Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interest they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Potter declared a personal non-prejudical interest in agenda item 8 (Sales of Age Restricted Products) as her daughter worked with Trading Standards as a test purchaser.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of Annex 2 to agenda item 5 on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Annex 2 to Agenda Item 5 on the grounds that it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3  of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on July 25 2007.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 25 July 2007 be approved and signed by the Chair and Executive Member as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 25 July 2007 be approved and signed by the Chair and Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Wednesday 5 September at 5:00pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting, under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report presents the latest projections for revenue and capital expenditure for the Neighbourhood Services portfolio and traded accounts and quarter 1 (07/08) performance against target for a number of the directorate’s key performance indicators.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member:

          i.            to approve the financial and performance position of the portfolio

        ii.            to approve an application to the Executive for the virement of domestic refuse collection and recycling budgets from the trading account portfolio to the General Fund portfolio as set out in paragraphs 22 to 25.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:  In accordance with budgetary and performance monitoring procedures.

Members consider a report that represented two sets of data:

                    i.            The latest projections for revenue and capital expenditure for the Neighbourhood Services portfolio and traded accounts

                  ii.            Quarter 1 (07/08) performance against target for a number of the directorate’s key performance indicators.

Members were informed that the Quarter 1 Health and Safety: RIDDOR accidents reported figures located in the first table of paragraph 64 (staff related performance) had changed from 9 to12 in Quarter 1 07/08 and the Health and Safety: RIDDOR accidents reported figures located in the second table had changed from 2 to 3 in April 07, 3 to 4 in May 07 and 4 to 5 in June 07.

Members discussed the financial position for each service area and were informed that the key reason for the overspend in Licensing and Bereavement Services was due to an overspend on staff costs of £19k.  Overall the trading accounts were forecasting a surplus of £345K against an approved budget of £520K, the significant variances related to Building Maintenance and School Cleaning.  Members were informed that officers would meet in September to review the school cleaning rates and service provision.  Building Maintenance had achieved savings of up to 50% from re-structuring.

Members were informed that as part of an ongoing review of the client and customer relationship sides of the directorate, it was recommended that all the waste budgets, including the operations budgets for domestic collection would be classed as a general fund.  Commercial Waste budgets would remain within the trading portfolio.  The effect of this would increase the general fund cost by £152K, which would be financed by an increase in the surplus made by the trading portfolio. 

Members discussed the performance overview position for each service area and were informed that staff sickness continued to be a problem.  Officers were looking at creative ways to reduce sickness and would be planning appraisals for all staff highlighting health and safety issues, training issues, achievements and support. 

Members raised concerns that the missed bin collection figures were not on target. Members were informed that a computer system failure and staff issues affected the August figures.  Officers had found that a high number of missed bin calls came through when a full refuse vehicle left an area to be emptied. This problem would be solved from October when all refuse vehicles would be fitted with a tracker system allowing officers to track them at all times. Officers would be monitoring the miss bin calls by day and by round to identify the peaks.

Members thanked officers for the report and for maintaining the high levels of performance.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member:

          i.            to approve the financial and performance position of the portfolio

        ii.            to approve an application to the Executive for the virement of domestic refuse collection and recycling budgets from the trading account portfolio to the General Fund portfolio as set out in paragraphs 22 to 25.

Decision of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

This report informs Members that as a follow up to the Comprehensive Performance Assessment inspection in 2004, the Audit Commission completed a further inspection of Waste Management in York during June 2007.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and annex 1 and to thank officers for their hard work in delivering significant improvements to the Waste Management Service.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:  To update Members on the Audit Commissions inspection of Waste Management in York during June 2007

Members considered a report that updated them on the Audit Commissions inspection of Waste Management in York during June 2007.

Members were informed that the main conclusions of the inspection noted that:

1. The waste management service had made significant improvements in performance in all areas.
2. Customer contact had improved for consultation about proposed projects and for customer enquiries, which were now dealt with by the customer contact centre.
3. There is clear cross-party commitment for the improvements in the waste management service.
4. The service had made effective improvements to its performance management arrangements
5. The Council, with its partners, were making good progress and taking appropriate advice towards the future provision of waste disposal facilities.

Members thanked officers for their hard work in delivering significant improvements to the Waste Management Service.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and annex 1 and to thank officers for their hard work in delivering significant improvements to the Waste Management Service.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:  To update Members on the Audit Commissions inspection of Waste Management in York during June 2007

This report informs Members of the results of legal actions (prosecutions, formal cautions and fixed penalties) undertaken by the Neighbourhoods and Community Safety area of the Directorate of Neighbourhood Services (Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Licensing) for the period 1^st April 2007 – 30th June 2007.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and to thank Officers for their hard work in delivering a successful service.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:  So that the Executive Member is updated on formal enforcement activity undertaken by the Neighbourhoods and Community Safety Group.

Members considered a report that informed them of the results of legal actions (prosecutions, formal cautions and fixed penalties) undertaken by the Neighbourhoods and Community Safety area of the Directorate of Neighbourhoods Services (Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Licensing) for the period 1^st April 2007 to 30^th June 2007.

Members thanked officers for their hard work in delivering a successful service.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and to thank Officers for their hard work in delivering a successful service.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:  So that the Executive Member is updated on formal enforcement activity undertaken by the Neighbourhoods and Community Safety Group.

This report informs Members of the work undertaken by the council’s trading standards service to prevent the sales of age-restricted products.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and to implement Option 1 to allow the council to continue with the programme of education and enforcement action set out in paragraph 4 for the period to 30^th September 2008.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:              So that the Council can meet its legal obligations.

Members considered a report, which informed them of the work undertaken by the Council’s Trading Standards service to prevent the sales of age-restricted products. 

Members were informed that alcohol sales had dropped and that the age limit to purchase cigarettes would be rising to 18.  Officers would follow with an intensive campaign with 15 and 16 year olds to make sure retailers complied with the new regulations.

Members discussed the report and were concerned that replica guns were not monitored.  Members were informed that the Council at present did not monitor the sale of replica guns but had been approached by the Police and officers were considering the options.   

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Advisory Panel advise the Executive Member to note the contents of the report and to implement Option 1 to allow the council to continue with the programme of education and enforcement action set out in paragraph 4 for the period to 30^th September 2008.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:              So that the Council can meet its legal obligations.

Members were given an update on Cold Calling.  The implementation provisional launch date would be 31^st October 2007.  Officers would be writing to invite EMAP Members and Ward Councillors affected by the following 5 pilot zones:

·        Huntington

·        Acomb

·        Fulford

·        Dunnington

·        Acomb Road

Officers would be writing to residents in early October and the Police and Community Officers had started training in September.

Members agreed to add Home Improvements Packs (HIPs) to the forward plan.

Members considered a forward plan for 2007/08 and it was agreed that the forward plan would become a permanent agenda item.  The updated version is attached to these minutes.