Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of business on the agenda.  None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2012.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting of 11 September 2012 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered to speak can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 12 November 2012.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

A member of the public had registered to speak at the meeting on item 5 (Emergency Planning in respect of flooding).  He drew specific reference to the impact of climate change on flooding and offered to provide contacts who could provide detailed information on this issue.   He drew attention to the work of the Environmental Audit Committee and explained about the impact of Rossby waves on weather patterns.  The speaker also raised concerns about glass recycling arrangements and carbon in buildings.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services will be in attendance to outline his priorities and challenges for 2012/13.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services had been invited to attend the meeting to outline his priorities and challenges for 2012/13.  He updated the committee on issues including:

·        The challenging financial position.

·        Recycling rates.  The Cabinet Member stated that he welcomed the scrutiny review that was taking place on this issue.

·        Issues in respect of the Allerton Park facility and how this would operate in the future.  Planning permission had been granted. 

·        Food waste.

·        Encouraging composting.

·        Working together to ensure that effective arrangements were in place at the end of university terms when students moved out of their accommodation.

·        Empowering communities and encouraging them to take ownership.

·        Working with the third sector and partner organisations.

·        Taking a joined up approach in the provision of services.

·        The need to ensure that there was effective communication with the public.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions on the following issues:

·        Clarification was sought as to the timescale by which the Allerton Park facility would be operational.  Members were informed that the commissioning could take place within four-and-a-half to five years.  If, however, the project was subject to judicial review and a planning inquiry the timescale could be seven years.

·        Figures were requested in respect of garden waste.  The Cabinet Member stated that this information would be included in the report that was being prepared.  Modelling was taking place on potential take up of the service. 

·        The Cabinet Member was asked about the level of charge that was being considered in respect of the collection of green bins and whether this was likely to have an impact on fly tipping and rates of recycling.  The Cabinet Member stated that no decisions had been made in respect of the charging as the modelling process was not yet finalised.  Consideration was being given to the experiences of other Local Authorities when they had implemented a charge and the consequences of doing so.

·        Details were given of the arrangements that were in place in respect of individuals who wished to use a trailer when disposing of garden waste at the waste recycling centres and of the permit scheme that was in operation.

·        Details were given of the processes used in respect of the recycling of glass and bottles and the ways in which the recycled material was utilised. 

·        The Cabinet Member was asked if the closure of Beckfield Lane had resulted in increased use of the Towthorpe and Hazel Court facilities and on kerbside collections.  Members were informed that work was taking place to ascertain the impact.   When this information was finalised it would be brought to the committee’s attention.  There had been no increase in fly tipping.

·        The Cabinet Member was asked if the future of the Towthorpe facility was assured.  He stated that there were no plans to close the facility.

The Cabinet Member was thanked for his attendance at the meeting. 

Mike Tavener will give a presentation on Global Warming re the Emergency Planning Scrutiny Review. [following the meeting a copy of a presentation covering on the issues raised was attached to the on-line agenda papers]

A presentation was given on emergency planning in respect of flooding.  [A copy of a presentation outlining the issues covered is attached to the on-line agenda papers for this meeting].    The presentation focussed on the following issues:

·        The changing climate

·        Flood risk

·        Emergency planning

Members were informed that a report on Surface Water Management was due to be considered by Cabinet on 4 December 2012.

The committee gave consideration as to whether they would wish to proceed with a scrutiny review on emergency planning in respect of flooding.  The Chair suggested that any such review could focus on the arrangements that were in place to support communities in returning to normality following flooding.    Members were also mindful of the need to avoid duplicating work that was already taking place in preparing the report on Surface Water Management. 

RESOLVED:       That, at the next meeting, the committee

give consideration to the Cabinet report on Surface Water Management and any additional information in respect of the emergency planning procedures that are in place.  

REASON:            To enable the Committee to determine whether or not they would wish to proceed with a review on emergency planning in respect of flooding.

This report presents a draft protocol for the working relationship between the new Police and Crime Panel (PCP) and the Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committees (CDCs) across North Yorkshire.  Members are asked to comment on the protocol so that the views of this council can be fed back to North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and collated with the views of the other councils.

Members considered a report that presented a draft protocol for the working relationship between the new Police and Crime Panel (PCP) and the Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committees (CDCs) across North Yorkshire.  Members were asked to comment on the protocol so that the views of City of York Council could be fed back to North Yorkshire County Council and collated with the views of the other councils.

Members stated that they would wish to invite the Chair of the new Police and Crime Panel and the Police and Crime Commissioner to meet with them in the forthcoming year.  They also requested that a diagram be provided to clarify the structure and scrutiny arrangements that would be in place.

RESOLVED:       That the draft protocol for the working relationship between the new Police and Crime Panel and the Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committees across North Yorkshire be accepted.

REASON:            To clarify and understand the future role of this committee in its scrutiny of the local Community Safety Partnership and its relationship with the new PCP.

A verbal update will be given on the work of the Domestic Recycling Task Group scrutiny review.

A verbal update was given on the work of the Domestic Recycling Task Group scrutiny review. 

The Task Group had met on a number of occasions and had considered information from Local Authorities which were high performing in respect of domestic recycling.  They had also looked at a study carried out by Southampton Council.  Consideration had been given to the campaigns and projects that had been carried out by other councils to promote recycling, the costs involved and information as to their effectiveness.  Information had also been obtained from the Local Government Association and other organisations.  The Cabinet Member and officers had been asked to target strategies at specific rounds to better enable the effectiveness of these measures to be evaluated and ascertain whether they provided value for money.

Members commented on the difficulties in using comparative data unless this was obtained from other unitary authorities. 

RESOLVED:       That the update from the Domestic Recycling Task Group be noted.

REASON:            To ensure that the committee is kept updated on the progress of the review.

Members are asked to consider the committee’s work plan.

Consideration was given to the committee’s work plan.

Referring to discussions that had taken place at previous meetings regarding the possibility of carrying out a scrutiny review into CCTV, Members were informed that the Interim Director of City and Environmental Services had instigated an officer review of CCTV following an issue that had arisen.  Members expressed concern that, when considering whether to proceed with a review, they had been advised that it would not be appropriate to do so until the move had taken place to the new offices and yet subsequently an officer review had been instigated.   They requested that their concerns about this matter to be forwarded to the Director and that a senior officer attend the next meeting to provide an update on the review.

RESOLVED:       That the committee’s work plan be updated to include the following items on the agenda for the next meeting:

·        Report and information on surface water management and emergency planning

·        Update on CCTV review

REASON:            To ensure that the committee has a planned programme of work in place.