Meetings

Meeting Details

Environment Committee
1 Mar 2017 - 18:30 to 20:30
Scheduled
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Standard Items
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence. 


1

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jones and Weymouth.

 

 

2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

You have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter to be discussed if it relates to something on your Register of Interests form. You must declare the interest and leave the room while the matter is dealt with.

You have a Personal Interest in a matter to be discussed if it affects
•    your well being or financial position
•    that of your family or close friends
•    that of a club or society in which you have a management role
•    that of another public body of which you are a member to a greater extent than others in your ward.
You must declare a personal interest but can speak and vote on the matter.

Whenever you declare an interest you must say why the interest arises, so that it can be included in the minutes. 

2

 

There were no Declarations of Interest declared at the meeting.

 

 

3 pdf MINUTES (53Kb)

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on the 25 January 2017.

 

 

3

 

The minutes of the meeting held on the 25 January 2017 were confirmed.

 

4 MATTERS ARISING
To consider any matters arising from the above minutes.

4

 

The Director of Customer Services reported that to date no update had been received from Highways England in relation to the maintenance of roundabouts but that work would continue on this matter.

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

5

 

The Chairman reported on items that were to be considered by the Environment Committee at future meetings.

 

Councillor Waters - Bunn made reference to the previous Air Quality report which had been considered by Members and asked whether an update would be brought back to the Committee. The Group Manager, Environmental Health advised that an Air Quality review report would be brought back to the Committee at a later date.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(1) That subject to the following amendments the Committee received the  Forward Plan for the Environment Committee:-

 

  (a) That Review of Waste Collection and Air Quality Review be added as additional items to the Environment Forward Plan.

 

(b) That the item relating to the Boardwalk remain on the Environment Forward Plan

 

 

Report attached.

 

PLEASE NOTE : The Strategy and Environment Agency Shoreline Management Change and Reporting Process documents can be found at the foot of the CMIS agenda page 

 

 

6

 

The Committee considered the Head of Coastal Management Coastal Partnership East's report which asked Members to consider approving the change of Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) policy for sub cell 6.20 Hopton to "Hold the Line" for both medium and long term and to authorise Officers to seek approval with other organisations in accordance with the change procedure detailed within the report.

 

Councillor Grant asked what was anticipated in years when referring to long term, and he was advised that 2105 was the anticipated time frame, however these would be subject to review.

 

Members commended the work that had been undertaken by the Head of Coastal Management and his team.

 

RESOLVED : 

 

(1) That approval be given to the change of policy for sub cell 6.20 Hopton to "Hold the Line" for both medium and long term.

 

(2) That authorisation be given to Officers to seek approval with other organisations in accordance with the change procedure detailed within the report and proceed for endorsement from the Eastern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) and final approval from the Environment Agency.

 

 

 

Report attached.

 

 

7

 

The Committee considered the Director of Customer Services report which provided Members with an update on current performance of Environment Committee measures for the third quarter of 2016/17 (Oct-Dec) where progress is assessed against targets which are set at the start of the financial year.

 

Councillor Waters - Bunn  asked in relation to refuse collections and why on some rounds both the black and green bins were emptied together, and she was advised that within the areas of communal bins if refuse collectors find a recycling bin that has been heavily contaminated, this will then be emptied with the normal residual round to allow residents to begin recycling again appropriately. With normal 240litre wheeled bins, if the green bin is found to be contaminated a sticker is attached and the bin not emptied. Environmental services are then advised and a visit is made to the householder to talk about recycling. However, Members were advised that contamination within communal bins remain a big issue to the refuse collection rounds and this is an area that will be targeted in the drive to reduce contamination rates overall.

 

The Group Manager, (Environmental Health) reported that it was hoped that a re-introduction of a second Waste Communications Officer within Environmental Services would help to reduce the percentage in contamination by working to re educate residents which had proved successful previously.

 

Councillor Wright raised concern in relation to the contamination of bins occurring once residents have placed recycling bin out for collection. The Group Manager, (Environmental Health) asked for details of the location of occurrence and stated that this issue would be addressed.

 

Councillor Carpenter made reference to Bin locks and suggested that previously these have been used as a method of reducing contamination. The Director of Customer Services advised of a scheme to " Change the Lid" that is being used as a measure to reduce contamination around communal bins.

 

The Group Manager, (Environmental Health) advised that soiled nappies remained one of the largest contaminates. Councillor Carpenter pointed out the need for new parents to be made aware, and she was advised that it was hoped a package could be delivered through to Doctors, GPs and hospitals to advise parents. Members discussed the issue of the need for appropriate outer packaging labels to raise awareness of correct disposal.

 

Councillor Hacon asked whether there was an Environmental Officer who attended local schools to raise awareness, the Group Manager, (Environmental Health) stated that the Waste & Recycling Communications Officer had undertaken some work with schools, however it was hoped this would increase upon appointment of a second Waste Communications Officer.

 

Councillor Annison made reference to Garden Waste Services and asked when it was hoped this would be digitalised to enable Direct Debit Payments, and he was advised that this matter would be addressed in the near future as part of the Borough Council's digital roll out. 

 

RESOLVED :

 

That all measures be monitored during the next quarter.

 

 

8 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
To consider any other business as may be determined by the Chairman of the meeting as being of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration.

9 EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC
In the event of the Committee wishing to exclude the public from the meeting, the following resolution will be moved:-

"That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12(A) of the said Act."

LITTER - HOPTON AND BEACON PARK ROUNDABOUT
8

 

Councillor Annison raised his concern to the amount of litter between the Hopton and Beacon Park Roundabouts, he advised that he had been in contact with Highways England who had stated that this issue was the responsibility of the Borough Council, The Director of Customer Services asked for a copy of the correspondence received from Highways England and suggested that the matter be raised at the next meeting of the Environment Committee.

 

 

ABANDONED VEHICLES
9

 

Councillor Carpenter raised her concerns in relation to the removal of PNC access for Officers who deal with abandoned Vehicles, she advised that Officers can no longer check if a vehicle is stolen, uninsured etc. Councillor Hanton advised that Suffolk Constabulary had taken control of both Norfolk and Suffolk and had therefore made the decision to withdraw the services. 

 

Councillor Waters Bunn suggested a letter be sent to the Chief Inspector of Norfolk Police, Nathan Clark to raise the concerns of the Committee, Councillor Hacon suggested that PCC Lorne Green also be made aware of the Committee's concerns.

 

RESOLVED :

 

That a letter be sent to both Nathan Clarke, Chief Inspector of Norfolk police and PCC Lorne Green to state the concerns of the Committee in relation to the withdrawal of PNC access.

 
ST GEORGES PARK LIGHTING
10

 

The Director of Customer Services reported on an email that she had received from Mrs Staff, a resident of the Borough in relation to lighting at St Georges Park.

 

The Director of Customer Services advised that Mrs Staff had been made aware that that St Georges Park is not one of the priority areas for regeneration for the Borough therefore there would be no funding available from the Council for associated works and that there was a need to identify how repairs, maintenance and electricity costs would be covered. 

 

Members were advised that a business case would need to be developed for the project, should the Committee be minded to approve proposals being brought forward.

 

In discussing the proposals the following issues were raised :-

 

  • The Level of brightness produced from the lights 
  • The need to avoid Anti Social Behaviour within the park
  • The timing of the lights 

 

RESOLVED :

 

That approval be given to Mrs Staff to bring a proposal forward to the Environment Committee on the lighting at St Georges Park.

 

Attendance

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending ApologySubstituted By
Rachel Jones  
Shirley Weymouth  
NameReason for AbsenceSubstituted By
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

 

Present :-

 

Councillor Smith (in the Chair); Councillors Annison, Bensly, Fairhead, Hacon, Hanton, Grant, Pratt, Smith, Walch, Waters-Bunn, Wright

 

Councillor Carpenter attended as substitute for Councillor Weymouth 

 

Also in attendance :-

 

Mrs J Beck (Director of Customer Services), Mr B Parker (Head of Coastal Management Coastal Partnership East), Mr B Harris (Coastal Manager), Mr G Buck (Group Manager, Environmental Health), and Mrs S Wintle (Member Services Officer).

 

 

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