Agenda item

This report sets out the progress made within the areas covered by the Portfolio for Resources which fall within the remit of this Committee.

Discussion:

Members received an overview of progress made on the areas within the scope of the Portfolio Holder for Resources which fell within the remit of this Committee as set out below:

·         Illegal Tobacco

A Member sought an update on how Medway compared with other areas in addressing the retail sale of illegal tobacco. The Portfolio Holder advised the Committee that officers had undertaken much work on this in the past 15 months. He agreed to arrange for the Head of Safer Communities and Greenspaces to provide an update direct to the Member concerned.

·         Public Space Protection Orders

A Member sought information as to whether signage was sufficient in Alcohol Control Zones and how enforcement was carried out. The Portfolio Holder advised the Committee that the Council’s Licensing Hearing Panels were now more proactive in refusing to grant licences for off licences but that this required the partnership of both the Police and Public Health in gathering the evidence required to enable the Panels to have sufficient grounds for refusing a licence application.

In response to the query on whether signage was sufficient, this would largely depend upon what signage was permitted. He confirmed that the Police enforced the Alcohol Control Zones.

·         New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

In response to a query as to the role of officers in enforcing the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that officers played a proactive role in ensuring that these substances were not available for sale. Since the Act came into force there were now no premises in Medway that were overtly selling NPS and officers in Trading Standards were keeping a watching brief on premises in Medway.

·         Safe Haven

A Member sought information on the proposed Safe Haven Bus and the Portfolio Holder confirmed that the funding for the previous Safe Haven Bus had been withdrawn but the bus would be reinstated in two weeks and provided by NORSE. He confirmed that the Safe Haven Bus would be sited at Blue Boar Lane Car Park between the hours of 10pm – 4am manned by volunteer Street Pastors.

·         PACTs

A Member requested further information on the 6 PACTs that continued to operate in Medway. The Portfolio Holder advised of his intention to visit each PACT in 2017 and he would therefore have more information to report upon the operation of the PACTs in 2017. In the meantime, he would supply information to the Member concerned as to the 6 PACTs that continued to operate in Medway.

·         Blue Light Project

In response to a question as to the success and possible expansion of the Blue Light Project, the Portfolio Holder advised that many agencies were involved in the Project and he agreed to provide information on the success rate of the project direct to the Member concerned.

Decision:

The Committee thanked the Portfolio Holder for Resources for attending the meeting and answering questions and noted that the Portfolio Holder will provide updates to the various Members concerned on the following issues:

·         Illegal tobacco – Comparisons with other areas

·         PACTs – The location of the 6 operational PACTs

·         The success rate of the Blue Light Project