The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director (Environment & Place) that presented the Statutory Nuisance Investigation and Progression Policy, following its review by the Public Protection Working Party.

Resolved:-

1. That Procedure for Statutory Nuisance Investigation and Progression ‘Nuisance Policy’ attached as Appendix 1 to the submitted report, be adopted.

2. That the Executive Director (Environment and Place), together with the Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, be authorised to approve any minor changes required to the Policy arising from changes in legislation and identified priorities for the Council.

Reasons for Decision

The policy provides a framework which is transparent and is compliant with the Regulators Code. It empowers communities and residents to proactively support and engage in the process through defining their role.

Other Options

The local authority could choose to investigate all complaints raised by Registered Social Landlord (RSL) tenants in the first instance. This would be a less efficient use of resources as the RSL’s have a greater control over their tenants and this would divert resource to an area which is already supported and reduce the resource available across other unsupported groups.

Not to adopt a policy on how it manages nuisance. This may lead to more complaints against the service, where there is no understanding of the Council’s duty and procedures with respect to nuisance investigation.

Note: This is an Executive function.

Not eligible for call-in as the matter has been the subject of pre-Cabinet scrutiny by the Place Scrutiny Committee.

Cabinet Member: Cllr Lamb