Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Fraser and Rochford.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The Minutes from the Environment and Community Panel meeting held on 24 February 2016 were agreed as a correct record.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Those declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There was none.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposed to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was no Urgent Business.

Councillor Moriarty requested that the Norfolk Waste Contract and the impact on service and cost to the Council be considered as urgent business and discussed by the Panel.  The Chairman explained that representatives from Norfolk County Council had been invited to attend the meeting but had not attended.  The item of business would be considered at the Environment and Community Panel Meeting scheduled to take place on 20 April 2016 or at a date where representatives from Norfolk County Council were able to attend.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

There was none.

If any.

There was none.

To receive comments and recommendations from other Council bodies, and any responses to recommendations, which the Panel has previously made.

At the Cabinet meeting on 1 March 2016, the following responses were made to the recommendations from the Environment and Community Panel and the Joint Panel Meetings on 24 February 2016:

EC46: Crematorium Project Update

PANEL RECOMMENDATION: That the Environment and Community Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet as set out in the report.

CABINET RESPONSE: The comments of the Panel were taken into account when Cabinet considered the item.

EC57: Modifications to the Local Plan (Joint Panel Meeting)

PANEL RECOMMENDATION: That the Joint Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet as set out below:

That Cabinet recommend to Council that:

1. The proposed modifications be agreed.

2. The modifications and supporting documents be made available for representations for a period of 6 weeks, and any comments received are passed to the Inspector

CABINET RESPONSE: The comments of the Panel were taken into account when Cabinet considered the item.

CABINET RESPONSE: The comments of the Panel were taken into account when Cabinet considered the item.

EC58: Assessing King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s Housing Requirement (Joint Panel Meeting)

PANEL RECOMMENDATION: That the Joint Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet as set out below:

Cabinet is recommended to endorse the ‘Assessing King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s Housing Requirement’ Report.

The Panel noted the responses made by Cabinet to the recommendations from the Panel meeting on 24 February 2016 in respect of the following items:

·         Crematorium Project Update

·         Modifications to the Local Plan

·         Assessing King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s Housing Requirement.

To receive a presentation from the Marketing and Development Manager.

The Marketing and Development Manager provided those present with information on communicating waste and recycling.

A copy of his presentation is attached.

The Chairman thanked the Marketing and Development Manager for his presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel as summarised below.

Councillor Mrs Squire asked if data on levels of waste collected had been compared to population growth.  The Marketing and Development Manager explained that comparisons had not been made, but information could be made available if required.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Long felt that the increased levels of waste could be down to affluence and people now buying more products and getting rid of old products now that the recession was over.  He commented that the population increase meant more homes and more people paying Council Tax to pay for the waste collection service.

Councillor Mrs Bower referred to textiles and commented that they could sometimes be bulky items.  The Marketing and Development Officer commented that textiles and bedding could not be recycled.  Options could be looked at such as a textile collection services and also small electrical items which often were put in recycling and caused contamination.  The Chairman explained that there were options available to recycle textiles such as the bins at the fire station, or giving them to animal rescue centres.  The Marketing and Development Officer commented that he worked with the Salvation Army.

The Vice Chairman explained that residents within her ward had raised issues regarding bagged collections and agreed to raise her issues with the Marketing and Development Manager.  The Vice Chairman referred to a questionnaire which had been sent to all residents and commented that she had not received one.  In response to the questions raised by the Vice Chairman, the Marketing and Development Manager explained that an information pack would be sent to all households on how they could be involved in the waste and recycling project and would include details on how residents could become Waste and Recycling Champions.  He anticipated that fifty to sixty Champions would be appointed and over thirty had been appointed already from people who had expressed an interest.

The Marketing and Development Manager informed the Panel that public engagement exercises and ways to raise awareness would be carried out, including door knocking, face to face contact and the use of social media.

The Marketing and Development Manager explained that data could be retrieved from the collection vehicles about the service provided, waste collected and amount of contamination.  He explained that bins with obvious contamination were tagged and not collected.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Long explained that over the years the Council had taken many different approaches to increase recycling levels and reduce the amount of contamination.  He explained that fixed penalty notices and enforcement action had been used in the past.

The Vice Chairman commented that residents in her Ward who had bagged collections had found it difficult to request more bags and the Assistant Director agreed to look  ...  view the full minutes text for item EC66:

To receive the following reports.

Councillor Mrs Watson provided the Panel with an update of the Outside Body.  She explained that they had met recently and this was the first meeting for two years.  She provided the Panel with details of the challenges, opportunities and successes of the College.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Mrs Watson for her report and invited questions and comments from the Panel. 

The Vice Chairman asked if the College offered courses which reflected the needs of local businesses.  Councillor Mrs Watson commented that the College were looking at this.

RESOLVED: The Panel noted the report.

A report had been submitted by Councillor Mrs Wright and was included in the agenda.  Councillor Smith provided the Panel with an overview of the Area Museums Committee.

RESOLVED: The Panel noted the report.

Councillor Mrs Westrop presented her report which had been included in the agenda.  She provided the Panel with an update on the work of the Outside Body.  She asked for information on what the Borough Council had in place for dealing with domestic violence and anti-social behaviour.  The Chairman commented that the Police had systems in place and suggested that representatives from the Outside Body liaise with the police.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Long commented that the Police and Crime Commissioner had a funding allocation for the prevention of crime and allocated money to charities who dealt with domestic violence.

The Assistant Director informed the Panel that the Council’s Community Safety Team worked closely with the Police and met twice a week to share information.  All reports of domestic violence and anti-social behaviour to the Council were risk assessed and then dealt with be either the Community Safety and Neighbourhood Nuisance Team or the Police, depending on the circumstances.  The Assistant Director informed those present that all front line staff had received training on recognising radicalisation and safeguarding.  She suggested that Councillor Mrs Westrop liaise with the Personnel and Community Safety Department, who could provide more information on the procedures in place.

RESOLVED: The report was noted.

Councillor Mrs Young provided the Panel with an update on the Norfolk Health Overview Scrutiny Committee.  She explained that the Committee received reports from the four Clinical Commissioning Groups and concerns were addressed.

She explained that perceived shortfalls in service by Health Care providers were noted, and the relevant body was expected to address issues raised, and to return to the Committee with evidence of improvement in service.   The process continued until there was evidence of good practice.

Councillor Mrs Young provided the Panel with areas of concern raised by the Committee which included the provision of mental health services, children’s mental health services, continuing health care in Norfolk, out of hours services and discharges from hospitals.

RESOLVED: The report was noted.

A report had been published as a supplementary item to the Agenda by Councillor Moriarty.

RESOLVED: The report was noted.

Councillor Bubb presented his report on the work of the West Norfolk Disability Forum.  He referred to the events put on by the Forum and felt that they needed to be refreshed and public awareness needed to be raised.  Councillor Bubb commented that work needed to be carried out to increase attendance at the Forum meetings and it would be beneficial if representatives from local organisations concerned with people with disabilities could attend the meetings.

The Chairman suggested that Councillor Bubb put together proposals on how the events could be made more successful and how attendance could be increased at the meetings and liaise with the Chairman so that an update could be presented at a future meeting of the Environment and Community Panel.  The Chairman suggested that Councillor Bubb could include some information in the Members Bulletin to seek the views of other Members.

RESOLVED: The report was noted.

To consider the Work Programme.

In considering the Work Programme Members’ attention is drawn to the Cabinet Forward Decision List.

The Chairman referred to the Panel’s Work Programme and requested that Members of the Panel contact him if they had suggestions on items they would like to be considered at a future meeting.

Councillor Bubb requested that the Panel look at urban facilities, enhancement and street furniture.

RESOLVED: The Work Programme and forward decision list was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 20 April 2016 at 4.00pm in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn, PE30 1EX.

The next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel would be held on Wednesday 20 April 2016 at 4.00pm in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.