Venue: Committee Rooms A/B - Neath Civic Centre. View directions
No. | Item |
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Forward Work Programme 2019/2020 PDF 60 KB Minutes: The
forward work programme was noted. |
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Consultation on Environment Directorate's Budget and Draft Savings For 2020/2021 PDF 2 MB Minutes: A discussion took place in relation to the
mobile enforcement vehicle. It was
explained that the vehicle was currently in operation until 6.30pm, with staff
operating on two split shifts and contracted to 37 hours, this included some Saturday
evenings for identified areas such as taxi ranks. Officers explained they would be looking to
deploy evening work at areas that had out of hour’s problems, such as taxi
ranks. Officers went onto explain that
at some locations traffic orders end at 6.00pm. Members questioned the use of the vehicle, it
was highlighted that the council had one van and this was used to enforce
certain orders such as taxi ranks, loading bans, public service bus bays and
zig-zags outside schools, they were unable to enforce all orders at the
moment. If members required a mobile
officer they would need to contact Parking Services Section to organise. Members felt that the mobile enforcement
vehicle visited schools at the wrong time, it was explained that at present they
would be avoiding schools until replacement traffic orders were in place, then these orders would be enforced by the camera van. It was noted that currently few penalty
charge notices were issued to parents, this was because when they saw the civil
enforcement officer or the police they move on, if a mobile enforcement vehicle
drove past a school and parents were parked in contravention of the traffic
orders there would be no leeway on time.
It was noted that reinvestment of income into
the service had taken place, although the importance of the mobile enforcement
vehicle was safety, not income. Officers explained that there were ways in
which the council could promote the mobile enforcement vehicle, through raising
awareness around the use of the vehicle. It was noted that this year the number of
parking tickets issued had increased and there had been less appeals,
approximately 2,300 tickets had been issued so far by the mobile vehicle, this
was having a positive impact. Officers explained there was a generic
telephone number for Parking Services where members could ring the section and
Parking Officers could arrange for the mobile vehicle to visit an area. Members were reminded that their comments
from this meeting would form part of the formal consultation response for the
Budget 2020/21. They were asked that if they had any other proposals for budget
savings not included within the attached report that they approach officers for
their consideration. Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the
report be noted. |
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Fly Tipping Update and Monitoring Report PDF 76 KB Minutes: Officers
explained there had been a slight increase in fly-tipping, which was probably
due to the introduction of the new side waste policy, this information was
being analysed. It was highlighted that enforcement
action continued to increase and the council was leading the way in enforcement
in Wales. A
discussion took place on fly tipping in ‘patches’ across the county
borough. Members questioned whether that
was due to the opening times of the re-cycling centre at Lower Cwmtwrch. It was
explained that the centre operated for five days a week, and joint arrangements
with Powys had been put in place, therefore any changes would mean a change in
the partnership with Powys, and an expansion of times would require more staff
and incur additional cost. Officers
explained that the cost of fly-tipping was worked out on a formula provided by
Welsh Government, all councils applied the formula which provided a comparison
of fly-tipping costs across councils in Wales.
Members commented that they would like to see actual costs, not just the
formula data. Officers agreed to liaise with the Service Manager to discuss but
as a lot of fly tips were reported alongside other work, it was unlikely actual
costs could be made available. In
relation to litter picking by voluntary groups officers explained that where
volunteer’s carry out litter picking they were co-ordinated through the Keep
Wales Tidy Co-ordinator. Litter that had
been collected was put into orange sacks and left at allocated pick-up points
for the council to collect. Members
thanked the Enforcement Team for all their good work. Following
scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted. |
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Pest Control Monitoring Report PDF 62 KB Minutes: Officers
gave an overview and explained that this service area was not statutory, and
had been subject to a saving strategy including cost increase, although prices
remained competitive to the private sector.
It was noted that, further to the previous cost increase, the council
only expected to break even, and there would not be a price increase next
year. Officers explained that when the
council charges a fee, the demand for the service would be reduced. It was highlighted that the council had
reduced resources in line with service demand and this was now believed to be a
sustainable service going forward. Officers
explained there was a Business Plan in place with quarterly Performance
Indicators, this would enabled annual figures to be compared. Following
scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted. |
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Pre-Decision Scrutiny Minutes: Highways
Asset Management Plan Members
received an update with regard to the ongoing development of the Highway Asset
Management Plan (HAMP). Members questioned the number of culverts in
the county borough, it was explained that the 90 culverts identified in the
circulated report were listed in the Flood Strategy and were high
priority. It was highlighted that we did
not have the number of culverts on private land. Officers went on to
explain that the total number of culverts was over 1200 under the ownership of
the authority. A
discussion took place around bus stops and shelters, it was explained that
there was no statutory requirement to provide bus shelters, although the
council had a budget to maintain and replace them, also there was a budget
available for new and replacement bus stops. Following
scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposal to be considered by
cabinet board. Proposed
Traffic Orders: Various Streets Neath Port
Talbot – Schools Members enquired whether
signage needed to be displayed on site for the duration of the advertising
period. Officers explained that the
requirements under the Local Authorities Traffic Orders [Procedure] [England
& Wales] Regulations 1996 was that the traffic authorities must, before
making an Order, publish at least once a Notice of Intention in a newspaper
circulating within the area where the road is situated, setting out its
proposal and must also consult with certain statutory consultees (i.e.
emergency services). The traffic authorities must
also place on deposit for public inspection at their Civic Centre the above
Notice together with a plan, copy of the draft Order and copies of any existing
Traffic Orders being repealed. Regulation 7 of the Regulations
states that the traffic authority: “shall, before making an
order, ….[c] take such other steps as it may consider appropriate for
considering that adequate publicity about the order is given to persons likely
to be affected by its provisions and, without prejudice to the generality of
this sub-paragraph, such other steps may include-
i.
……publication of
a notice in the London Gazette,
ii.
the display of
notices in roads or other places affected by the order, iii.
the delivery of
notices or letters to premises, or premises occupied by persons, appearing to
the authority to be likely to be affected by any provision in the order.” It was noted that there was
no actual requirement to put up notices on the road or to ensure that such notices
put up on the road were maintained throughout the statutory objection period. Following
scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposal to be considered by
cabinet board. |