Agenda and minutes

There were no Chair’s announcements to be made.

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2023 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            It was reported that no questions had been received.

The Annual Report of the Safer Policy and Performance Board was received which outlined the contributions made to the ongoing work of the Board. 

            RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

          The Board received a presentation on “The Big Conversation” which was the Council’s approach to formulating a new Corporate Plan to take effect from April 2024. 

          “The Big Conversation” would engage with the public so that they understood the challenges of the Council.  It would be an approach between the Council and everyone who lives or works in Halton to work together in order to create an improved Borough in all aspects of everyday life.

          The Corporate Plan Survey would consist of 5 themes and 6 questions.  There would be different consultation methods depending on the audience.  Responses will be monitored during the consultation period and any low response area will be targeted with iWalkers which proved to be an effective consultation method during the elections.  Staff within the One-Stop-Shops and Libraries would be able to offer assistance to anyone who required help to complete the survey. 

All feedback and responses would be scrutinised and evaluated and then in conjunction with North West Employers, be summarised accordingly to establish a number of key objectives to form the Council’s new Corporate Plan.

Following the presentation, Members’ discussions and comments included the following:

·       Consideration to be given to re-wording the term “hard to reach groups” to “under-served groups”;

·       Members offered assistance to provide links with community groups via the NHS;

·       Queried if the survey would be available in other languages;

·       Suggested that a stall in the market be opened to engage with shoppers;

·       Suggested linking with the Community Development Network, Housing Providers and the Voluntary Community Action.

          RESOLVED:  That the Board endorse the approach to facilitate “The Big Conversation”.

          The Board received a presentation from Adam Norton from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit on County Lines.

          County Lines is a term used to describe organised distribution of illegal drugs across networks.  This is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another and often across police and local authority boundaries, usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs.

          The presentation provided an insight into County Lines and the work going on in Halton and the wider footprint to tackle county lines and its impacts.

Following the presentation, Members’ discussions and comments included the following:

·       More education needed for communities and more opportunities in early educational settings regarding healthy relationships;

·       It was suggested that the most vulnerable children were those with parents with few parenting skills;

·       Examples were given how older people could also be victims of crime;

·       Any Members with concerns regarding problem addresses, were invited to contact the Community Safety Team; and

·       Mr. Norton offered to speak to local landlords and housing providers. 

The Board thanked Mr. Norton for an interesting and insightful presentation.

          The Board received a report from the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, which described the Council’s measures to help tackle irresponsible dog ownership and dog control within the Borough.

          In 2019 and under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, the Council introduced a Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to help deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a particular area that was damaging to the local community's quality of life.  Legislation required that PSPO’s need to be periodically reviewed and approved.  The PSPO, attached in Appendix 1 of the report, contained the following control measures:

·       Dog Fouling;

·       Exclusion of Dogs;

·       Dogs on Leads;

·       Dogs on Leads by Direction;

·       Restriction on Number of Dogs Walked at a Time; and

·       Evidence of the Means to Pick Up Dog Faeces.

The Board were also advised of the issues of dealing with dangerous dogs i.e.

·       Dog attacks and dogs out of control;

·       Banned Breeds;

·       Stray Dogs; and

·       Dog Breeding.

Following discussions, Members raised the following comments and questions:

·       There was lack of dog fouling signage in some parts of the Borough and the signs that did exist were not big enough;

·       Members asked why was it not an offence for a dog to attack another dog?

·       How many dog wardens did the Council have?

·       There was not enough dog waste bins;

·       Why was some areas not included where dogs must be on a lead e.g. tennis area and bandstand at Victoria Park; and

·       It was suggested that some information surrounding responsible dog ownership should be promoted via the One Halton magazine. 

Officers agreed to look into the above queries and respond directly to Members after the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the Board:

1)    endorsed the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order;

2)    support that a report be presented to the Executive Board to recommend that the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order remains in force in Halton; and

3)    endorse that the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order presented to Executive Board be amended, as may be necessary, to reflect the outcome of the results of a planned public consultation exercise on the proposed Order.