Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 15^th November, 2023. 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 15^th November 2023 were signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no Items of Urgent Business.

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no Declarations of Interest.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Environmental Services has been invited to the meeting to discuss her Portfolio.

The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services and the Chief Officer Environment & Place to the meeting.

The Committee had requested information from the Portfolio holder regarding the   Council’s Grassland Management Strategy, Green Bins and the work of the Recycling Working Group.

The Portfolio holder provided an update on the Grassland Management Strategy which had been agreed in 2021. It was reported that 10 km of grassland had successfully been established within the Lancaster district working with different friends and community groups with areas as large as Ryelands Park to small triangles of land.

The Committee discussed the maintenance of such Grassland areas and the funding structure including the recharge from the Housing Revenue Account.

With regard to Green Bins, it was reported that the Council provided 24,000 green bins at a cost of £41 a year which equated to £980,000 income for the Council annually. The Committee went on to discuss food waste and recycling bins.

An overview of the work that had been undertaken by the Recycling Working Group was provided. The Group had been established in March 2020 and had its final meeting in March 2023. It was reported that the Group had held a successful public meeting the previous year to consider Fly Tipping and listen to ideas of how this could be tackled locally.

The Committee was updated on the Council’s work with Keep Britain Tidy who had acknowledged the City Council was ahead of other Local Authorities with its use of the data collected. The Council had worked with Keep Britain Tidy to tackle Fly Tipping in targeted hotspots in the district. This intervention had seen a significant reduction in Fly Tipping and the Council was now working with Keep Britain Tidy on a Fly Tipping Strategy for the district.

Members went on to discuss Fly Tipping and Recycling in more depth. The importance of communicating to residents with the positive work the Council undertook was highlighted.  A number of questions were raised relating to resources, working with Town/County Council, prosecution for Fly Tipping, bin emptying and food waste.

The Committee requested that the Cabinet Member presented the draft Fly Tipping Strategy to the Committee once the draft had been prepared.

The Chair thanked the Chief Officer Environment & Place for the work his service carried out in swiftly removing offensive graffiti at the Cenotaph in Morecambe.

Resolved :-

(1)   That the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services and the Chief Officer Environment & Place be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

(2)   That the Committee request that the Cabinet Member presents the draft Fly Tipping Strategy to the Committee once the draft had been prepared.

(3)   That the Chief Officer Environment & Place and his staff be thanked for the work his service carried out in swiftly removing offensive graffiti at the Cenotaph in Morecambe.

Report of Chief Officer – Governance. 

Members considered a request from the Council’s Senior Leadership Team for the Committee to add the Tenant Satisfaction Measure Outcomes to the Work Programme. It was agreed that this would be considered at the January meeting.

The Committee discussed the quarterly update on the LGA Peer Challenge Review regarding Planning and agreed to move this to the February meeting and have further updates on a 6 month basis rather than every 3 months.

It was noted that the Chair was to meet with Senior Leadership Team to discuss the Fair Tax Motion.

Resolved :-

(1)   That the Tenant Satisfaction Measure Outcomes be added to the Work Programme for the January meeting of the Committee.

(2)   That the LGA Peer Challenge Review regarding Planning be moved to the February meeting and  further updates be provided on a 6 month basis rather than 3 month.

The List of Forthcoming Key Decisions can be viewed here

The Forthcoming Key Decisions were noted.