Minutes for Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) meeting, Mar 9 2010, 6.30PM official page

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S. Mainey.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

The following declaration of interest was received:-

Member

Minute No.

Reason

Action

Councillor Cluskey

67 – Joint Waste Development Plan: Consultation on Preferred Options Report

Personal Interest – he is a Council appointed Member (and Chair) of Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority

Took part in the consideration of the items and voted thereon;

Minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2010, be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No. 55 of 2 February 2010, and to Minute No. 19 of the Cabinet Urgent Business Committee of 25 February 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director informing Members of the decisions of those Committees and dealing with the consultations held with the Planning Inspectorate and Counsel on the soundness of the Joint Waste Development Plan: Preferred Options Report.

A letter received from the Deputy Regional Director, Government Office North West, referring to the request for the Planning Inspectorate to consider the soundness of the document, was also circulated to Members.

Councillor D. Tattersall, Cabinet Member - Environmental Services, the Planning & Economic Regeneration Director and Mr C. Beer, Director of Waste Disposal – Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA), attended the meeting, gave evidence and answered Members questions in relation to the report.

Members discussed the report in detail and accepted the comments regarding soundness in planning terms, and the ability of all interested parties, including MWDA, to raise issues during the consultation process. Concern was expressed regarding the following issues:-

            (i)         the lack of sites identified in excess of 8 hectares within the Merseyside region and how this related to the principle of waste being dealt with in close proximity to where it was produced;

            (ii)        the need to identify “Energy from Waste” sites and the significant impact such sites could have on the region’s achievement of waste disposal and carbon reduction targets; and

            (iii)       the effect of the plan in relation to the needs of the MWDA in terms of its procurement process and subsequent need for sites.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Council note the report’s recommendations, with the exception that the Preferred Options Report be circulated for public consultation following the General and Local Elections in 2010; and

(2)       the following concerns of this Committee be noted:-

(i)         that the process of formal consultation with MWDA has not resulted in the needs and outcomes of the formal procurement of MWDA being given sufficient weight or recognition;

(ii)        that insufficient recognition has been given to the cost of alternative waste scenarios; and

(iii)       that information and evidence of the scrutiny applied to the development of the preferred policy options on energy from waste has not been submitted to members of Overview and Scrutiny for information and guidance.

Councillor Barber requested that his abstention from voting be recorded.

Report of Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director.

Further to Minute No. 75 of the Council meeting held on 14 January 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director setting out a considered cross-directorate response to the Notice of Motion put forward at the meeting of the Council on 14 January 2010, in respect of the possibility of Sefton joining the '10:10 Campaign on Carbon Savings'.

Following the motion, moved by Councillor McGuire and seconded by Councillor Tattersall, the Council had resolved as follows:-

“This Council notes that:

(1)       Climate change predictions show that without severe cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, the world will be hit by drought, flooding and famine affecting all of us, and poorest countries in particular.  Some of these countries are already suffering from the effects of climate change.  This is an issue of social justice as well as a call to take environmental action.

(2)       Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the UK is due to cut its emissions by 34% by 2020, but according to climate change scientists, a cut of 10% in 2010 is in line with what is now needed to avert runaway climate change.

(3)       Increasing numbers of Councils are signing up to the "10:10 Campaign" which seeks to persuade individuals, businesses, organisations and the UK government to reduce their CO2 emissions by 10% in 2010.

This Council is of a mind to support the aims and ambitions of the 10:10 Campaign and requests the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) to examine the feasibility of the Council signing up to the campaign as part of Sefton's commitment to tackling climate change.”

In accordance with Rule 15.14 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, the motion would be referred to the Cabinet following consideration by this Committee for formal consideration of the financial implications, in advance of any budgetary commitment and prior to any action being taken to implement the decision.

Councillor McGuire and Councillor Tattersall attended the meeting and gave their views on the Council supporting the aims and ambitions of the 10:10 Campaign.

The report indicated that the Council was already a signatory of the North West Development Agency (NWDA) Climate Change Declaration, the UK Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change and had a Carbon Management Plan which covered all areas of Council Carbon arisings with a 5 year plan to reduce carbon and other related greenhouse gas emissions.  This gave a good public profile to the Council’s commitment to mitigating climate change and to carbon reduction. The report also indicated that the ‘10:10’ Campaign involved a commitment to have an absolute reduction in energy use of 10% between 01 January 2010 and 31 December 2010.

Councilllor McGuire and Councillor Tattersall reported on the issues which the  ‘10:10’ Campaign stood for, the focus it gave to issues which the Council was also concerned about and the general ethos of the campaign in encouraging any improvement in reducing carbon emissions. It was accepted that the Council could not offer a solution to reach a 10% reduction in carbon emissions within the forthcoming 11 months. However, plans were already in place to achieve reductions of 2-3% and they felt that this would be within the ethos of the campaign.

The report also made reference to a Strategic Review of carbon mitigation which had been due for completion in December 2009 but was still awaited. Members felt that it was unfortunate that the report was not available to inform the discussion regarding the motion and requested that the report be made available to all Members of the Committee as soon as possible.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the motion moved at the Council meeting on 14 January 2010 by Councillor McGuire and seconded by Councillor Tattersall be supported;

(2)       the Council be recommended to sign up to the 10:10 Carbon Campaign as part of Sefton's commitment to tackling climate change; and

(3)       the findings and recommendations from the Strategic Review of carbon mitigation be submitted to this Committee as soon as possible.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No 82 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 27 January 2010 and Minute No. 95 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Corporate Services held on 3 February 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director giving an update on the Active Workforce Programme.

The report, which covered the period April 2008 – December 2009 indicated that:-;

(i)         since the successful pilot provided by Sefton Public Health Partnership (Sefton Council and Sefton Primary Care Trust), the partnership now included 10 organisations;

(ii)        4,000 employees had signed up to the programme, with 1,500 of these paying for a subsidised Active Sefton fitness suite membership, generating £25,000 per month additional income across all leisure centres;

(iii)       the Programme was contributing towards National Indicators 18 and 19; and

(iv)       £47,000 worth of funding from the Department of Work and Pensions had been applied for through the Health Work and Wellbeing Challenge Fund, with a view to increased opportunities for the workforce to participate in sport and recreation, for example the creation of courses and leagues in sports such as badminton, football, netball and softball.

RESOLVED:  

That the report and the significant progress and development of the Active Workforce Programme be received.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No. 86 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 27 January 2010 the Committee considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director on the accreditation award for sport and recreation service. The detailed information in the report was intended to:-

(i)         provide Members with the outcome of the external accreditation inspections that were undertaken on the Sport and Recreation Development team for the leisure industry’s most significant Quality Assurance schemes; and

(ii)        highlight some areas of work which had been identified as being national exemplars.

The report also indicated that in November and December 2009 the sport and recreation service had been subject to two external inspections in order to make a comparison to similar services across the UK; that the defining element throughout the inspection was the positive ‘Culture’ in the workforce; and that the inspection provided assurance for customers and stakeholders of performance and quality.

Copies of the reports outlining the view of the inspectors were attached as annexes to the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the achievements of the Sport and Recreation Development team be welcomed;

(2)       the Cabinet be recommended to note the achievements of the Sport and Recreation Development team and convey congratulations to all the staff involved in achieving the accreditation award; and

(3)       it be noted that a follow up report outlining how the achievements of the service contributes to the LAA targets and the objectives of key partners, will be submitted to an appropriate meeting of the Committee in due course.

Joint report of the Environmental Protection Director and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 101 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 10 February 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Environmental Protection Director and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director, informing of the quarterly forecast position based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio's Revenue Budget and Capital Programme.

The report indicated the details of the Portfolio's budgets that were monitored and reported on the risk-assessed basis which were set out in Annex A of the report as follows:

(i)   Payroll Costs;

(ii)   Commercial Waste External Income;

(iii)   Dry Recyclable Collection Costs;

(iv)   Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority Recycling Credits; and

(v)   Sales of Materials.

The Portfolio's current Capital Programme was set out in Annex B of the report.

The report concluded by inviting comments about the overall performance of the Portfolio's revenue budget to the Cabinet for consideration.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the progress on the Environmental Portfolio's revenue budgets that are subject to risk-based monitoring be received; 

(2)       the progress made on the schemes within the Portfolio's elements of the Council's Capital Programme be noted; and .

(3)       no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 107 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Technical Services held on 17 February 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Technical Services, the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and the Finance and Information Services Director, providing the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and indicating that a decision on this matter was required to comply with the corporate performance management process.

The report also sought a view on whether any comments should be made to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Development Director, the Head of Technical Services and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 136 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Technical Services held on 24 February 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Technical Services, the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and the Finance and Information Services Director, providing the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and indicating that a decision on this matter was required to comply with the corporate performance management process.

The report also sought a view on whether any comments should be made to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Joint report of the Leisure and Tourism Director and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 95 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 24 February 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Leisure and Tourism Director and Finance and Information Services Director, providing the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and indicating that a decision on this matter was required to comply with the corporate performance management process.

The report also sought a view on whether any comments should be made to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Joint report of the Head of Tourism and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 96 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 24 February 2010, the Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Tourismand Finance and Information Services Director,providing the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and indicating that a decision on this matter was required to comply with the corporate performance management process.

The report also sought a view on whether any comments should be made to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Development Director and the Acting Finance and Information Services Director

Further to Minute No. 173 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 10 February 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director that provided the forecast position, based on information as at the 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget.

The report also informed Members of the recent announcement of the provisional Local Authority Business Growth Initiative Grant for 2009/10, which indicated that the Council would receive a grant in the region of £207,000.

RESOLVED: That

the report be received and no comments be made at present to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive indicating that, in order to keep Members informed, it had been agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board to submit relevant Cabinet Member Reports to Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Accordingly, the Committee received the latest reports from the Cabinet Members for Environmental, Leisure and Tourism, Regeneration and Technical Services.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member reports be received.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive attaching the latest Key Decision Forward Plan which contained all the Key Decisions which the Executive was anticipated to take during the above period. The Committee was advised of its right to pre-scrutinise any Key Decision which fell under its remit.

Reference was made to the submission of Revenue and Capital Expenditure Monitoring Reports to the Committee and whether this was the most appropriate method of keeping Members informed. It was reported that an away day event had been proposed to allow Members to revisit the role of Overview and Scrutiny in the near future and that such issues might be raise at that time

The Chair referred to the proposed Agenda for the next meeting and suggested that the topic of “worklessness” might be considered in detail and appropriate officers and partner organisations be invited to contribute to the debate on that issue.

RESOLVED:            That

(1)       the contents of the Forward Plan for the period 1 March to 30 June 2010, be accepted;

(2)       the progress and actions of the Working Groups to date be approved;

(3)            arrangements be made for the topic of “worklessness” to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee and appropriate officers and partner organisations be invited to the meeting to contribute to the debate.