Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor Rosemary Brown.

Apologies were also received from Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Councillor Philip Whitehead. Councillor John Thomson, Deputy Leader of the Council, would update the Committee as appropriate.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Environment Select Committee meeting held on 13^th September 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2016 were presented for consideration and it was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

Through the Chair it was announced that discussions had been held regarding plans to revise the existing Waste Strategy. Workshops would take place for councillors from Spring 2017.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 18^th October in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 20^th October. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

There were no questions or statements submitted.

The new highway contract with Ringway Infrastructure Services started in April 2016. A number of sub-contracts were have been transferred to the Council following the early end of the previous highway contract, the performance of these contractors will continue to be monitored.

An Annual Review of Service has been prepared for the Committee in Appendix 3.

Information has been prepared for each Area Board and is included in this agenda under Appendix 1. An indicative list of priority sites for treatment has been developed for 2017/18 and is included in Appendix 2.

In October 2013 Cabinet agreed to increase highway maintenance funding to £21 million for six years. This was subsequently included in the Council’s future budget, and forms the basis of the ‘Local Highways Investment Fund 2014 – 2020’. The increased investment in highways maintenance has enabled a large number of schemes to be progressed to improve the condition of the network and its infrastructure.

The previous Highways and Streetscene Contract was with Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) and started in June 2013. In July 2015 Cabinet agreed to the early termination of the contract following a review of the potential benefits for the Council. The progress on terminating the previous contract and the procurement of the new contract was regularly reported to the Environment Select Committee. Arrangements were made for the Council to take over some of the existing sub-contracts between BBLP and specialist suppliers in key service areas, including grass cutting, litter picking and major road resurfacing. A procurement exercise was undertaken for a new Wiltshire Highways Contract for the other services, which was awarded to Ringway Infrastructure Services earlier this year and started in April 2016.

Councillor John Thomson, Deputy Leader of the Council, and Peter Binley, Head of Highways Assets and Commissioning, presented a report on the annual review of the Highways Service. Details of highways maintenance in each community area were provided, along with an indicative list of maintenance schemes for 2017/18 and other statistics as detailed in the agenda. It was stated the performance of contractors had been very good since the early termination of the previous contract.

The Committee discussed the report, seeking details of the allocation of the £21 million highways investment, which included some funding from central government. Queries were raised on the proposed schemes for 2014/18, and in respect of the A350 proposals, it was stated the route was the busiest under the council’s responsibility in Wiltshire, and that funding for further dualling of the route was being sought from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Committee was informed Area Boards would be consulted on the proposed list of maintenance to be undertaken in the next year, and it was confirmed that Community Area Transport Groups could propose additional schemes, although this would mean other schemes could not be addressed, and it would be beneficial to list the schemes by priority, though some members raised examples of high priority schemes that had been left undone across several years. Other topics raised included identifying the need for traffic signalling prior to upgrading the network, working closely with parish councils to monitor need for work, customer reporting and emphasising pedestrian and cycling improvements to reduce pressure on Highways.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved

To note the following:

(i)            Good progress has been made on implementing the ‘Local Highways Investment Fund 2014 – 2020’, and there has been a substantial improvement in road conditions in Wiltshire.

(ii)          The performance of all of the contractors currently delivering the highways service is good, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

Included for the Committee is an Annual Report on the Wiltshire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

Wiltshire has experienced severe flooding in recent years, especially in 2014 when over 500 properties were flooded and a number of roads had to be closed to traffic. There were 72% of town and parish councils affected by flooding.

There are 82 communities with flood plans and 177 Flood Wardens across the county as detailed in Appendix 1. Work undertaken to improve drainage and protect communities has been completed in the past year and is included in Appendix 2.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Wiltshire Council to act as Lead Local Flood Authority, and to develop a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS). Councillor Jonathon Seed, Cabinet Member for Housing, Leisure, Libraries and Flooding, supported by Councillor Richard Clewer, Chairman of the Salisbury Operational Flood Working Group (OFWG) was in attendance to update the Committee on management of flood risk in Wiltshire.

It was emphasised that two years prior the county, particularly in Salisbury, had been at severe risk of a major event, and preparations had been put in place to improve the situation, although it was noted in some areas it would never be possible to eliminate flood occurrence completely. Details were provided of the parish emergency assistance scheme to provide emergency signage and sandbags for communities, of grants received from the Wessex Coastal Committee and development of flood plans.

The Committee congratulated the councillors and officers for their work and discussed the annual report as detailed in the agenda, with details sought on work with the Environment Agency on modelling flooding in Wiltshire and the type of projects that were viable, with a drainage scheme list for each area to be provided by the end of the financial year

Resolved

To note that:

      i.        The Operational Flood Working Groups have proved to be a successful way of managing flood risk. They are particularly effective at working with local communities, the Environment Agency and other organisations to manage flood risk in Wiltshire.

    ii.        Local communities are encouraged to prepare Flood Plans and appoint Flood Wardens, and there are currently 82 communities with Flood Plans and 177 Flood Wardens.

   iii.        The Council’s Parish Emergency Assistance Scheme (PEAS) continues to provide sand bags and equipment to local town and parish councils so that they can store these locally, and deploy them as necessary. There are 97 communities taking part in the scheme.

   iv.        The Council carries out a large programme of flood alleviation and drainage projects which are managed and co-ordinated through the Operational Flood Working Groups.

In November 2016, Cabinet agreed to an independent review of the highways service through the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) Strategic Peer Review process, which is funded and supported by the Department for Transport (DfT). The proposal was for a challenge and review process where officers and members from other authorities help an authority’s highways service identify opportunities for improvement, greater efficiencies and change.

The review took place in February 2016 and involved interviews with focus groups of members, staff, customers and partners, and individual interviews with Cabinet Members and senior managers, as well as reviewing service strategies and operational plans.

The Committee is requested to note:

(i)            the positive results of the HMEP Peer Review earlier this year, and that progress is being made on implementing its recommendations.

(ii)          the progress on implementing the Action Plan will be reported to a meeting of this Committee next year.

In November 2016, Cabinet agreed to an independent review of the highways service through the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) Strategic Peer Review process. The review took place in February 2016 and involved interviews with focus groups of members, staff, customers and partners, and individual interviews with Cabinet Members and senior managers, as well as reviewing service strategies and operational plans.

Peter Binley, Head of Highways Assets and Commissioning, presented the report, which noted the outcome of the Peer Review had been very positive, and that an action plan had been developed, with project teams set up to take forward the improvements identified as detailed in appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee discussed the report, congratulating the service for the positive outcome of the peer review, as well as seeking details on the potential role of Community Area Transport Groups and transformation of the Winter Maintenance Service.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved

To note:

      i.        The positive results of the HMEP Peer Review earlier this year, and that progress is being made on implementing its recommendations.

    ii.        The progress on implementing the Action Plan will be reported to a meeting of this Committee next year.

Wiltshire’s Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy was prepared by the Wiltshire Waste Partnership and adopted by the four district councils and the county council in 2006. This was then updated in 2012 following the formation of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority to reflect emerging legislation and changing council priorities.

An updated version of the current strategy has been provided in the agenda for members.

The Committee is asked to note the contents of the updated Wiltshire Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2016.

Wiltshire’s Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy was prepared by the Wiltshire Waste Partnership and adopted by the four district councils and the county council in 2006. This was then updated in 2012 following the formation of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority to reflect emerging legislation and changing council priorities.

Councillor Toby Sturgis, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Operational Property and Waste, supported by Tracy Carter, Associate Director for Waste and Environment, presented a report explaining that due to legislative and policy changes the Strategy would need to be developed, and that an updated version of the current strategy had been prepared until that new draft, which would take place in 2017.

The Committee discussed the update and the effectiveness of the existing strategy. In response to queries it was confirmed the present recycling rate in the county was 47%, less below target than in the report, as the figure fluctuated from month to month, but that the new Waste Contract would introduce greater recycling range for plastics to help improve the figure. Details were also sought on encouraging people to sign up to Green Waste collection of compost green materials locally.

It was also noted that encouraging commercial operators to recycle was a challenge as there was no statutory duty for them to do so, and that potential implications arising from exiting the European Union, potentially the requirements of existing Directives, were being explored.

Resolved:

To note the contents of the updated Wiltshire Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2016.

On 13th September the Environment Select Committee endorsed the Final Report of the Task Group. The Committee resolved to refer the following Task Group’s recommendations to the relevant Cabinet member for response at the Committee’s next meeting.

Included for the Committee in this agenda is the executive response to the Task Group’s recommendations for approval.

On 13 September 2016 the Committee endorsed the final report of the Waste Service Changes Task Group and referred its recommendations to the relevant Cabinet Member, as detailed in the agenda papers. Councillor Toby Sturgis, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Operational Property and Waste, was in attendance to present the Executive Response to the final report and its recommendations.

In relation to recommendation 4 and whether the Churchfields Depot could be included on the Regulation 123 list and funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy it was stated this was being considered, but that a priority list would be prepared in the new year.  In relation to recommendation 12 regarding a communication strategy to raise public awareness of what can and cannot be disposed of and the cost of abusing the system, it was raised whether area boards were required to fund covert cameras to catch abuse. It was stated the service had no plans to purchase new cameras, but that did have access to some and officers would consider all requests. It was also confirmed that it was difficult to prosecute fly tippers as that required people to make witness statements, not merely report incidents.

At the end of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

To note the Executive Response.

Written updates on Environment Select Committee Task Group activity are attached.

Updates from the Committee’s Task Groups were provided as detailed in the agenda and as provided verbally at the meeting.

Resolved:

1)    To note the update on task group activity.

2)    That Cllr Linda Packard be replaced on the Highways and Streetscene Task Group by Cllr Peter Evans.

To note and receive updates on the progress of items on the forward work programme.

Under the revised Overview and Scrutiny (OS) arrangements there is now a single OS work programme controlled by the OS Management Committee, linked to priorities in the Business Plan.

Therefore it should be noted that, whilst any matters added by Members are welcome, they will be referred to the OS Management Committee for approval before formal inclusion in the work programme for the Environment Select Committee.

A copy of the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme for the Environment Select Committee is attached for reference.

The Forward Work Programme for the Committee as detailed in the agenda was received. It was noted the Wholly Owned Subsidiary proposal had still not reached a point where it could progress.

Following discussions with the Executive and Officers, it was also proposed that a Rapid Scrutiny Exercise be undertaken in respect of the Planning Service, with the focus to be confirmed at a later date.

Resolved:

To note the updated Forward Plan.

To confirm the date of the next scheduled meeting as 13 December 2016.

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 13 December 2016.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.