Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  Apologies were noted from Fraser Forsyth and Councillor Heather Moorhouse.  Councillor David Chance was welcomed to the meeting as substitute Member for Councillor Moorhouse.

All Members are invited to declare at this point any interests they have in items appearing on this agenda, including the nature of those interests.

Martin Walker declared that he is a Trustee of IDAS; an organisation which receives funding from the Deputy Mayor.

Mags Godderidge declared that she is CEO of Survive, which receives funding from the Deputy Mayor.  Additionally, Mags sits on the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) professional sub-group, the VAWG strategic board and the Sexual Violence steering group.  Survive is also in receipt of extra funding from the Community Fund and Ministry of Justice via the Deputy Mayor’s office.

Councillor Lindsay Burr notified that she is a DSL officer.

Resolved

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th July 2024, having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Update report from the Panel Secretariat.

Resolved

That the Panel notes the update report on progress made against issues raised at previous Panel meetings.

·    Any member of the public, who lives, works or studies in North Yorkshire and York can ask a question to the Panel.  The question or statement must be put in writing to the Panel no later than midday on Monday, 7^th October 2024 to DemocraticServices.Central@northyorks.gov.uk for the attention of  Diane Parsons, Principal Scrutiny Officer (contact details given at the foot of the agenda sheet). 

·    The time period for asking and responding to all questions will be limited to 30 minutes. No one question or statement shall exceed 3 minutes.

·    Please see the rules regarding Public Question Time at the end of this agenda page.  The full protocol can be found at www.nypartnerships.org.uk/pfcp.

A statement to the Panel was read on behalf of Councillor Andrew Lee, Chair of the Scrutiny of Health Committee at North Yorkshire Council (NYC), as follows:

I write following my letter to the Panel in July seeking your engagement on a matter raised with the Scrutiny of Health Committee with regard to the crisis care response for individuals with complex mental health needs.  The Panel will recall that Councillor Paul Haslam (NYC) had raised concerns with the Scrutiny of Health Committee on behalf of a particular resident in crisis who was met with an armed police response.  Councillor Haslam is of the view that the case presented is not an isolated one and was keen to identify how the different agencies link up around such cases and whether the support in place is working effectively.  Due to the involvement of various partners and agencies in this matter, I had therefore undertaken to co-ordinate an informal meeting to better explore and consider the issues surrounding crisis care response.  In particular this is around understanding the police’s ‘Right Care, Right Person’ (RCRP) model and the strategic and operational processes in place between Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) and North Yorkshire Police. 

You will recall that at the Panel meeting of 25^th July, this issue was raised on my behalf and the Panel agreed to be involved in this meeting.  I highlighted the need to involve North Yorkshire Police and this was raised at the meeting with DCC Bisset, who did highlight that a strategic oversight board is in place for RCRP.  As such follow-up contact established that it would be helpful to include individuals involved on this.  There was also a commitment made separately at the Panel meeting by the Deputy Mayor to engaging in the meeting.  As such, follow-up arrangements were made for a private, informal meeting to be held on 7^th October 2024, to include representatives from the above along with councillors leading on health and adult social care for both councils, the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB and TEWV.

Following my initial correspondence with North Yorkshire Police there was some constructive engagement around the co-ordination of this meeting including suggestions for other individuals with oversight of RCRP and a couple of lead officers had accepted the appointment.  North Yorkshire Police had also separately invited Councillor Haslam to provide details of any specific incidents of concern that he may wish to put forward for their review.  Unfortunately, just two days prior to the meeting arranged, North Yorkshire Police advised that they would not be attending the meeting as they felt it would be inappropriate to attend a scrutiny-style meeting because a scrutiny process already exists in the guise of the strategic governance board for RCRP.  The Deputy Mayor did offer to attend and speak to the policing element of this issue on 7^th October.  However, I took the view that it would not only be unfair to place the Deputy Mayor in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

The Deputy Mayor was asked how Encrochat has impacted on drug dealing in North Yorkshire in terms of arrests and drug seizures.  It was agreed that a written response would be provided to the Panel.

Additionally, a Member query was put to the Deputy Mayor regarding the time spent by North Yorkshire Police officers attending hospital with individuals under arrest, where the reasons for treatment may not seem to be fully legitimate and whether these instances had increased in order to positively impact the custody time limit.  The Deputy Mayor made reference to RCRP and the importance of bringing health colleagues into this discussion.  It was agreed that a response would be provided to the Panel.

As a supplementary on RCRP, the Deputy Mayor was also asked if it would be possible to have a breakdown of wasted hours spent by officers either due to a mental health crisis or a physical issue. 

Members were concerned to ask about centralisation of CCTV in the force area and the fact that the police do not have live access to CCTV in some areas.  This is also a concern as CCTV can support public appeals and it can cause delays in obtaining evidence.  The Deputy Mayor acknowledged the concerns and that the issue needs to be reviewed proportionately with council colleagues who maintain CCTV in some areas.  The Deputy Mayor welcomed the update that consolidation of North Yorkshire CCTV is under review within North Yorkshire Council currently as this will facilitate easier engagement on the matter.

The Deputy Mayor was asked about the public protection order on alcohol in Scarborough and what the policy is for other towns/communities to get these put in place.  The Deputy Mayor urged residents to feed such local concerns in to the Police and Crime Plan consultation.

Report from the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime regarding delivery against the Joint Strategy to Address Violence Against Women and Girls and progress on the development of the Victims Centre.

Considered

The report of the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime updating on progress against the Joint Strategy to address Violence Against Women and Girls.

The Deputy Mayor underlined that tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) will remain a core priority in the Mayor’s new Police and Crime Plan, with planning ensuring a victim-centred focus.

The Panel commended the comprehensive report provided and put a number of questions and comments to the Deputy Mayor on the following points:-

·        There appears to be only a small number of perpetrators of stalking who completed a programme to try to address their behaviours as it relied on a voluntary commitment.  There was a concern at the lack of successful outcomes for such programmes and whether uptake can be increased.  The Deputy Mayor highlighted that she is not seeking an alternative to a justice process but would like to do more with the under-25s as there is more scope to change behaviour for that age group.  It was also highlighted to the Panel that there is an ambition to have mandated services available and seeing how funding can be provided on a longer term basis.

·        The report highlights that considerable investment is being made towards a ‘whole system approach’ to domestic abuse. Members asked whether there will be a whole system approach to sexual violence (and child sexual abuse within that), given that it accounts for 16% of all serious violence in North Yorkshire and is under-reported.  The Deputy Mayor highlighted the new Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) under development and how this is being developed with the intention that people will come forward through a range of routes such as the third sector.  The Deputy Mayor also acknowledged the need to tackle early on the impact of abuse-based trauma. 

·        The Deputy Mayor was asked what is being done to secure funding for third sector partners involved in delivery of the VAWG strategy whose funding falls away after 31^st March 2025.  The Deputy Mayor is acutely aware of the challenges for these partners and is voicing this along with colleagues nationally.

·        The report notes that the CPS has a lack of capacity around consulting with the police prior to making a No Further Action decision.  The Deputy Mayor was asked if this also means they will be unable to discharge other related matters such as pre-trial meetings.  The Deputy Mayor advised that the new Head of the CPS sits on the Criminal Justice Partnership Board, which will be the appropriate place for the Deputy Mayor to pick this up and review a joined-up approach.

·        In relation to the new SARC, the Deputy Mayor was asked about the strategy for ensuring that the forensic, technical and criminal investigation sides are all adequately joined up and effective.  The Deputy Mayor referenced that Operation Soteria covers the policing response and that training is underway but that she is reassured by the strategic approach to date and that the new SARC represents a step-change from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

Annual update report from the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime.

Considered

The report of the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime updating on work to tackle hate crime in the force area.

The Deputy Mayor clarified that some issues are recorded as hate incidents which are not hate crimes and so are not dealt with as such but that reporting in either case is important.  The disturbances seen around the country over the summer did not escalate within North Yorkshire and York but the Deputy Mayor highlighted the importance of bottoming out issues before they become a criminal matter ad so that there is an accurate picture of communities.

The Panel noted the significant increase in reporting for some crimes in comparison with the previous year’s figures and queries whether more people have felt encouraged to report or whether incidents are increasing.  The Deputy Mayor felt that assumptions on this would be speculative only but that neither case would be good and that the figures themselves probably don’t reflect an accurate picture.

Members also highlighted the issue of hate crime through social media and whether the government could be pressed to do more on this.  The Deputy Mayor urged people to report crimes through the various channels available such as Crimestoppers.

In response to a query regarding the category of religion-based hate crime and whether this could be broken down further (e.g. Islamophobia), the Deputy Mayor advised that a detailed discussion had been held at a recent Online Public Meeting which included further information on this.

Resolved

That the Panel notes the update report provided on hate crime.

Report from the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime reviewing the implementation of the NY Fire and Rescue Service Risk and Resource Model (RRM).

Considered –

The report of the Deputy Mayor providing a review of the implementation of the Risk and Resource Model (RRM) within the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS).

Both the Deputy Mayor and the Chief Fire Officer reflected on the financial difficulties facing the NYFRS, particularly in view of the fire precept levy having been maintained at a low level by central government for a number of years thereby impacting on investment ability.  The Panel noted that as regards flooding response, the NYFRS does receive some funding from government but this does not cover training and equipment.  The Deputy Mayor highlighted that she is alive to climate change and other challenges impacting the NYFRS such as wider use of electric vehicles and related fires and that she will work with the service to get ahead of these.

Members welcomed the noted improvement in NYFRS response times and were also directed to a recent Online Public Meeting which looked at prevention and protection models.  Members queried whether there is concern at the level of on-call availability at Huntington station, especially over the busy summer months. In response the Deputy Mayor looked to provide reassurance regarding levels of applications received for on-call and that she felt assured that there is adequate vehicle availability for York area.  The Chief Fire Officer spoke to investment made around updating vehicles and capital investment in Scarborough, Northallerton and Malton.  The Panel also heard about the national challenges in recruiting and retaining on-call firefighters and the Chief Fire Officer outlined the various steps implemented by NYFRS to manage and preserve recruitment of on-call firefighters from interview stage to assessing impact on families.  One issue faced is around proximity of housing.  The Deputy Mayor noted the need for the Mayoral Combined Authority to look more broadly at housing provision to ensure that on-call firefighters are able to live locally to their station.

Members asked about fire engine availability in Harrogate.  The Panel were advised that the intentions of the approved RRM remained and that discussion with staff and trade unions is ongoing.  The Chief Fire Officer spoke to the differing financial and operational models that could be applied around availability of the second fire engine at Harrogate.

Resolved

That the Panel notes the update report provided on implementation of the RRM.

Report from the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime highlighting the public consultation to be undertaken for the development of the two statutory plans.

Considered

The report of the Deputy Mayor outlining plans for the development of the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue Plan.

Details of the public consultation have been received and councillors were encouraged to share within their communities.  The Deputy Mayor outlined that she is keen to engage harder to reach groups on their views as part of the consultation.  The draft plans will come to the Panel in January 2025 for review and recommendations.

Resolved

That the Panel notes the report provided.

Report by the Panel Secretariat.

Considered

The report of the Panel Secretariat outlining the Panel’s programme of work for 2024/25.

The following items were identified for future scheduling:

-         Neighbourhood policing;

-         A deeper dive regarding children and young people and their experience of crime in their own right, following the discussions around sexual violence and impact.

Resolved

That the Panel agrees its outline programme of work for 2024/25.

Any other items which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency because of special circumstances.

The Panel were advised that no urgent items had been raised with the Chair.

Thursday, 16 January 2025 at 10:30am – County Hall, Northallerton.

Thursday, 16^th January 2025 at 10:30am at County Hall, Northallerton.