Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the order of business be changed to run as follows:

·         Confirmation of Minutes – 7 June 2022

·         Declarations of Interest

·         Exclusion of Press and Public

·         Bulky Items Collections

·         Inclusion of Press and Public

·         CCTV Code of Practice Update

·         Health Scrutiny Update

·         Policy Scrutiny Work Programme 2022-23 and Executive Work Programme Update

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2022 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were received.

You are asked to resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item(s) because it is likely that if members of the press or public were present, there would be disclosure of ‘exempt information’

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item(s) of business because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Steve Bird, Assistant Director for Communities and Street Scene:

a.    presented a proposal to establish a trial for a charged bulky item collection service in the City, in partnership with West Lindsey District Council

b.    gave the background to the proposal as detailed at paragraph 3 of the report

c.    outlined the proposal as detailed at paragraph 4 of the report

d.    invited committee’s questions and comments.

The committee discussed the contents of the report in detail and generally supported the proposal.

RESOLVED that the proposal to establish a trial for a charged bulky item collection service be supported and referred to Executive for approval.

RESOLVED that the Press and Public be included back into the meeting.

Caroline Bird, Community Services Manager:

a.    presented the revised CCTV Code of Practice for consideration prior to referral to Executive

b.    advised that the Council’s CCTV service operated under a Code of Practice which brought together the various legislative requirements of a public CCTV system and ensured that the service operated lawfully and appropriately, providing a robust, reliable, and trustworthy service

c.    explained that the code was last updated in 2014. Since that time operational and legislative changes had taken place, including a major upgrade in 2017. The revised Code included all changes that had taken place since the last edition

d.    referred to Appendix B of the report and highlighted the material changes since the previously adopted code

e.    advised that consultation had taken place with Lincolnshire Police who had confirmed that they were satisfied with the code and reflected our arrangements, where relevant

f.     explained that once adopted, the Code would become a public document and would enable interested parties to be assured that the Councils CCTV system was fully compliant, and that the privacy of individuals was appropriately protected.

g.    invited committee’s questions and comments

Question: Asked why the facial recognition feature was not currently being used.

Response: There was a test case in court where the use of facial recognition was deemed as not proportionate. Also, the Surveillance Camera Commission did not support using it unless requested by the Police and signed off at the highest level, for example national security.

Question: Further asked if the decision to switch on the facial recognition would be made by Officers.

Response: Legal colleagues would be consulted and it would likely be signed off by the CX, and only if Police requested it, as things currently stand.

Question: Referred to section 9.2 of the Policy in relation to the release of data to a third party and asked how much the Council could charge for footage.

Response: Clarified that this was related to charging insurance companies for footage, this was included in the policy so that it may be implemented in future, the charge would be around £100 based on other authority’s charges.

Members made the following comments:

·         Pleased to see that the Policy would be reviewed in 3 years’ time

·         Acknowledged that Equality, Diversity and Human Rights had been considered.

·         Referred to the Aims of the CCTV system as detailed in section 1.3 (e)  of the policy and commented that “To assist in the delivery of City Council Services” was very vague and needed to be defined.

·         Further referred to the Aims of the CCTV system (g) and suggested that more detail be included such as “a safer area to walk around at night”

Caroline Bird, Community Services Manager responded that the wording of the aims of the CCTV system would be looked at before Executive.

RESOLVED that the revised CCTV Code of Practice be supported and referred to Executive for approval.

The Chair of Policy Scrutiny Committee updated members of the business that had been discussed at the Health Scrutiny meeting held on 15 June 2022 and 13 July 2022, these were:

·         Reconfiguration of Four NHS Services in Lincolnshire: Orthopaedics; Urgent and Emergency Care; Acute Medicine; and Stroke Service

·         Engagement by the NHS in Lincolnshire on Lincolnshire’s Second Community Diagnostic Centre

·         NHS Dental Services in Lincolnshire

·         Lincolnshire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment – Response of the Committee to the Consultation Draft

·         Cancer Programme Update and Lincolnshire Living with Cancer Programme

·         The Lincolnshire People Board Strategy for Recruiting and Retaining Talent

·         Humber Acute Services Programme – Update

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Democratic Services Officer:

a.    presented the report ‘Policy Scrutiny Work Programme 2022-23 and Executive Work Programme Update’.

b.    presented the Executive Work Programme August 2022 – July 2023.

c.    requested councillors to submit what items they wished to scrutinise from the Executive Work Programme and policies of interest.

d.    invited members questions and comments.

Councillor Watt referred to the Executive work programme and asked if the Western Growth Corridor – Next Steps could be brought to Policy Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair responded that the Democratic Services Officer would liaise with the relevant Officer to find out if this could be brought to Policy Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED that:

1.    the work Policy Scrutiny work programme be noted.

2.    the Executive work programme be noted.