Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bensly, Hacon and Pratt.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 23 November 2016 were confirmed, subject to the inclusion of Councillor Waters-Bunn as those Members being present.

The Committee received the forward Plan for the Environment Committee.

The Committee considered the Commercial Manager's report  which advised Members of the current policy for dealing with advertising boards and the display of goods on the Highway.

RESOLVED :

That the policy on Advertising Boards and Displays on the Highway in Great Yarmouth be noted and that Officers from Environmental Services be requested to undertake a period of liaison with effected traders followed by a rigorous enforcement programme for the summer season 2017 followed by a review to assess the effectiveness of the Policy.

The Director of Customer Services updated Members with regard to the present position in respect of the maintenance of roundabouts at the locations at Hopton on Sea, Beacon Park, Middleton Road,Victoria Road and Harfreys Road. Following a meeting in November with Highways England the Director of Customer Services reported that Highways England had indicated that they would be prepared to undertake landscaping works to the Hopton, Beacon Park and Harfreys Roundabout and would then require the Borough Council to be responsible for the maintenance of such landscaping. With regard to the Victoria Road and Middleton Road Roundabouts Highways England had considered long term options for these roundabouts with the possibility of providing asphalt with centre plants. However Highways England had now stated that they would only commit to the  three main roundabouts from the 1 April as these roundabouts would shortly be taken over by KIER, a civil engineering company who with effect from the 1 April 2017 would be taking over all Highways maintenance requirements.

The Director of Customer Services had advised Highways England that this situation was not acceptable to the Council and had advised that the Council would be unlikely to accept responsibility for maintenance of the the three main roundabouts to date no response to this advise had been received from Highways England.

RESOLVED :

That the Director of Customer Services report be noted and an update be given at the next meeting, and endorse that no action be taken with regard to the maintenance issues of the three main roundabouts by the Borough Council.

The Chairman recorded the Committee's thanks and appreciation to Officers of the Borough Council and all Voluntary Organisations who had acted at the recent tidal surge incident.

The Committee agreed that the Emergency Planning Officer should give a presentation at a future meeting with regard to resilience issues with particular reference to tidal matters.

The Committee noted the comments from Councillor Annison who had recently spent a day with a refuse collection team.