Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 29 April 2013 and 15 May 2013 (Special) and authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meetings held on 29 April 2013 and 15 May 2013 (Special) were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee will receive a report setting out the work that it has carried out this municipal year.  The Committee are asked to note the report and authorise the Chairman to agree the final version for Council.

The Committee discussed the items they had scrutinised over the last municipal year, and agreed there was some updates that they required on specific items.

The Committee noted and agreed that report and authorised the chairman to agree the final version for Council.

The Committee received a presentation from the Head of Asset Management on Romford Market.  The Committee noted that there were licensed traders who according to their conditions of their licenses were expected to turn up every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  There were casual traders who paid a higher rate but were not tied into appearing every week.

The Committee raised concerns about the drop in numbers of licensed traders, in the last 5 year.  The officer stated that they were working on a number of initiatives to try to bring people back to Romford Market.

The Committee was informed that the rental cost included the removal of rubbish at the end of the day.  Officers explained that spot checks were carried out to ensure that stallholders are not over generating waste.  The majority of licensed traders now paid their rent by direct debit.  This eliminated the safety of officers who used to have to collect rent, which could be large amounts of cash.  If there were any late payments, the officers had a chip and pin machine, that stallholders could pay by card.

A member asked why the stallholders were not made to remove their own waste.  Officers stated that the removal of rubbish was included in their rental agreement.

The Committee discussed issues about attracting more people to Romford.  Officers stated that it was the council’s view to get people into Romford however it was down to the stallholders to do the salesmanship of their goods.  The officer explained how the market was marketed, though different locations and groups, these included the visitor centre, Living magazine, coach magazines, visitors guide to Havering as well as through other websites and newspaper articles.

A member asked about competing traders and how these were located in the market place.  Officers stated that there was a rule that competing traders should be 80 feet away from each other.

The officer outlined the current issues and how they were being addressed.  The biggest problem which was noticed by most people was the licensed traders not turning up, which created a poor visual image.  There was resistance to new traders from existing ones who do not welcome competition and with the current economic climate, retailing in general was at a low point.  The council was working hard to attract more short term traders but it was difficult given the surrounding environment of empty shops and mothballed development.

A number of options and initiatives were discussed about how the market could be better utilised included a new food court which would be opening on Saturday 22^nd June 2013.  Other options included speciality markets, incorporating the North Street trader back into the Market Place, increase promotion and events i.e. St Georges Day, Christmas.

The Committee will receive a presentation on the Waste Strategy and the Local Government Weekly Collection Support Scheme.

The Committee received a briefing from the Head of Streetcare on the Waste Prevention and Reward Campaigns.  He stated that through the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Weekly Collection Support Scheme, Havering had been awarded £1 million for a rewards and incentive scheme and £350,000 for a waste prevention campaign.

The Committee noted the number of prevention activities that had been put in place including Home Composting Bins, Love Food Hate Waste campaign, Real Nappy campaign as well as Give and Take days which take place once a month at Central Library

For the rewards and incentive scheme, a contract was out to tender.  The service was using the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Framework and working with iESE to procure a contractor to deliver the project.

The specification had been written with key objections of encouraging resident to reduce their waste primarily by increasing recycling.  Residents would be asked to sign up to the scheme and would be awarded points on a loyalty card which depended on the tonnage of recycling produced.  The reward points could then potentially be either donated to local charities, school or used as discounts in local retailers.

It was anticipated that the scheme would start in late November/ early December 2013.

The Committee raised concerns about bottle boxes and how the glass was currently separated.  The officer explained that glass was separated at the Bio-MRF however the quality was not as good as if the glass was separate from household waste.  It was noted that the regular bottle banks were well used across the borough.

The Committee discussed about the recent flytipping that had been occurring in the borough.  The officer stated that there had been significant amounts of rubbish flytipped recently which Havering had to dispose of.  He added that officers had good intelligence about who was carrying out this offence and that cameras had now been erected to monitor the situation, streetcare officers were working with the Police, other Local Councils and the Environment Agency in a joint approach to the matter.

The Committee will receive a briefing on the maintenance of footway parking bays.

The Committee received a briefing on the footway parking bays.  There were two distinct issues, these were unregulated parking that needs enforcement and the installation of regulated footway parking bays.

The Head of Streetcare explained that not all footways and carriageways are suitable for footway parking.  He explained that at present where there were bays in place there was no programmed regime for re-lining.  However Streetcare were looking to get this regular programme in place which would be a rolling 4-5 year programme.  This would include the checking of lines as well as ensuring the time plates were in place too.

The Committee was informed that there were only four officers in the team and that every request received from the public, or from members, was logged.  Every request then needed to be inspected, a report, and if necessary, a drawing put together, before instructing the contractor to carry out the works.  Therefore the timescale for each request from start to finish was approximately 3 months.

The Committee are asked to consider and agree the attached report in regard of their work programme for the next municipal year.

The Committee considered and agreed their work programme for the next municipal year.  It was agreed that a Topic Group on Food Safety would be carried out within the municipal year.

A copy of the agreed work programme is attached