Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

The Portfolio Holder is asked to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2015 as a correct record. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2015 were agreed as a correct record and the following matters arose.

Dog wardens

The Head of Service, Environmental Health and Licensing explained that whilst the Council had officers who dealt with stray dogs and dog fouling it did not have the resources to employ a full time dog warden. Approximately 20 fixed penalty notices for dog fouling were issued last year, but the Council required accurate information in order to investigate. It was suggested that prosecutions should be included in parish newsletters.

It was noted that it was possible to identify dog mess using DNA, but the cost of this was approximately £250-300, which was more than the fixed penalty notice of £50.

Traffic wardens

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder explained that the Council did not have the resources to provide an additional service for all 106 villages and this authority was not responsible for providing traffic wardens.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary had responded in the following ways to suggestions raised by parishes with regard to illegal parking:

·         Volunteers photographing illegal parking was rejected as it could not prove if a car was parked, or just stopped or moving slowly.

·         The placing of notices on parked vehicles was not supported as it could provoke confrontations or lead to allegations of criminal damage being made against volunteers.

·         The employment of a traffic warden specifically for parishes was rejected on grounds of cost.

However, the Constabulary supported the employment of Police Community Support Officers(PCSO) by parish councils to specifically deal with parking complaints. A PCSO could be deployed for 42 hours at a cost of £1,000. It was suggested that smaller parishes could join together to take advantage of this suggestion. Further details were available from Inspector Isley: Richard.Isley@cambs.pnn.police.uk

Lorries parked overnight

Concerns were raised about littering and waste from lorries parked overnight in the District. Councillor Mick Martin explained that it was unlikely that all drivers would use a designated overnight parking area for lorries if there was a charge and it was not the Council’s responsibility to provide a subsidised service for private companies. The Head of Service, Environmental Health and Licensing agreed to look at tackling littering or any anti-social behaviour from HGV drivers parked overnight in the District.

New Head of Shared Waste Services

The Director of Health and Environmental Services announced that Paul Vanston would be starting work as the new Single Shared Waste Service Head of Waste Resources on 15 February 2016.

 Paul had been ranked number 12 in the UK Resources Hot 100 in the waste industry. He was the highest ranked public sector employee.

Reducing advertising costs

The meeting congratulated staff on using social media to recruit two new drivers at a cost to the authority of only £26.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        the emerging priorities for his Portfolio to be developed and delivered in the Health and Environmental Services Directorate Plan for 2016-17, subject to Council agreeing priorities for the SCDC Corporate Plan.

The Director of Health and Environmental Services introduced this item by inviting comments from the Portfolio Holder and councillors present on the suggested high-level priorities for 2016-17 detailed in the report.

Paragraph 13 was amended to read “… at a meeting attended by the Portfolio Holder in December 2015, prioritised improved access-to-services, improving mental health”.

It was noted that full Council would be asked to agree to include these priorities in the authority’s Corporate Plan.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        the emerging priorities for his Portfolio to be developed and delivered in the Health and Environmental Services Directorate Plan for 2016-17, subject to Council agreeing priorities for the SCDC Corporate Plan.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

ENDORSED   the withdrawal of the scheme at Girton centre (Prime Time) with effect from 01 April 2016.

AGREED        the interval between progress reports on the scheme be extended from six to twelve months.

The Development Officer introduced this report which updated the Portfolio Holder on the Council’s Active & Healthy 4 Life exercise referral scheme. The scheme covered 10 sports centres and 20 GP surgeries.

Councillor Mick Martin explained that following a discussion with Councillor Bridget Smith he had decided to review the scheme in Gamlingay to ascertain whether there was a realistic likelihood of increased benefit to the local community in the future.

It appeared that the numbers accessing the scheme were in decline. This could partly be attributed to the fact that GPs had been referring patients for obesity and it had since be clarified that the scheme was not appropriate for obese patients.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

ENDORSED   the withdrawal of the scheme at Girton centre (Prime Time) with effect from 01 April 2016.

AGREED        the interval between progress reports on the scheme be extended from six to twelve months.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        to confirm the proposed fees and charges set out in Appendix 1 of the report, with amendment of the figure of £50 to £75 for the full penalty for “Section 55 offences – dog related offences” for 2016/17.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder introduced this report on the proposed fees and charges for Health and Environmental Services for 2016/17 by explaining that the Council could not alter the statutory charges and he was satisfied with the proposed figures for the discretionary charges. It was noted that the figure for the full penalty for “Section 55 offences – dog related offences” should be £75 and not £50 as written in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder

AGREED        to confirm the proposed fees and charges set out in Appendix 1 of the report, with amendment of the figure of £50 to £75 for the full penalty for “Section 55 offences – dog related offences” for 2016/17.

The Portfolio Holder is invited to maintain a Forward Plan of future decisions.

The Environmental Services Portfolio Holder announced that he would keep the Forward Plan under review, but there were no pressing issues requiring a decision in the near future.

Councillors are asked to bring their diaries.

Any future meetings would be held if there was sufficient business.