Agenda item

5.1    Suzanne Prance gave an update on the Street Environment Services activity across York and in Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward.

 

5.2    Street Environment Services are engaging with the community through:

·        Team events, raising awareness of the environmental issues such as litter, fly tipping, graffiti and educating;

·        Handing out over 4000, SES designed, mini bins to residents, again raising awareness that cigarette ends are classed as litter – high profile work;

·        Press releases and articles in the Your Ward publication to highlight the work we do which helps promote pride in our City – Young Archaeologist!;

·        Working together with other agencies to achieve a positive outcome;

·        Work together with local businesses to provide long term solutions.

 

5.3    The Street Environment Services are educating the community.

·        The Street Environment Services produced the DVD “Dropping Litter Makes You A Minger” in 2009. The film has been shown to most Year 6 students in York – and will continue to be rolled out through various media.

·        The Street Environment Services are continually promoting anti environmental crime campaigns, and take the lead to ensure the City continues to thrive.

·        The Street Environment Services are major players at annual Crucial Crew event – providing students with an insight into their role, educating them in the process – taken further with Take Part 2 project.

·        The Street Environment Services produce educational materials such as: posters, banners and handouts which educate ad inform.

 

5.4 Street Environment Services use their small dedicated improvements budgets to provide specific local area improvements – physical improvements on Council Land.

·        The Street environment Services are working together with the community through ward councillors, local residents groups, Parish Councillors, North Yorkshire Police, Joseph Rowntree Trust and many other individuals and partners, to continually enhance local neighbourhoods, targeting known hotspots.

·        Street Environment Officer is holding  an budget which can be used to make improvements in the ward, these can be:

§  Planting of bulbs;

§  Replacement of street name plates;

§  Installation or repairs of street furniture – new bins/benches/bollards;

§  Clearance of overgrown weeds;

§  Contribution towards larger projects within the ward.

·        The Street Environment Services are working very closely with Community Payback. The relationship they created helps with projects in the community utilising yet another resource.

 

5.5    The Street Environment Services have a graduated approach to tackling environmental contraventions and use enforcement as a last resort.

·        Notice can be served on illegal travellers encampments to move them from public land;

·        The Street Environment Services issue Fixed Penalty Notices for littering, incorrect refuse presentation and unsightly properties;

·        The Street Environment Services are putting prosecution files together for fly tipping offences and domestic and commercial waste “Duty of care” contraventions;

·        The Street Environment services work alongside Police,  Environment Agency,  DVLA, Trading Standards and HMRC to carry out stop and search exercises for unauthorised waste carriers;

·        The Street Environment Services can serve legal notices for unauthorised advertisements;

·        The Street Environment Services gather evidence of graffiti tags around the City for shared intelligence with North Yorkshire Police on the dedicated TAAGY database;

·        The Street Environment Services can investigate and resolve blocked private drains using notices where necessary.

 

5.6    What is currently happening, or will be taking place in the ward in the near future?

·        Community Payback are currently repainting the railings on Wains Grove, after suggestions from residents;

·        Litter picking throughout the ward in hotspot areas;

·        Cycle hoops to be repainted in the ward over the next few months by Community Payback;

·        Changes at Chapman's Pond – more information to come in the next few months;

·        Carried out weekly litter patrols around York College area;

·        Held 3 education litter awareness events at the College with further dates planned for this coming year;

·        Working alongside Tescos, The Cemetery, Askham Park & Ride to ensure we are all aiming to the same outcome;

·        Between January and April 2011 we have issued 18 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN). If the offender is under 18 years old, The City of York Council issue a Stop for littering warning. Should this offender repeat, then they will be issued with a £75.00 FPN. The 18 FPN’s have been paid at either the discounted amount of £50.00 or full amount of £75.00. However some FPN’s still remain unpaid and we are currently awaiting the outcome at court.

 

Residents were given the opportunity to raise questions.

 

Q       You have issued only 18 penalties that not seem to be many.

 

A       Very often students refuse to give us their details; in that case we have to call the Police for assistance. Issuing penalty might then take a lot of time and we are only patrolling the area for 1 hour at a time. We remain visible to the members of the public while patrolling and that may put them off littering. 

 

Q       What are the proper times for putting your bins out for collection and taking them back?

 

A       The bins should not be left out earlier than 7pm day before the collection and should be taken back in before 7pm on the collection day.

 

Q       Who deals with dog fouling?

 

A       Animal Health Team. If you have specific query please let me know and I will pass it on to relevant officer.

 

Q       Who is responsible for maintaining the surface water drains near to Woodthorpe shops?

 

A       Ruth Abbott and Housing Standards and Adaptations Team would be the relevant. I will take your query back to them.

 

Q       Are you also responsible for clearing street signs?

 

A       I can arrange with the Hot Spot Team for the cleaning to be done.

 

Q       The City Centre is overflowing with litter on Saturdays, can something be done about it?

 

A       Cllr Looker is looking at this matter and installation of new type of bins is considered.

 

Q       I am concerned about the state of some trees on Tadcaster Road, some rotten branches dropped down on the cycle path recently. Who is responsible for maintaining those trees?

 

A       That will be under the remit of Russell Stone and Street Scene Team. Every incident should be reported by calling 01904 551551.

 

Q       After the refuse collection in the morning some of the litters are left behind on the pavement, can the collectors tidy up after themselves? 

 

A       That will be addressed with the Waste Services team.

 

Q       I have rung The Council regarding fallen branches on Tadcaster Road. The person who answered the phone told me that computer is down and he is unable to log the job. No action was taken.

 

A       I will deal with your query and am happy to be the contact person regarding similar queries for the future.

 

Q       Are you overlooking Barrowmen’s as well?

 

A       They are part of Street Scene team.

 

Q       Who is responsible for street cleaning near Woodthorpe shops?

 

A       City of York Council is responsible for sweeping the street, but I cannot remember the exact schedule.

 

Q       I have complained about the litters outside Dringhosuses library before. Can the number of street sweeps be increased?

 

A       That will be looked into.