Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 4 September 2014 and the Joint Committee (budget) held on 8 September 2014 and authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 4 September 2014 and the Joint Committee (Budget) held on 8 September 2014 were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee will receive a briefing note setting out the maintenance programme for greens and hedges in the borough.

The Committee received a brief on the maintenance of highway shrub beds and grass verges.  There were approximately 80,000 square metres of shrub bed throughout the boroughs roads. They were maintained on an annual basis.  There were two teams who undertook the regime.  For the high priority areas – where shrubs were likely to grow and cause overhang to footpaths, carriageways and driveways, or were an obstruction on sightlines and road junctions these were pruned on three occasions.  The remaining beds around the borough were pruned twice per annum.  The programmed pruning ran from March to December depending on the weather.

The Committee were shown photos of shrub bed before and after pruning.

The scheduled pruning ensured that the service was maintaining a consistent approach throughout the borough and respond to public and member enquiries with the current status of the programme in the given area.

Officers also explained the maintenance for the 900,054 square metres of grass verge (including Rural Roads) throughout the borough.  The grass was maintained by the In-House Grounds Maintenance Unit on behalf of Streetcare.  Grass verges were cut on nine occasions throughout the growing season from March until November. All verges are cut with rotary action machines and the clippings are left to mulch the ground.  This assists in replacing nitrogen in the ground and helps retain moisture. The rotary action machines are “followed”by a team with hand-mowers and strimmers, they cut all the areas which are not accessible to the larger machines. These teams also remove the grass clippings from the footway.

The Committee will receive a report setting out the key areas within the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and London Plan and how additional “in year” funding from Transport for London will be allocated.

The Committee received a briefing paper on the Local Implementation Plan Annual Spending Submission. 

Each year the council bid to Transport for London (TfL) for funding for its transport projects and programmes.  A report went to Cabinet in July 2014 which set out the key areas within the London Plan and the Mayor’s Transport Strategy which the submission must address and how additional funding would be allocated. 

Officers explained that Havering’s funding from TfL has three elements:

Corridors, Neighbourhoods and Supporting Measure: These are comprehensive scheme and local area improvements.  They include schemes to tackle congestion, assist freight, contribute to regeneration, deliver environmental improvements, Controlled Parking Zones, 20mph zones, cycling, walking, bus priority and bus stop accessibility.

Principal Road Maintenance: This focuses on the improvement to the surface of Havering’s Principal Road Network.  This is dependent on the condition surveys which determine how much of the Principal Road Network across London requires structural maintenance.  This funding has reduced, but reflects the good condition of Havering’s regular maintenance of principal roads.

Local Transport Funding: This is £100k for projects of the Council’s choice that support the delivery of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

The Committee noted that the Havering’s formal Submission has to comply with the following:

Mayor of London’s London Plan and his Transport Strategy – the London Plan sets out the Mayor’s overarching strategic land use planning priorities and policies for London.  The Transport Strategy interprets the Mayor’s London Plan transport vision and details how he and his partners will deliver the plan over the next 20 years.

Council’s approved Local Implementation Plan (LIP) strategy document – Under the legislation set out in Section 45 of the GLA Act 1999 all London Boroughs have to prepare a Local Implementation Plan.  Havering’s LIP is effectively the transport strategy and sets out how the Council will implement the Mayor’s Transport Strategy within its own area.

Council’s approved 2014/15 to 2016/17 Three Year Delivery Plan – Havering’s LIP is supported by its 2014/15 – 2016/17 Three Year Delivery Plan which was prepared in 2013.  It sets out the programme content of Havering’s Annual Spending Submissions for this period and has been approved by TfL.  The Delivery Plan will also addresses the Mayoral targets for mandatory indicators including modal share, bus service reliability, asset condition, road traffic casualties and CO2 emissions.

Latest TfL Guidance on preparing Local Implementation Plan – Every year TfL published guidance notes that boroughs have to follow when preparing their LIP submissions.  These guidance notes often include any new Mayoral priorities that may have arisen since the last LIP submissions.  The Committee were informed that in the 2015/16 guidance it drew attention to the Mayor’s commitments relating to making it easier for people to Walk and Cycle, Road Safety, Air Quality, Freight, Bus Access and the Mayor’s Roads Task Force.

Members asked about the further funding from other sources.  Officer explained that there was often potential for match funding from developers.  This was the case with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

The Committee are asked to agree and note the terms of reference for the Roads and Pavements Topic Group.

The Committee agreed and noted the Terms of Reference of the Topic Group.

To note that the following Cabinet decisions are due for review of progress under the Council Continuous Improvement Model and to decide whether to take an update at the Committee’s next meeting:

·         Keeping town centres vibrant by reducing on street parking charges and maintaining turnover of visitors.

·         Progress against the GLA’s Exemplar Borough qualifying criteria to become a designated Cleaner Air Borough.

·         Neighbourhood Responsibility Member Project.

·         Approval to access energy efficiency funding through Green Deal and ECO via a GLA framework.

The Committee agreed that they would wish to have a brief update on each of the Cabinet reports which were up for review.  It was noted that some reports may refer to projects that were now superseded; however the committee would be interested in an update of those projects too.

The Committee is invited to review and note the content of the Corporate Performance Information for Quarter one presented to Cabinet on 15 October 2014.

The Committee noted the Corporate Performance Information for Quarter One.

The Committee received a verbal brief on the establishment of both Streetcare and Public Protection.  Officers outlined the areas that fell within each of the areas. 

Streetcare Services –     Waste and Recycling (green waste, composting, bulky waste and clinical waste)

Enforcement (waste minimisation)

Trees

Parking (On Street, off street, and parking schemes), Highways (Street lighting, technical services, road and footways)

Street Cleansing (Graffiti removal, flytipping removal, nuisance vehicles).

Public Protection –         Food Safety (Food standards, hygiene and infectious diseases)

Licensing and Health and Safety (Stray dogs, Licensing and Gambling Acts, Health and Safety Enforcement)

Trading Standards (Consumer Safety, Brand protection, Consumer advice, Doorstep Crime)

Metrology Partnership (Weights and Measures)

Environmental Protection and Housing (Private Sector Housing, Construction, Statutory Nuisance i.e. Noise, Contaminated Land and Air Quality).

Officers stated that any enquiries should be directed to the Member’s Portal, and not direct to the services.  Members raised concerns with using the Portal, officers said that they would take these concerns back.

Members asked about the private sector housing and houses in multiple occupancy.  Officer stated that they have regard to this and if proven then enforcement can be taken.  They have a license for properties of three storeys or above, they also work closely with planning and enforcement.  The majority of issue include fire escapes and change in level for the vulnerable.

Members asked about the funding of the new vehicles and fleet given that there were a number of new refuse trucks now in circulation.  Officers stated that the refuse trucks were the property of the contractor.  The rate that they charged included the cost of the vehicle.  There was a corporate budget for all vehicles which are placed on a replacement programme of between 5 and 10 years, dependant on the vehicle. The budget for each vehicle including the fuel, maintenance and running costs.