Agenda item

The Assistant Directors will give a verbal update to the Committee on their service areas, performance targets and the challenges faced by the section.  The update will also include information on Safer York and other partnership working.

The Assistant Directors gave presentations on their areas of work and responsibilities:

John Goodyear, Assistant Director, Environmental Services, gave an overview of the work of the service and drew Members’ attention to a number of issues including:

• The targets that were in place in respect of recycling and reducing household waste and strategies that were being implemented.
• The Beckfield Lane Household Waste Site.
• Neighbourhood Pride services including street cleaning, groundsmaintenance and public toilets, (a report on proposed improvements to public toilets was to go to the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services on 21 July 2009).
• National Indicators with regard to litter, fly tipping etc.
• The work of the Street Environment and Street Enforcement Officers and the new teams.
• Internal performance indicators, including sickness targets and accidents.
• The way in which parking services had been incorporated into the work of the Directorate in January 2009. It was noted that decisions on charging and income remained the responsibility of City Strategy.
• Cleaning Services – there were 600 employees (200 full-time) in over 120 locations and hence communication was a key issue.  This service was working closely with schools. The target was to increase satisfaction rates from 95% to 98% by next year. Training was a key focus.

Members sought clarification with regard to the Groves Project and asked if it was the intention that all properties would eventually have wheelie bins.  Officers explained that, for reasons of accessibility, there may be some properties for which wheelie bins were not an appropriate option but in general terms wheelie bins had considerable advantages over bags in terms of storage and health and safety.  Members referred to petitions that had been received regarding this matter and asked if there had been sufficient consultation prior to implementation of the trial.  Officers stated that there had been many opportunities for residents to have an input on the proposals and that consultation meetings and drop-in sessions had been held.  Information had also been provided via ward committees.  Officers confirmed that it was a long process to assess needs of streets in the city. The Government target was for kerbside collection (within 400m of properties) of at least two materials.

Discussion took place as to the most effective way of Members responding to complaints from residents regarding environmental services.  It was noted that if concerns were forwarded direct to Officers they would continue to be dealt with but Members were encouraged to use the Easy@York Members’ portal, as this would also enable them to have an overview of any problems within their ward.

Councillor Gillies stated that he was considering submitting a scrutiny topic on the issue of parking enforcement.  Officers outlined the types of offence that could be dealt with by Council staff and those which could only be dealt with by the Police.  Details were given of changes to legislation that were due to be implemented on 1 April 2010. 

Andy Hudson, Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, gave an overview of his areas of responsibility, as illustrated on the diagram that was tabled.  Details were also given of the work of the Regional Investigation Unit which had been granted funding for two years to carry out work in respect of fraud and counterfeit goods. 

Members were updated on key issues for the Neighbourhoods and Community Safety team including:

• Air quality management/road traffic
• Noise patrols
• Customer Service Excellence Award
• Licensing and Bereavement Services
• The requirement for the Council to comply with mercury abatement legislation by 2011 – this would require capital funding in the region of £600,000 to £800,000 for work at the crematorium
• The vacancy for the post of Head of Neighbourhood Management – this was a key post in view of the increasing engagement with the community
• Registration of births marriages and deaths services had been rated as “Good” rating following Home Office inspection and had been only 3% from achieving the “Excellent” score
• The work of the Safer York Partnership

Richard White, Assistant Director, Maintenance Services, outlined his areas of responsibility including:

• Highways repairs and maintenance and infrastructure
• Drainage department
• Blacksmiths
• Ancient monuments (including the city walls) in partnership with City Strategy & Archaeology
• Buildings maintenance (including housing, schools and some other council buildings). 

A key challenge would be the merging of building maintenance with HASS, as identified by Northgate Kendrick Ash consultants. 

Members asked if the gas-servicing contract was working well.  Officers stated that it was and that there had been increased customer satisfaction.

Officers were asked how effectively the functions that had moved from City Strategy had been amalgamated into the work of the Directorate.  They stated that initially it had been quite challenging as not all staff had transferred across and vacancies had had to be covered.  Now staff were working well as a team but the final restructuring had been put on hold pending the outcome of the Northgate Kendrick Ash review.

The Chair thanked the officers for their verbal reports.