Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services which provided the Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (SSC OSC) work programme for 2024/2025 that reflected the objectives and associated outcomes and actions identified within the Council Plan and Safe Durham Partnership Plan and in the context of the County Durham Vision 2035 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer had identified the context of the work programme for scrutiny based on the three strategic ambitions of the shared Durham County vision, the Council Plan and the six strategic priorities of the Safe Durham Partnership Plan.  The strategy had been agreed and was a huge influence on projects for the committee.  He referred to appendix two of the report which gave details of the proposed work programme for the year that identified what items would be brought to committee and when. 

Councillor R Potts referred to paragraph 11 of the report referencing the “Connected Communities” ambition and suggested that the committee might examine the independent review of children that went missing from Care homes and subject to sexual exploitation by organised networks as part of its work programme.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer agreed to liaise with the Scrutiny Officer for the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee as this would overlap with their work.  He noted that work had been carried out jointly around children’s homes and would take this forward on the work programme. He also stressed that the context within which this work could be undertaken needed to be carefully considered so that the OSC did not stray into the remit of the Police and Crime Panel.

Councillor R Crute agreed that this cut across the two scrutiny committees along with sexual abuse.  He mentioned that work had been carried out in the past on civil contingencies on how to prepare for emergencies like freak weather and gave the example of Storm Arwen to ensure that the public were protected.  He suggested that this work was revisited to ensure all partners were prepared if any event came up as preventative work.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer acknowledged that the committee had received three reports from the Civil Contingency Unit in conjunction with partner agencies in the events following Storm Arwin and other storms that had showed work was being carried out collaboratively and information being shared.  He agreed to discuss this with the service.

Councillor J Charlton asked if there would be anything to be presented on community protection in relation to fake goods and the dangers.  She was concerned that people could be exploited in certain areas due to increase in the cost of living.

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer confirmed that a report was due from the Public Protection Service on 13 December 2024 that would cover illicit goods and illegal tobacco. Councillor J Charlton asked if this could be brought forward to get the message out to the community well in advance of Christmas when fake goods in circulation would be at its peak. The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer agreed to liaise with the service to see if the item could be brought forward in the work programme.

Councillor R Crute confirmed that the Public Protection Service gave regular updates to the Management Board covertly where intelligence looked at shops selling illegal vapes for the public to see what happens in real time.

Councillor P Heaviside agreed that the work programme would be fluid to create the agenda items to ensure topics were properly scrutinised. 

Resolved:

i)              That the proposed SSC OSC work programme for 2024/25 be received.

ii)             That the SSC OSC work programme for 2024/2025 and the flexibility it offersto respond to emerging issues be agreed.