POLICY COMMISSION MEETING

Meeting	Policy Commission for Safer Communities
Ref	Saf.PC.2/02/06
Date	2 February 2006
Time	18.00hrs
Place	Committee Room 1, County Hall, Newport
Purpose of meeting	Formal public meeting
Attendance	Commission	Cllrs Diana Tuson (Chair); Vanessa Churchman; Heather Humby; Susan Scoccia; Arthur Taylor
	Cabinet	Cllrs Barry Abraham; Andy Sutton
	Secretariat	Cllrs David Pugh; Alan Wells
	Officers	Ms Sue Lightfoot; Mr Rob Owen; Mr Andrew Shorkey; Mr Peter Taylor; Ms April West;
	Other Members	Cllr Geoff Lumley
	Stake holders / Experts	Ms Amber Peacey Wilcox
	Apologies	Cllrs Henry Adams; David Williams (Commissioner)
Agenda Items
1. To agree the evidence arising at the meeting held on 15 December 2005 (Paper A)	The notes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record of the evidence received.
2. Declarations of interest	There were no declarations of interest.
3. Consumption of Alcohol in Public Places: to approve the amended Blue Paper (Paper B) – Cllr Vanessa Churchman and Ms Sue Lightfoot	1. An amended Blue Paper has been drafted to clarify a number of points with regard to why an Island-wide byelaw banning the consumption of alcohol in public places was not achievable and what other powers were currently available to the Council. 2. Attention was drawn to paragraph 1.7, which relates the issues surrounding alcohol more directly to the Island; paragraph 1.9, which clarifies why an Island-wide byelaw is inappropriate; paragraph 1.12, which suggests why it would be extremely difficult to achieve an Island-wide Designation; and paragraph 4.7, which explains in more detail the Council’s role in creating Dispersal Orders. 3. The substance of the report and the recommendations remain unaltered. 4. Where appropriate the police would apply to the Council to use Dispersal Orders under section 30 of the anti-social behaviour act. 5. Historic evidence could be used with respect to implementing Dispersal Orders in order to combat behaviour that occurs on a seasonal basis. 6. It had become apparent that excessive drinking in public had occurred at Downside recreation ground and Newport Quay and that a section 30 Order would be appropriate in such areas. 7. The Church Litten Designation Order was currently under review and a widening of this Order to cover identified problem areas was being considered. 8. It was noted that anti-social driving was also becoming a problem, particularly in the West Wight area. 9. Recent legislation on anti-social driving was being considered. 10. A PRIME initiative was currently being implemented in the West Wight area. 11. The Blue Paper was approved by Commission Members.
4. Decriminalising Parking: to approve the Blue Paper (Paper C) – Cllr Susan Scoccia and Mr Peter Taylor	1. This enquiry had demonstrated the obvious need to improve on the current arrangements for the enforcement of ‘on-street’ parking infringements. 2. The projected growth in vehicles using Island roads together with the inability of the police to resource parking enforcement, Local Transport Plan aspirations and the Council’s duty under the Traffic Management Act to keep traffic moving strongly indicated that doing nothing is not an option. 3. Throughout the course of this enquiry a wide ranging consultation had taken place and evidence had been received from experienced persons in the field of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, including service managers at other local authorities. 4. It had become apparent that there was a need to maintain a relationship between the function of parking enforcement and other enforcement activities within the Council to maximise flexibility and efficiency of such operations. The ongoing enquiry into the establishment of a Corporate Enforcement department within the IWC and the Accredited Community Support Officer scheme illustrated such a strategic approach. 5. There was also a need to assure the community that such enforcement activity occurred in a broad service context that encompassed local social, transport, economic and safety needs. Decriminalised Parking Enforcement must not be allowed to be viewed as a cynical revenue generating scheme. 6. It was recognised that enforcement personnel are looked upon as front line ambassadors for the Council by other authorities: parking attendants performed a community role that extended beyond the issuing of parking tickets. 7. It was recommended that: 7.1 Cabinet identify the resources required to implement Decriminalised Parking Enforcement at the earliest opportunity; 7.2 Cabinet determine a timeframe for implementation to enable the Council to apply to The Secretary of State for Transport for a Designation Order; 7.3 Decriminalised Parking Enforcement is implemented as a fully in-house operation. 8. According to the Leader of the Council there were no plans to outsource parking enforcement. 9. Three months grace, in which time parking tickets for on-street contraventions would be issued but not enforced against, would be given to motorists so that they were eased into the new regime. 10. Unless a budget was identified to implement Decriminalised Parking Enforcement fully it was estimated that a rolling implementation programme over a period of 2.5 years would be required. 11. It was noted that the implementation time-frame could be reduced depending on the level of funding made available. 12. It was suggested that abbreviations be replaced by full form phrases within the Blue Paper document prior to it being forwarded to Cabinet.
5. VFM Exercise on the Future of the Crematorium – Update from Cllr Arthur Taylor (Paper D)	1. Paper D was noted. 2. There was a need to look at what proportion of Crematorium income was derived from insurance policies.
Action	1. Incorporate recommendations into the Blue Papers and forward approved Blue Papers to Cabinet. 2. Establish the proportion of cremations that are currently funded through insurance policies.	Overview and Scrutiny Team Rob Owen