Venue: Phoenix House, Phoenix Lane, Tiverton EX16 6PP
Contact: Julia Stuckley Member Services Officer
Link: audio recording
No. | Item |
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Apologies and substitute Members To receive any apologies for absence and notices of appointment of substitute Members (if any). Minutes: There were no apologies. |
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Public Question Time To receive any questions relating to items on the agenda from members of the public and replies thereto. Minutes: There were no members of the public in attendance. |
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting PDF 141 KB To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting of the Group. Minutes: The Minutes of the last meeting of the Group were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman. |
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Chairman's Announcements To receive any announcements that the Chairman may wish to make. Minutes: The Chairman had no announcements to make. |
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Performance and Risk PDF 11 KB A Report of the Head of Communities and Governance providing Members with an update on performance against the corporate plan and local service targets for 2015-16 as well as providing an update on the key business risks. Additional documents: Minutes: The Group had before it and NOTED a report * of the Head of Communities and Governance providing Members with an update on performance against the corporate plan and local service targets for 2015-16 as well as providing an update on the key business risks.
The Waste and Transport Manager informed the Group that the data showing waste to landfill per head had been updated since the report had been issued and now showed 108.00 rather than 90.12. This indicator was performing above target.
Discussion took place regarding:
· Fixed Penalty Notices issued; · The reduction in residual waste being collected; · Anticipated reductions in waste to landfill when figures were collated for quarter 2, following the additional collection of plastic and cardboard for recycling; · The roll out of the delivery of green boxes to households in the District.
The Head of Communities and Governance explained the process for risk reporting. She highlighted that waste collection was a high risk operation for the Council but that there was a Health and Safety Officer in post, a Health and Safety Committee which met quarterly to identify risks and a training plan for staff. The Health and Safety Officer had been working closely with the Learning and Development Team to ensure that a comprehensive training programme was in place.
Note:- Report previously circulated and attached to minutes. |
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Financial Monitoring PDF 242 KB A report of the Head of Finance presenting a financial update in respect of the income and expenditure so far in the year. Minutes: The Group had before it and NOTED a report * of the Head of Finance presenting a financial update in respect of the income and expenditure so far in the year.
The Accountant highlighted variances to the general fund:
· A £60k overspend for elections was not a true overspend as funds were in place to cover this; · A £25k overspend for Grounds Maintenance was due to funding cuts from Devon County Council (DCC). DCC had reduced the payment they made to the authority for grass cutting and were now only paying for works that impacted on health and safety, such as visibility splays. This authority had agreed to continue maintaining verges in the towns and parishes for this year to allow time to undertake consultation. · A £30k underspend for the IT Service due to sharing of services with North Devon; · A £363k profit forecast for Market Walk due to income from rent exceeding running costs, although this was subject to interest charges and property charges. The surplus was earmarked for economic development; · There was a deficit for planning and regeneration, the reasons for which were detailed within the report. · The predicted overspend for the general fund was currently £78k.
Discussion took place regarding
· Recruitment costs for planning and regeneration; · Trade Waste income; · Leisure fees and charges; · A reduction in income for William Street pay and display car park during recent town centre road works.
Note:- Report previously circulated and attached to minutes.
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Car Parking Working Group PDF 151 KB To receive a report from the Head of Finance updating the Group regarding recommendations from the Car Parking Working Group. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman proposed that the agenda item referring to the report of the Car Parking Working Group be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee. He explained that at a Members Away Day the previous week there had been a number of ideas suggested by Members that the Working Group may wish to investigate. He also suggested that as the Working Group included some new Members that had only attended one meeting and that it would be useful to spend some more time on the subject.
RESOLVED that agenda item 7, a report from the Car Parking Working Group, be deferred until the next meeting to allow the Group time to make further investigations and that all Members be asked to submit their ideas.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
Note:- Report previously circulated and attached to minutes.
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Crediton Air Quality Monitoring PDF 575 KB As requested, Members to receive a report informing them of changes to air quality in Exeter Road, Crediton (within the Crediton Air Quality Management Area) since the opening of the Lords Meadow Link Road. Minutes: The Group had before them and NOTED a report * informing it of changes to air quality in Exeter Road, Crediton (within the Crediton Air Quality Management Area) since the opening of the Lords Meadow Link Road.
The Environmental Protection Officer outlined the report, highlighting that monitoring had shown that over 4500 vehicles were using the road in a five day period and that an average of 122 HGV’s were using the road per day.
Discussion took place regarding some areas of concern in the High Street and the movement of traffic to other parts of the road network. A recent traffic count had been undertaken and the results from this would be compared to date from 2010 to provide an indication of changes around the town and in particular to the Air Quality Management Area.
It was AGREED that a further report be provided in March 2016 when a more complete analysis of air quality impact of the Crediton Link Road would be available.
Note:- Report previously circulated and attached to minutes. |
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Motion 522 (Councillor Mrs N Woollatt 25 May 2015) PDF 544 KB To consider the following Motion referred by the Council to the Policy Development Group.
Motion 522 (Councillor Mrs N Woollatt 25 May 2015)
That this council explores what options may be available to it to introduce a local policy in Mid Devon requiring supermarkets, food manufacturers and producers over a certain size to donate discarded food fit for human consumption to charities and other food waste to other methods of recycling such as animal feed, composting or waste to energy. Minutes: The Group had before it the following Motion which had been referred by the Council.
Motion 522 (Councillor Mrs N Woollatt 25 May 2015)
That this council explores what options may be available to it to introduce a local policy in Mid Devon requiring supermarkets, food manufacturers and producers over a certain size to donate discarded food fit for human consumption to charities and other food waste to other methods of recycling such as animal feed, composting or waste to energy.
Councillor Woollatt explained that she had asked the Council to have a look and explore what options there might be to bring an improvement regarding the disposal of food waste in the Mid Devon District. She gave examples of other countries such as France where the Government had passed a law making supermarkets pass left over food to charities. She stated that 91% of food wasted was from industry. She informed the Group that some supermarkets were already working with charities but that a lot of the waste came from agriculture and industry. She highlighted the letter * from the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in which it referred to work taking place but also indicated that it was not planning to introduce legislation.
The Waste and Transport Manager outlined Trade Waste regulations and the service provided within Mid Devon.
Discussion took place regarding:
· Initiatives that were already occurring; · Farm waste and supermarkets not accepting produce; · Personal experience of working with charities that used donated food waste; · Community shops that could sell food items that didn’t meet industry standards to those on low incomes.
RECOMMENDED to Council that:
This council explores what options may be available to it to introduce a local policy in Mid Devon requiring supermarkets, food manufacturers and producers over a certain size to donate discarded food fit for human consumption to charities and other food waste to other methods of recycling such as animal feed, composting or waste to energy.
and that subject to Council approval:
A Working Group be put in place to explore this subject. The working Group to comprise of Councillors Mrs R Berry, D R Coren, Mrs C Daw, R Evans, B Wright and Mrs N Woollatt.
(Proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Cllr R Evans)
Note:- * Letter previously circulated and attached to minutes. |
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Identification of Items for the Next Meeting Note: This item is limited to 10 minutes. There should be no discussion on the items raised.
Planning Guidance for Waste Storage Play Areas Waste Education & Enforcement Policy Minutes: Report from the Car Parking Working Group Update on the new waste scheme |