of Opportunities to Promote Rural Gateshead.

The Committee were updated on the following progress since completion of the review:-

A Cultural Tourism Project Manager post has been created and filled to deliver Cultural Tourism based initiatives in rural areas. The post holder has three main areas of work: the Land of Oak and Iron project including the Heritage Centre; investigating options for the Angel of the North site and leading on the rural Gateshead marketing campaign.

The Committee were also advised that funding opportunities have been identified to support the development of rural assets and attract additional visitors to the area. Work is also continuing to maximise the investment in tourism infrastructure in Gateshead, including the business infrastructure, and supporting the development of affordable business space in rural areas and the support of the business development process.

RESOLVED -	i)	That the information be noted.
	ii)	That the Committee were satisfied that sufficient progress has been achieved in the implementation of the Review of opportunities to Promote Rural Gateshead.
	iii)	Councillors requested the opportunity to work alongside the Cultural Tourism Project Manager in the development of the tourism leaflet for the west of the borough.
	iv)	Councillors asked officers if a temporary coffee/ice cream kiosk could be erected at the Angel of the North site until a more permanent arrangement could be made.

CPL29

TALISMAN (Tenant and Leaseholder Independent Scrutiny Management) Panel - Progress Update PDF 264 KB

Report of the Managing Director, The Gateshead Housing Company

Minutes:

The Committee received the annual update on the progress of the TALISMAN (Tenant and Leaseholder Independent Scrutiny Management) Panel.

The Committee has, as part of the previous update reports, received details of the findings from the following reviews that TALISMAN have carried out:-

· Anti-social behaviour case management

· Rent and income

· Void management

· Customer Services (local offices)

The Committee were advised that TALISMAN completed their fifth review and presented their findings to the TGHC Customers and Communities Committee in May 2016. The review identified 12 recommendations and the findings have been included within improvement plans for the service and progress against the actions has been reported back to both TALISMAN and Customers and Communities Committee. All the action have been completed.

The Committee were advised that the panel has recently completed its sixth area of scrutiny or repairs reporting and presented their findings to the TGHC Customers and Communities Committee in February 2017. The review identified 23 recommendations. The Repairs Reporting Service has been requested to produce a formal response to these and present them to the next meeting of TGHC Customers and Communities Committee in May 2017. The outcomes of the review will be publicised on the TGHC website.

TALISMAN has agreed that its next area of scrutiny will be a review of customer satisfaction surveys.

The Committee were advised that a review of the terms of reference has been carried out which, once agreed, will enable future scrutiny reviews to be carried out more effectively.

One of the changes being proposed is to change the name of the Panel from TALISMAN to ‘Gateshead Housing Company Scrutiny Panel’ Feedback from customers has shown that the use of an acronym to describe the Panel has caused confusion in terms of its role and purpose. This uncertainty has in turn hindered recruitment. Research has shown that other housing organisations refer their Panel as simply a ‘Customer Scrutiny Panel’.

It is acknowledged that the original decision to establish the Panel and call it TALISMAN was taken by the Council and the views of the Committee were sought on the proposal to rename it ‘Gateshead Customer Scrutiny Panel’.

	i)	That the information be noted.
	ii)	That the progress of the TALISMAN panel to date be noted and that further progress reports be brought back to Committee in due course in order to scrutinise the effectiveness of co-regulation.
	iii)	That the panel be renamed as ‘Gateshead Customer Scrutiny Panel’ with immediate effect.

CPL30

Impact of the Early Work on Place Shaping for Health and Wellbeing PDF 355 KB

Minutes:

The Committee received an update on the Impact of the Early Work on Place Shaping for Health and Wellbeing.

The Progress in 2016/17 was outlined to Committee and was summarised as follows:-

· Take Away Nutrition Project and Supplementary Planning Document (including winning the Local Government Chronicle Awards 2017 in the Public Health Category)

· Cycling Strategy and Promotion – Summer of Cycling

· Financial Inclusion, and

· Employment and Health

RESOLVED -	i)	That the information be noted
	ii)	That the progress made on the Place Shaping strand of work be noted
	iii)	That the activity be continued and the Committee to receive a further progress report in April 2018.

CPL31

Annual Work Programme PDF 143 KB

Joint Report of the Chief Executive and the Strategic Director of Corporate Services and Governance

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which set out the provisional work programme for the municipal year 2017-18.

Councillors were advised that the Review Topic will be the Council and Partner’s Approach to Roads and Highways to include:-

· Road safety/road traffic accidents

· Road and pavement repairs/funding

· Bus lanes

· Traffic congestion

Councillors also requested that the issue of safety on cycle lanes would also be looked at in this review.

RESOLVED -	i)	That the information be noted.
	ii)	That the work programme for 2017-18 be endorsed, and that it be referred to Council on 8 June 2017 for agreement.
	iii)	Note that further reports will be brought to the Committee to identify any additional issues which the Committee may be asked to consider.