Agenda item

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.   

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 April 2014 and the joint meeting with Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 28 April, 2014 had been circulated to Members with the agenda.

Matters Arising

            2 April 2014

                        Councillor Haydn Bateman referred to page 5 on Traffic Infrastructure and Services and sought clarity on the emphasis of funding available being changed from leisure use to supporting the local economy.  The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) said that there had been a change of emphasis on the area of funding to those cycleways that now served the business economy. 

                        Councillor Peter Curtis indicated that he had not received a response to his request at the previous meeting on parking permits for carers who needed to undertake regular visits as part of their work.  The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) advised that he had replied but indicated that hewould do so again.  The Cabinet Member for Environment spoke of the specific issue raised by Councillor Curtis and said that once further details had been agreed on Civil Enforcement, updates would be provided to the Committee. 

            In response to a question from Councillor Chris Dolphin about when a report on the criteria used in the survey to ascertain the condition of roads would be submitted to the Committee, the Environment and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Facilitator advised that it would be considered at the Committee meeting scheduled for 9 July 2014.  The Cabinet Member for Environment advised that Councillor Dolphin could have details of the criteria prior to the next meeting. 

            Councillor Nancy Matthews asked when the update report on the Energy Switching pilot scheme would be available.  The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) said that a report could be provided to the 9 July 2014 meeting of the Committee.  In response to a query from Councillor Dolphin, he added that a review of C roads would be undertaken once the review of A and B roads had been implemented.          

            28 April 2014

                        Councillor Dolphin asked what progress had been made on Housing and Planning colleagues working together to work proactively with owners to bring empty houses back into use.  In response, the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) said that the project was ‘work in progress’ but that Housing and Planning colleagues were committed to identifying a solution.  The Environment and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Facilitator advised that a workshop on empty homes had taken place recently and was attended by both Planning and Housing colleagues.  Councillor Peter Curtis referred to the issue of funding being provided for shop fronts to be brought back into use but suggested that a condition should be imposed that any flats above the shops should not be left vacant for several months as had been the case in the past.  The Facilitator advised that these issues could be discussed at the Town Centres workshop for Members which was scheduled for 14 July 2014.

            Councillor Paul Shotton commented on the Welsh Government Houses to Homes Scheme and asked when work would commence on a particular project in Connah’s Quay.  The Cabinet Member for Environment requested that Councillor Shotton put his request in writing to the Chief Officer (Community and Enterprise) to enable her to provide a response.  The Environment and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Facilitator advised that the issue had been considered at a recent Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting. 

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.