Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D.B. Davies, P.M. Edwards and W.G. Thomas, as well as Councillor H.A.L. Evans (Executive Board Member for Technical Services). 

There were no declerations of interest.

There were no declarations of party whips.

No public questions were received.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on Friday 15th February 2016, be noted.

The Committee considered the Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Report for the Environment Department, Public Protection Services and the Community Safety Team, as at 31st December 2015 in relation to the 2015/16 financial year. The following issues were raised in relation to the report:

In response to a query regarding the non-delivery of severance arrangements worth £78,000 in the Environment Department, the Group Accountant confirmed that due to a variety of circumstances, the proposed severance packages had not been realised although it was anticipated that these would be taken up in the next financial year. The Street-Scene Manager advised the Committee that some severance applications were being reconsidered as part of a departmental service review.

It was asked whether the asset transfer of public conveniences would be completed on time. The Street-Scene Manager informed the Committee that to date, 10 sets of public conveniences had been transferred to community councils or groups and that a further 8 were on-going. It was envisaged that these would be completed within the three years allocated to the programme, as it was a matter of clarifying some minor legal issues with the respective organisations.

In response to a question on the £72,000 overspend for the Cleansing Service, the Street-Scene Manager explained that this related to efficiencies that had been proposed for the current financial year. However, as the Department no longer needed to find additional efficiencies in the forthcoming years, this would be managed within the service.

Reference was made to the recent inclement weather and the amount of recyclate strewn along the county’s roads and it was asked what impact this was having on the Street Cleansing Service. The Street-Scene Manager acknowledged that the additional litter did have an impact as cleaning this up had to be factored in to the regular street cleansing programme. There had not been any reduction in the number of staff employed and town centres had a seven day programme for litter picking and bin emptying. He reminded Committee members that if they had specific concerns about certain areas in their wards, that they should contact the Department.

In response to a question about the possibility of residents being issued with wheelie bins, the Street-Scene Manager noted that the cost of such a system was prohibitive at present. He also reminded the Committee that if recyclate or residual waste bags split and fell from the back of a Council vehicle, operators would clean up at that time, however, if the waste was on private property, it was the duty of the householder to ensure it was cleaned up.

Reference was made to the number of public bins that were not being emptied and subsequently rubbish was left next to or around bins and was further compounded by dog onwers not disposing of dog waste bags in these bins but leaving them in side streets or lanes. The Street-Scene Manager advised the Committee that the provision of bins and the collection programme would have been reduced had the budget for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the reason for the non-submission of the report on the ‘Impact of Local Authority Trading Standards in Challenging Times’, be noted.

The Committee considered an update detailing progress in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous scrutiny meetings. The Chair referred to the one out-standing action relating to the Committee’s request for a seminar on corporate manslaughter and noted that a development session was being prepared. When a date was finalised, members would be notified accordingly.

RESOLVED that the update, be noted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 11th January 2016 be signed as a correct record.