Agenda, decisions and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 November 2012, were submitted.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

A presentation will be made by representatives of the Domestic Abuse Safety Unit.

That the presentation be received and Ms. Edwards and Ms. Monti be

thanked for their attendance. 

The Chairman introduced Ms. Gina Edwards and Ms. Sue Monti, Senior Domestic Abuse Safety Advisers, and invited them to give a presentation on the work undertaken by the Domestic Abuse Safety Unit (DASU) in Flintshire.  

            Ms. Edwards and Ms. Monti gave a detailed presentation on the following main areas:  

• Aims and Objectives of DASU
• Brief organisational history
• Domestic abuse – Changes
• Specialised and Structured Services provided by DASU in Flintshire
• Cost and Value for money
• Service User comments
• Future challenges

The Chairman thanked Ms. Edwards and Ms. Monti for an interesting and informative presentation and invited Members to raise questions. 

During discussion Ms. Edwards and Ms. Monti responded to the concerns and queries put forward by Members around the support provided for victims attending court hearings, domestic abuse against male partners, and the issue of prevention.  The Chief Executive commented on the positive partnership work undertaken between the Authority and the DASU.  He also referred to the lead role taken by the Authority to address the cause of domestic abuse through work on prevention and with perpetrators.    

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be received and Ms. Edwards and Ms. Monti be

thanked for their attendance. 

(a)       That the presentation be received and Ms Clancy and  Captain Neil Turnbull be thanked for their contribution;

(b)       That the adoption of a Community Covenant for Flintshire be agreed  in principle; and

(c)        That the signatories as proposed be agreed.

The Chairman introduced and welcomed Ms Tanya Clancy and Captain Neil Turnbull, Military Civil Integration, HQ 160 (Wales) Brigade.   He invited Ms. Clancy to provide a presentation on the Community Covenant for Wales.

            Ms. Clancy gave a detailed presentation on the following areas:-

• The aim of the Community Covenant
• Making the Covenant count
• Who has signed
• Myth v Fact
• Service Leavers
• Community Covenant Grants

The Chair thanked Ms Clancy for an informative presentation.

The Chief Executive commented on the positive stance to adopt an Armed Forces Community Covenant between the Council, the Armed Forces in Flintshire and representatives from the Voluntary, Health and Education Sectors.  He referred to a number of proposed measures to be included within the Covenant and invited Councillor A.P. Shotton, Leader of the Council, and champion of the Armed Forces Community Covenant, to provide further information.

Councillor A.P. Shotton referred to a Notice of Motion that had been submitted to County Council last year to seek support to hold an Armed Forces day in Flintshire.  He commented on the opportunity that the Community Covenant presented to reaffirm the Authority’s commitment to the Armed Forces and on the ongoing work to develop the draft agreement and submit for approval to Cabinet and County Council. 

The observations made by Councillor D. Evans on the report and the draft Community Covenant were distributed to Members for information during the meeting.

Councillor R.J.T. Guest expressed the view that the Authority should be mindful of the needs of Flintshire and not be overly influenced by projects  implemented in other Authorities.  He commented on the need for effective  communication with Armed Forced personnel.  Councillors B. Dunn, N.R. Steele-Mortimer and W.P. Shotton endorsed these views. 

Councillor Guest referred to the  recommendations in the report and proposed recommendation (I) be amended so that the adoption of a Community Covenant for Flintshire be recommended in principle but not as appended.    This was on the basis that further work needed to be done.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor R.G. Hampson and became the resolution of the Committee.

The Chief Executive commented that a report on the Community Covenant was to be submitted to Cabinet on 22 January 2013 and to County Council on 29 January 2013.  He was confident that the Group Leaders would be able to determine the details of Flintshire’s Covenant.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the presentation be received and Ms Clancy and  Captain Neil Turnbull be thanked for their contribution;

(b)       That the adoption of a Community Covenant for Flintshire be agreed  in principle; and

(c)        That the signatories as proposed be agreed.

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed subject to the above.

The Member Engagement Manager introduced the Forward Work Programme of the Committee.  He advised that Mr. W. Roddick, the new Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, had been invited to attend the next meeting of the Committee on 4 February 2013 and that the North Wales Fire Service had been invited to attend the meeting on 11 March 2013.

Members reviewed the current programme and agreed that the following items be considered at the meetings of the Committee on 22 April 2013 and 20 May 2013, respectively:

·         Deeside College

·         Glyndwr University

The Member Engagement Manager advised that an item on the Community Safety Partnership would be scheduled on the Forward Work Programme for future consideration by the Committee.  He also advised that a designated Crime and Disorder meeting should be held once a year and that Welsh Government guidance was still awaited on scrutiny of designated persons.

RESOLVED:

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed subject to the above.

There were no members of the press or the public in attendance.