Agenda item - Field Officers

39.1    Officers introduced the report. The new Field Officer position would work across 9 council services housing, planning enforcement, community safety and regulatory services. The role would include both community engagement and effective enforcement action. The Team was expected to be in place from June 2018 and would consist of 7 officers working across the whole city.

39.2    In response to comments from the Panel residents responded:

·      The posts were not resulting in any redundancies in current specialist teams.

·      Lone working risk assessments would be carried out and Field Officers could work in pairs when dealing with clients of concern and could work with the police where necessary.

·      Field Officers will make referrals to specialist services for the specialist service to then investigate further.

·      Field Officers will assist the Highways Team by collecting abandoned bikes, removing objects from the road and cutting back vegetation.

39.3    The Chair suggested that a Field Officer be invited to a meeting of the Panel after the team has been established.

39.4    Resolved: That the Panel noted the report