The Communities, Highways and Environment Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the first quarter performance and resources report, scrutinise the implementation of prevention panels, and plan their work programme for the coming year. The committee asked for more data to show context and trends in performance reports, expressed concern over funding for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, and supported the approach to priorities for action suggested in the West Sussex Transport Plan.

Performance and Resources Report - Quarter 1 2025/26

The committee examined the Performance and Resources Report (PRR) for the first quarter of 2025/26, focusing on performance, finance, savings delivery and business performance. Councillor Jay Mercer requested that future reports include more data to show context and trends, and this was agreed by the committee.

The committee discussed performance measures within the Community Support, Fire and Rescue portfolio, including the Community Hub and Trading Standards. They acknowledged the need to reduce the target for KPI 63 (percentage of identified targets receiving intervention by Trading Standards in relation to regulating the supply of tobacco and alcohol) in 2025-26 to 70%.

In the Environment and Climate Change section, the committee welcomed work to maintain the target of reaching net zero by 2030 and looked forward to progress updates. They also welcomed news that a provider had been appointed for the construction of the Halewick Lane Battery Storage site and hoped to visit the site upon its completion, expected in late 2026.

Regarding Highways and Transport, the committee expressed concern over the lack of resolution of funding following the withdrawal of Sussex Police from the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and requested an update on how the partnership would run in the future. They also sought clarity over figures in Capital Programme item 12, relating to the Highway, Transport and Planning Delivery Programme.

The committee also reviewed the Corporate Risk Register Summary, which identifies key risks to the council, such as ineffective disaster recovery arrangements, cyber threats, and the financial sustainability of council services.

Prevention Panels

The committee scrutinised the implementation of Prevention Panels, a new initiative aimed at reducing violence and anti-social behaviour. The report by Emily King, Executive Director Communities, explained that West Sussex was selected as one of the local authority areas to pilot and develop this approach over a two-year period, with funding of £200,000 for 2025/26.

Prevention Panels are multi-agency meetings that aim to identify and offer support to children and young people who are vulnerable to committing crime and anti-social behaviour. The West Sussex model includes both a police-based referral pathway and a discretionary referral criteria to include a wider range of vulnerable children. The panels will evolve from existing multi-agency meetings run by district and borough councils, and will embed a consistent process for discussing and agreeing support for individual children.

The committee was asked to endorse the new partnership approach, consider whether the panels are focusing on the correct cohort of children, and make recommendations for how the panels can engage with communities and organisations across the county.

Work Programme Planning

The committee reviewed its work programme and the Forward Plan of key decisions, and agreed that the Action Plan for Flood Prevention be reviewed by the Business Planning Group (BPG) in 2027. They also discussed the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and the Road Safety Strategy, and considered whether to scrutinise the revised strategy following Sussex Police's withdrawal from the partnership.

The committee was reminded of a briefing note on water neutrality and the BPG will review whether there are any areas of scrutiny.