Issue - meetings

That the Committee supports the progress made to support the Recovery Strategy by the Streetscene and Transportation portfolio.

Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) gave a brief update on the two elements of the report:-

• The objectives for recovery for the portfolio
• The portfolio risk register and the risk mitigation actions both live and planned

Councillor Paul Shotton asked what plans were in place to move the enforcement process forward as he had a number of issues that needed to be resolved.  The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) advised that they had brought in consultants to assist with the backlog with 160 cases being passed to them.    He advised that whilst the team only had 30% capacity earlier in the year which had a significant impact on their performance.  The team were now back to full capacity and working through outstanding cases, whilst sticking to the priorities established within the Planning Enforcement Policy.  The Chief Officer advised that 160 cases had been passed to them.

The Chair, Councillor Dolphin asked what results had come back from Contractors, and referred to two sites they had been out to with reports that they had driven passed without stopping.  The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) responded by saying  that without knowing the individual cases that it was difficult to comment but to bear in mind that evidence could be captured without physically visiting a site as care is needed when going onto sites and the risk that Officers and Consultant  would be exposed to.  He added that the Council have received criticism for not visiting sites because of the risk of outbreak and recently one site was one of the hotspots in terms of Covid outbreak.

The recommendation in the report were moved by Councillor Paul Shotton and seconded by Councillor David Evans.

            RESOLVED:

That the Committee supports the progress made to support the Recovery Strategy by the Streetscene and Transportation portfolio.