Environment Scrutiny Panel 4 January 2008

ENVIRONMENT SCRUTINY PANEL

A meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Panel was held on 4 January 2008.

PRESENT: Councillor Cole (Chair); Councillors Lancaster McTigue and G Rogers.

OFFICIALS:K Campbell, A Crawford,J Duffield, G Field and E Jones.

PRESENT AS AN OBSERVER: Councillor Khan

**APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were submitted on behalf of Councillors Clark, Davison, Hubbard, Jones and J Walker.

**DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

No Declarations of Interest were made by Members at this point of the meeting.

**MINUTES

The minutes of the Environment Scrutiny Panel held on 3 December 2007 were taken as read and approved as a correct record.

CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The Public Protection Manager from Environment presented a report detailing the Councils’ Cemetery and Crematorium Development Plan and discussed the main issues surrounding the proposals.

It was explained that the cemeteries and crematorium structure was ageing and was placing greater demands on the mainstream budgets. Proposals to improve the facilities were identified in a Development Plan considered in September 2005 and two years on updates of the progress of the plan were provided and discussed.

The report gave consideration to the Main Cemetery Boundary at Thorntree, the Headstone Safety/Re-erections Programme, the extension of the Memorial Wall, Mercury Abatement at Teesside Crematorium, Annual Environmental Surcharge, Capital Bids, Fees and Charges, and the Bereavement Services Forum.

Of note, the Panel was informed of the following:

There was a £50,000 budget allocation to improve the northern boundary fence of Thorntree Cemetery.

2,950 headstones had been erected under a safety programme approved by the Executive at the cost of £300,000.

The Memorial wall was to be extended in 2008 at the cost of £25,000 in order to increase revenue and maintain an income stream of £30,000 per year.

The Executive had determined that a partial upgrade to the Teesside Crematorium was necessary in order to abate Mercury emissions. A 60 - 65% upgrade was planned at the cost of £1.65 million.

The decision to upgrade the crematorium committed the Council to a national partnership scheme called CAMEO, in which non-upgrading crematoria would contribute towards the costs of crematoria that would abate mercury output.

The panel was informed that the Council would be applying a £30.00 annual surcharge to the main cremation fee from April 2008 to help fund the Mercury abatement installation.

Capital bids had been made for Acklam Cemetery, with a view to replacing the railings, extending the cemetery path infrastructure, enhancing the CCTV coverage, extending the Crematorium car park and restoring the consecrated graves.

There was a proposal to increase the main burial and cremation fees by 9.5% in 2008/9 to produce additional income to balance the budget.

In the discussion that followed Members expressed concerns over the possible effects of mercury emissions for the residents living close to the crematorium. It was explained that this issue was being handled at a national level and that the Mercury abatement improvements were addressing the issue.

AGREED that the information contained within the report be noted.

REVIEW OF WASTE SERVICES – DRAFT FINAL REPORT

The Scrutiny Support Officer submitted a Draft Final Report that reviewed the Council’s Waste Services.

Based on the evidence gathered throughout the scrutiny investigation the panel discussed nine conclusions for inclusion in the report. These principally related to providing the most efficient waste collection service possible whilst also encouraging the reduction of waste and the maximisation of recycling collections. Consideration was also given to possible recommendations for the report as follows:

AGREED as follows:

1)The following recommendations be approved for inclusion in the panels’ final report.

a)That the Executive notes that, owing to the timescale associated with completion of the Executive Director of Environment’s review of Waste Services, this report has been produced on an interim basis.

b)That the Executive Director of Environment’s finalised proposals on the review, including alternative options available, are considered by the Environment Scrutiny Panel prior to submission to the Executive.

c)That any future proposals to alter waste services operations – for example any changes deemed necessary to increase recycling levels – are submitted to the scrutiny panel for consideration and comment.

d)That regular monitoring reports on the Council’s recycling targets and rates are submitted to the Environment Scrutiny Panel, together with details of work being done to maximise public participation, particularly in areas where low returns are currently achieved.

e)That arrangements are made to ensure that, wherever practicable, street cleansing takes place after refuse collection and not before.

f)That subject to revised refuse collection rounds being implemented and working effectively, the Council’s ‘no side waste’ policy is reaffirmed and appropriately publicised and enforced.

g)That further representations are made at a national level to the effect that recycled materials from the Energy From Waste Incinerator should be included in Council recycling targets.

2)That the draft report be approved for submission to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY BOARD UPDATE

The Chair requested that the panel note the contents of the submitted report, which provided an update on the business conducted at the Special Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 29 November 2007, and the Overview and Scrutiny Board Meeting held on 18 December 2007.

The items discussed in the report were as follows:

North East Ambulance Service – Ambulance Contact Centres
Call In: Erimus Housing – Group Structure Proposals
Executive Member – Social Care
Draft People Strategy (2007 – 2010)
Consolidated Performance Clinic report (July 2007 – September 2007)
Scrutiny Review – Implementation of Recommendations
Scrutiny Panel Progress Reports
Any Other Business – Report detailing the outcome of Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel

AGREED that the information contained within the report be noted.

IMPLEMENTATION OF 2005/2006 SCRUTINY REVIEW OF ALLOTMENTS

The Assistant Parks and Countryside Manager provided a verbal update on the work carried out on the Middlesbrough allotments over the previous financial year (2006/2007. Details were provided of the financial outlay for the work carried out on the various allotments.

Of note, the panel was informed that work had taken place at White Farm, Town Farm, Beechwood, Berwick Hills and Saltersgill allotments. The work carried out included land drainage work, fencing, car park improvements, removal of asbestos, repairs to roads, installation of notice boards and CCTV installation.

A discussion ensued regarding the maintenance of the allotments. It was explained to Members that an apprentice was hired to help clear up fly tipping and asbestos. The size of the task of clearing allotment sites was highlighted when it was explained that in some cases 20 years worth of rubbish needed to be cleared.

Another problem faced by the Council was that people relinquished their allotments but failed to notify the Council. This resulted in overgrown allotments that were an eyesore to look at and expensive to recondition.

It was explained that at certain times of the year, grass grew quicker, which resulted in allotments that looked untidy when an occupier had not attended for a period of weeks. The Parks and Countryside Manager explained that the Council looked to work alongside the

occupiers to ensure that the land was maintained on a regular basis.

An update was given concerning the Saltersgill allotments where a new key system had been implemented. The new system limited the occupiers access to the area of their allotment and this had proved hugely successful in reducing the amount of fly tipping.

AGREED that the information contained within the report be noted.

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