Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Jones and C Lacey.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 10 September 2025.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 10 September 2025 were approved and signed by the Chair.

Council Plan Targets Performance Update.

Kath Drury, Information & Improvement Manager/Amar Bashir, Improvement Officer

The Information & Improvement Manager presented a report to the Committee summarising progress on the strategies underpinning the Council Plan objective ‘A great place to live well’ for the period ending 30^th September 2025.

Committee discussed the report. Some Members had questions regarding teething issues of the monitoring system at Clay Cross Active. In this context, some Members suggested that family memberships be introduced at the leisure centre. It was agreed that this would be fed back to the leisure team.

RESOLVED – That progress against the Council Plan “A great place to live well” objective was noted. 

Overview on what is being done to tackle antisemitism and hate crime.

Faye Green, Community Safety Manager/Lee Pepper, Assistant Director of Communities and Kath Drury, Information and Improvement Manager/Amar Bashir, Improvement Officer

Committee received a presentation which gave an overview of what is being done to tackle antisemitism and hate crime in North East Derbyshire. The presentation included an explanation of how the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and partners tackle hate crime, a spotlight on a CSP project that tackled graffiti and a breakdown of the facts and figures surrounding hate crime in the District. The report highlighted that hate crime in North East Derbyshire was quite low, but it was also on the decline, it was suggested that this was a great result especially in relation to the rest of the county.

Committee also received a report the outlined the progress made against the objectives set within the Equality Plan 2023-2027. The importance of a good equalities plan was stressed, and it was highlighted that equality was embedded within the Council Plan and was, therefore, something that the Council took very seriously.

Committee discussed the presentation and report. Some Members drew attention to particular acts of hate crime that they were aware of and praised the response from their communities. In this context, the importance of engagement with external partners, such as schools, was highlighted. Some Members suggested that the perpetrators of hate crime were likely to be involved in a multitude of other crimes, which further stressed the need for collaboration to achieve positive outcomes.

Committee discussed the data that was shared in the presentation. It was suggested that figures represented positive results for North East Derbyshire, although it was stressed that 1 hate crime is too many and the hard work would continue in order to bring the numbers down further. Some Members had questions around the exact number of antisemitic hate crimes reported in North East Derbyshire, the types of hate crime being committed and how the crime numbers compare to the District’s demographic. It was clarified that the data comes from the police and that the dataset did not contain this level of information. It was agreed that further information would be requested in relation to the questions that had been asked.

Committee discussed the likelihood of non-reported crimes and the issue of people hiding their religion. It was shared that, in this context, the work of the CSP was essential, and the positive results of recent community door knocks was highlighted. Committee also heard that the results of the citizens and residents survey indicated that minorities did not feel unfairly discriminated against in North East Derbyshire. It was suggested that positive outcomes and results, in relation to tackling hate crime and preventing discrimination, should be promoted through the relevant channels.

At the end of the discussion, the Committee thanked the CSP team for their hard work. It was agreed that tackling antisemitism and hate crime would be added to the annual CSP review.

RESOLVED –

That Committee noted the presentation and report.

To inform Committee of recent and forthcoming Cabinet business.

A digest of Cabinet decisions taken since May 2025.  This information is published by Cabinet meeting on the Council’s website.  Cabinet Agendas, Decisions and Minutes can be viewed at: Cabinet

The Forward Plan of Executive decisions.

Plans

These plans are updated to include new business.

Joe Hayden, Senior Scrutiny Officer

The Senior Scrutiny Officer presented a digest of Cabinet decisions taken since the last Committee meeting in September 2025. The digest set out key information for each decision.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer also presented Members with the Forward Plan of Executive Decisions for the period up to 15 November 2025.

RESOLVED – That the update was noted.

To contribute to major Policies being considered by the Council.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that there were no major policies for Members to consider.

RESOLVED –

That the update was noted.

To consider the Committee’s Work Programme, and to also consider and contribute to potential changes in the operating environment which may include legislation, regulation and key projects being undertaken by the Council, for example, that could form potential topic items for the Work Programme in the future.

Joe Hayden, Senior Scrutiny Officer

The Senior Scrutiny Officer presented the draft Work Programme 2025/26 for the Committee to consider.

Committee discussed potential topics to add to the Work Programme.

RESOLVED –

1. That the Work Programme 2025/26 be approved.

To consider any other matter which the Chair of the Committee is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

None.

The next meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to take place on 25 February 2026 at 10.00 am.

The next meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to take place on 25 February 2026 at 10.00 am.