Agenda and minutes

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

The Democratic Services Officer drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

Geoff Ward had sent his apologies to the Panel.

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Economic & Community Development Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel will meet on at 3pm on June 16 at The Guildhall in Bath.

Chief Superintendent Sarah Crew of Avon & Somerset Police will speak at the meeting, which will also be webcast for the first time.

The impact of the new police operating model, including the proposed changes to police stations in the Bath and North East Somerset area, will be discussed.

The meeting will be held in a ‘Question Time’ format, with the public able to submit questions about the new operating model in advance, or at the meeting itself. Please send questions to the Democratic Services Officer no later than 3pm Thursday June 12, 2014.

The Chairman informed the meeting that this was an opportunity for Avon and Somerset Police to talk to us, and answer questions, on the impact of the New Operating Model on Bath & North East Somerset.

The Chairman introduced Chief Superintendent Sarah Crew, from Avon and Somerset Police, and asked her to give a brief introduction on the new Operating Model.  The Chairman informed the meeting that Sarah Crew would answer questions that had been submitted in advance of the meeting and then, time permitting, answer questions made on the day.

The Chairman also said that he would be accepting questions only, and not statements.  If Councillors and public would want to make their statements then they could do that on Avon and Somerset Police website.

Sarah Crew took the Panel through the report, as printed in the agenda, explaining its background and proposals for the New Operating Model. Sarah Crew also introduced Chief Inspector Norman Pascal (Local Policing Area Commander) and Dave Harley (Head of Estates and Accommodation).

Questions:

Councillor Robin Moss - ‘If the Police station at Radstock is no longer used, can the building be made available for community ownership & use?’

Sarah Crew – ‘I can’t talk specifically for Radstock but we are absolutely committed to enable our buildings for community use.’

Councillor Cherry Beath –

‘1) What do you see as the challenge in operating the new model?

2) Police presence in the City and outlying areas of the City, is very important, can you reassure us that this will not be diminished in the new operating model?

3) Can you outline the access available by the public / "opening hours" and plans for accommodation?’

Sarah Crew – ‘I think that managing people through the change is one of the challenges.  The next challenge is changing behaviour of people and embedding that into the new operating model.  The third challenge would be to make another £23m as constabulary, and to make that before the end of 2017/18.  This will be quite challenging to do though I am confident that we are taking the right approach to it.

Police presence in the city will not be diminished.  There is no reduction in terms of local policing or patrol officers or PCSOs.  There will be more officers on the streets with the new model.  Not only that numbers will be safeguarded but they will be more visible.

Recently we started a review on how people are using offices and when the public needs offices and that gave us more understanding on opening hours.  That ties in with the changes in our status.’

Councillor Andrew Furse - ‘I want to raise questions as to the degree of accommodation facilities, the ability to run the city centre operation from there and the opening times that the public can get access to the police as a point of contact/front desk?

The current one-stop shop does not have the facilities or the opening times under which the current police station operates, although its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.