Agenda, decisions and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on the 17 October, 2012. 

That subject to the amendments listed above, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 October, 2012 had been circulated with the agenda.

Accuracy

            Councillor C.A. Thomas referred to page 3 of the minutes and said that the minutes did not accurately reflect her comments.  She had raised her concerns during the meeting on the changes to grass cutting in rural areas which were not reflected in the Grass Cutting Policy.

            The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment explained that the Grass Cutting Task and Finish Group had suggested changes to the Grass Cutting Policy but the previous Executive Member had not submitted the amended Grass Cutting Policy to the Executive.  Further work was being carried out on the Policy before its submission to the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet.

            Councillor G.H. Bateman referred to page 7 of the minutes and said that he had asked the question shown in the last paragraph and not Councillor C.A. Thomas. 

Matters arising

            Councillor I. Dunbar referred to page 6 of the minutes and raised concern that food waste bins continued to be left open once they had been emptied and during bad weather this made them difficult for elderly residents to collect.  The Head of Assets and Transportation said that these concerns would be conveyed to the Operatives. 

RESOLVED:

That subject to the amendments listed above, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

(a)       That the Committee note the report and support the process as detailed in the report; and

(b)       That consultation be carried out with all Members and Town and Community Councils with a deadline for responses to be received before the end of January, 2013.

Prior to consideration of this item, the Chair apologised that due to a technical error the Appendix circulated with the agenda did not include all of the relevant information and a copy of both the full Appendices to the report was circulated to the Committee.  The Chair announced that there would be a 10 minute adjournment to allow Members to read the Appendices.

            Prior to the adjournment, the Head of Assets and Transportation explained that the section of roads identified for a proposed change in speed limit was shown at Appendix B.

            Following the 10 minute adjournment, the Head of Assets and Transportation introduced the report which detailed the conclusion of the speed limit review covering the ‘A class’ and ‘B class’ road network within the Authority.

            The Welsh Government (WG) published in 2009 the document entitled ‘Setting Local Speed Limits in Wales’.  This guidance was to be used for setting all local speed limits on single and dual carriageways in both urban and rural areas with all highway authorities requested to review the speed limits of all of their A and B roads, and implement changes by the 31 December, 2014. 

            Following a decision taken at Executive on the 15 November, 2011, suitable specialist advisors were invited to tender for the review and in March 2012 Atkins were awarded the contract.  Atkins undertook a video survey of the whole of the A and B class road network and made recommendations, a copy of which had been made available in the Members Library and was attached at Appendix A to the report.  Following detailed analysis by officers of the information in Appendix A, a schedule of sections identified for a proposed change in speed limits was included in Appendix B.

            Councillor D. Evans asked what consultation would be carried out with Members on the proposed changes to speed limits.  The Director of Environment explained that consultation would be carried out with all Members and also Town and Community Councils with a view to receiving responses back before the Christmas period.         

            In response to further comments from Members on the need for all ward Members and Town and Community Councillors to be given the opportunity to consider and discuss issues within their areas, the Director of Environment confirmed that the consultation period would be extended to the end of January, 2013.

            Councillor Evans asked that when consulting Town and Community Councils that they be provided with maps which highlighted the exact sections of roads in order to avoid confusion.  The Head of Assets and Transportation confirmed that the relevant data could be extracted in map format and would be placed in the Members Library following the meeting.  If requests were received for the maps these could be provided to Members.  

            Councillor C.A. Thomas asked that it be made clear to Town and Community Councils that the responses to the consultation process should be sent to the Head of Assets and Transportation.  She also asked whether the Streetscene Team  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

That subject to the foregoing, the Forward Work Programme be noted.

The Learning and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee Facilitator introduced a report to enable the Committee to consider its Forward Work Programme.

            The Committee were requested to note that a North Wales Residual Waste Project Seminar had been arranged for the 28 November, 2012 and that a Streetlighting Workshop had been arranged for the 7 December, 2012.  The following items were included on the Forward Work Programme for consideration at the next Committee meeting scheduled for the 9 January, 2013:-

·        Quarter 2 Performance Report

·        Deeside Enterprise Zone

·        Civil Parking Enforcement

·        North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Project

The Facilitator also advised the Committee that they were invited to attend a meeting of the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 17 January, 2013 to consider a report on Assets and Estates.

In response to a question on the Streetlighting workshop, the Director of Environment said that the workshop would enable Members to consider the work of the Task and Finish Group and would encourage all Members to attend. 

Councillor C.J. Dolphin proposed that an item be added to the Forward Work Programme on the Energy Switching Scheme and commented on an initiative in South Lakeland District Council.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the foregoing, the Forward Work Programme be noted.

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the following item by virtue of exempt information under paragraph 14 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the following item by virtue of exempt information under paragraph 14 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

That the report be noted.

The Director of Environment and Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Waste and Recycling introduced an update on the progress made by the Partnership to develop a food waste treatment facility.  

            A number of questions were raised by Members on the level of food waste expected to be collected, the possibility of working with Wrexham County Borough Council in the future and the collection of food waste from local businesses.

            The Director of Environment responded to the questions explaining that he was confident that the Council would meet the required levels of food waste expected to be collected and that these levels would increase in the future.  There was the possibility of attracting food waste from neighbouring Local Authorities and local businesses in the future.  He added that the Council was not responsible for the disposal of food waste from local businesses and felt that this should have been given greater prominence in the Welsh Government Waste Strategy.

            The Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Waste and Recycling explained the current arrangements in place for disposing of food waste and the contingency arrangements in place if there was ever a breakdown at the food waste treatment facility.  He also encouraged all Members to attend the Seminar on the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Project which had been arranged for the 28 November, 2012.

            In response to a question on the tendering process, the Director of Environment responded and provided details of the process together with the costs of completing the project.

            The Committee thanked the Director of Environment and Cabinet Member for Public Protection for the positive report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

The meeting began at 10.00 a.m. and ended at 11.25 a.m.

There were two members of the public and one member of the press present.