Agenda item

An opportunity for the Portfolio Holders to provide an update to the Panel on developments within their portfolios.

The Panel received updates from the Portfolio Holders on developments within their portfolios.

Cllr Rackham declared a personal interest as a member of the Totton Lantern Procession team. She did not feel this interest was prejudicial and participated in the discussion of this item.

Cllr David Russell, People and Places Portfolio Holder

The Folio Arts and Cultural work network had grown to 150 local creative and cultural professionals. Recent training workshops were attended by 60 attendees who learned  about community engagement and cultural projects in the District.  

Culture in Common had submitted their business plan to the Arts Council and the first year of programming was being considered. Future projects included a New Forest Comedy Festival, the New Forest Film Festival and a rural touring programme  supported by NFDC and Folio.

The Creative and Cultural Development officer role was being extended for a further 2 years until May 2025 to continue these and similar projects.

Streetscene had developed plans for changing facilities at Hythe, Ringwood and Brockenhurst, with planning permission for a replacement toilet block at Barton Beach. 

Data from the Bin Sensors across forest locations was being analysed which indicated bin usage and informed servicing.

Ground Maintenance continued to develop the site at Fawley Fields with the introduction of Wild Flower Meadow planting, to compliment the tree whip planting as part of the Queens Green Canopy.  The conservation management plan for vegetation at Barton Cliff was being implemented.

The Council would shortly be advertising a new Behavioural Insights role to develop campaigns and initiatives to reduce litter and fly tipping in the District.

Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, Partnership and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

Cllr Blunden was pleased to report the recent completion of capital projects at the leisure centres, referred to in detail earlier on the agenda, and the related benefits for the local community in encouraging people to keep fit and active. 

The Panel noted the Council had recently written to the Government on the impact of utility costs, and that funding would be made available in the upcoming budget, with Sport England overseeing this support to 800 local authority - owned pools across the country.  

Food safety inspections were ongoing and the pandemic backlog had been cleared.

Applications were being received for events to celebrate the King’s Coronation at the beginning of May and officers were giving advice to help the organisers run events safely. Guidance on control of noise from licensed premises would be published on the Council website within the next few weeks.

The Contaminated Land Strategy for the district and the Taxi Licensing Policy were both being reviewed and would be subject to consultation with Members and stakeholders.

A new Emergency Planning Officer would support the Council in being prepared for any potential incidents impacting service delivery and assist communities in responding and recovering from any adverse situations.  

A member asked what measures were intended to improve air quality in the local area. It was explained that a report on the development of a Clean Air Strategy would be brought to the Panel in June, including a review of air quality management areas in the District. The Portfolio Holder and officers offered to provide the member with further details as required.  

(As a general point, a number of members reiterated their view that the format of the Dashboards needed to revised as the text was too small to read in hard copy format. Members were reminded that the document was more easily viewable in electronic format.)