Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1, Appletree Court, Lyndhurst

Contact: 023 8028 5588 - ask for Jan Debnam  E-mail:  jan.debnam@nfdc.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

Apologies

 

None were received.

 

 

23.

Chairman's Thanks and Welcome

Minutes:

The Chairman referred to recent changes of membership.  He firstly thanked Cllr Clarke for his work on the Panel in recent years.  The Chairman was pleased to welcome Cllr Bennison to her first meeting as a member of the Panel, and also Cllr Hoare, the newly appointed Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regulatory Services.

 

 

24.

Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2017 as a correct record.

 

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2017 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

 

25.

Declarations of Interest

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item.  The nature of the interest must also be specified.

 

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made by any member in connection with an agenda item.

 

 

26.

Public Participation

To note any issues raised during the public participation period.

 

 

Minutes:

No issues were raised in the public participation period.

 

 

27.

Portfolio Holders' Reports

To receive an oral update from the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Regulatory Services and for Planning and Infrastructure.

 

 

Minutes:

Cllr E J Heron, the Planning and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder, advised the Panel that work on the preparation of the Local Plan was progressing.  The latest report to be published on-line was the research into the Objective Assessment of Housing Need for the District, and the Portfolio Holder was pleased to report that the Council would be able to bring forward a local plan that, as closely as was practically possible, met the identified need.  The Council was also continuing to work with neighbouring authorities under the general duty to co-operate.

 

It was anticipated that there would be a further informal briefing for all members of the Council prior to the Local Plan being submitted to the Cabinet and Council for approval. That briefing session would concentrate on policies and overarching issues.  Local issues could be raised with the Portfolio Holder on an individual basis, although supplementary planning documents for individual sites would not be produced until a later stage in the process.

 

In answer to questions, Cllr Heron advised the Panel that there was the capacity to increase the number of car parking spaces available in the car parks in Hythe following the sale of the St John’s street car park to Lidl.  The additional spaces would not however be provided unless there was a demonstrated need, based on use levels and patterns.

 

With respect to tidal flooding at Shore Road Hythe, this was a County Council issue, but Cllr Heron would be happy to raise it with appropriate departments if the relevant information was forwarded to him.

 

Cllr Hoare, the Environment and Regulatory Services Portfolio Holder, was pleased to report that, notwithstanding the storms over the Christmas period, all refuse collection and recycling rounds had been completed and she particularly commended the commitment of the staff that had responded to cover when two of the vehicles had broken down.  The Council’s tree contractor had also been very busy responding to fallen trees and it was agreed that the Portfolio Holder would write to them to thank them for their efforts over the Christmas period.

 

Cllr Hoare was pleased to report that all the Council’s beach huts remained intact after the storms.  A quantity of shingle had been deposited on the walkway at Milford, but clearance was currently underway.

 

The Council had received a grant to monitor traffic flows and vehicle types along the A35 between the A326 and the boundary with Southampton, and also within central Totton.  This was in connection with air quality assessment work.  The contractors undertaking the work would be able to compare current levels with data from 2015.

 

Additional diffusion tubes had also been installed along the A35 to gather additional information on air quality.  A joint action plan on air quality must be agreed by this Council and Southampton City Council by July 2018.  There was some Government funding available to progress the necessary works.  The Portfolio Holder would be meeting Therese Coffey, the Minister responsible, at Southampton on the following day.

 

Cllr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

28.

Project Integra - Annual Performance

To receive a presentation from Chris Noble, Head of Project Integra, on their

performance over the last year.

 

 

Minutes:

Chris Noble, Head of Project Integra, advised the Panel on a number of issues that would be influencing Project Integra’s activities over the coming months.

 

At a National level, the Framework for Greater Consistency in Household Recycling in England which had been published by WRAP in October 2016 had the vision that:

 

“By 2025, packaging is designed to be recyclable (where practical and environmentally beneficial) and labelled clearly to indicate whether it can be recycled or not. It is a vision where every household in England can recycle a common set of dry recyclable materials and food waste, collected in one of three different ways”

 

As a result it was expected that all households would be able to recycle the same core set of materials; there would be fewer collection and sorting systems; and there would be a common container colour system.  There had been some progress on the introduction of the consistency framework, and Project Integra had responded to the recent consultation on bin colours.

 

Members were aware, from recent media reports, of other potential initiatives to reduce the use of disposable cups and bottles, and to improve the rate of recycling of plastics.  In addition, Defra had called for evidence on a potential deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, glass, cans and cartons.  Project Integra had submitted a response, emphasising the need for any decision to be evidence based.  Other developments included the recently announced 25 year Environment Plan to eradicate all unnecessary plastic waste by 2042 and the new Waste and Resource Strategy to be published by Defra in 2018.

 

The European Commission also had proposals to amend 6 waste-related Directives to create a circular economy for resources, to boost recycling, secure access to raw materials and create jobs and economic growth.  Negotiations were continuing, with the target level for recycling, likely to be 65-70% the current focus for negotiation.  It was expected that these amendments would be adopted into UK law irrespective of Brexit.

 

Recent changes to the materials that China would accept for recycling would undoubtedly affect worldwide recycling markets, although Project Integra was not currently using the Chinese markets.

 

Analysis of the contents of a sample of black plastic sacks in 2015-16 had established that 8.5% of the contents should already have been placed in the clear plastic sacks for recycling, while a further 19% consisted of materials that were potentially recyclable, including through other routes, such as glass, batteries and garden waste.  Other potential markets were being explored by Project Integra, but under the Whole System Cost approach adopted by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authority Chief Executives in January 2016.  A number of topics were under consideration including the configuration of the Materials Recycling Facilities; the materials that could be collected for which there were markets; and the working relationship between the waste collection and waste disposal authorities. 

 

For the future, Project Integra’s focus would be on waste prevention, in particular seeking re-use rather than the disposal of bulky household  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

29.

New Forest Spring Clean 2018

To receive a presentation on arrangements for the forthcoming “Spring Clean” of the District.

 

 

Minutes:

The Panel was advised that, working with partner organisations, this Council would once again be taking part in the New Forest Spring Clean. The main launch period would be the weekend of 2-4 March, but community groups could organise litter picking events at any time.  The organisers were asked to register the event with this Council, who would asset in making sure the necessary risk assessment was done, and also loan the group essential equipment such as high visibility jackets and litter pickers.  The Council would also collect the filled rubbish sacks.

 

Litter picking events had been a great success in previous years and it was hoped that there would be a similar level of interest this year.  Each member of the Council was being given a leaflet on the Spring Clean to assist them to promote events in their local communities.

 

 

30.

Key Actions and Service Review Programme - Update Report pdf icon PDF 75 KB

To provide an update on the work being undertaken as part of the regular monitoring of the delivery plan.

 

 

Minutes:

The Panel was updated on progress against the delivery plan that had been developed to deliver the Council’s Corporate Plan.  Members were advised that in future the reporting on progress would be in a different format, focussing on the delivery of the priorities in the Corporate Plan.  A draft Corporate Framework would be submitted to the February meeting of the Cabinet.

 

Members welcomed the progress being made against the current 5 service reviews relevant to this Panel.

 

 

31.

Textile Bring Banks - Future Options pdf icon PDF 85 KB

To seek the views of Members with regard to the options available for the collection of textiles and the allocation of the income received.

 

 

Minutes:

The Panel considered the future operation of textile banks in the Council’s car parks.  This review had been triggered following notification by “Bag-it-Up”, who currently collected from 17 of the 28 textile banks on Council-owned land, that they were no longer supporting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.  As an interim measure a proportion of the proceeds from the materials being collected by them was being directed towards the Chairman’s Charities.  Oxfam and the Salvation Army also benefitted from textile banks stationed on Council-owned land but this Council currently received no benefit.  There was some concern that the funds raised by them were distributed on a national basis, and not necessarily of benefit to local people.

 

Research into options had established that this Council could realise a greater level of income through taking part in a Hampshire-wide arrangement, the contract for which would be renewed in 2019.  The income received could then be directed into the Council’s community grants budget, to which local community groups could submit applications for projects of specific local benefit.

 

The Panel concurred that this would achieve a better outcome for local people.  It was accordingly

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Environment and Regulatory Services Portfolio Holder be advised that this Panel considers that:

 

(i)      That with effect from 1 April 2018, all income received from the sale of textile materials should be used to contribute towards charitable organisations who directly service the District and the allocation of those monies should be through the Community Grants process;

 

(ii)     That negotiations take place with the 3 organisations that currently place textile banks on Council owned land to secure the best possible income to the Council for the financial year 2018/19; and

 

(iii)    That the Council enter into discussions with Fareham Borough Council regarding joining the County framework contract with effect from April 2019.

 

 

32.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 40 KB

To agree the work programme to guide the Panel’s activities over the coming months.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the work programme attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes be approved to guide the Panel’s activities over the coming months.