Agenda item

Members of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee requested that decision number 5 below be added – Cabinet was supportive of this proposal.

That having due regard to the Integrated Impact Screening Assessment it be agreed that:

1.           Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council inspect privately owned category C and D high risk tips (as detailed in the circulated report) in conjunction with the Coal Authority, until the new legislation comes into force.

2.           The bridges section of the Council continue to use their current Asset Management database to store records of the tips and monitoring regime, until a unified system is agreed and implemented.

3.           Due to the timescales involved in preparing NPT’s response to the Law Commissions consultation, delegated power be granted to the Director of Environment and Regeneration to prepare and submit a response to the Law  Commissions consultation exercise in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Engineering.

4.           The coal tips and flood recovery projects be added to the Council’s Capital Programme and the works be progressed in advance of the grant.

5.   Due to the timescales involved in preparing NPT’s response to the Law Commissions consultation, delegated power be granted to the Director of Environment and Regeneration to prepare and submit a response to the Law Commissions consultation exercise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Engineering, with such a response addressing concerns on the financial responsibility of the maintenance now being passed to landowners, and that a copy of the consultation be forwarded to the local Members of Parliament for their consideration, and for them to pursue with UK Government.

At this point, Councillors M.Harvey; D.Jones; P.A.Rees, P.D.Richards and C.Clement-Williams re-joined the meeting.

Members of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee requested that decision number 5 below be added – Cabinet was supportive of this proposal.

Decisions:

That having due regard to the Integrated Impact Screening Assessment it be agreed that:

1.           Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council inspect privately owned category C and D high risk tips (as detailed in the circulated report) in conjunction with the Coal Authority, until the new legislation comes into force.

2.           The bridges section of the Council continue to use their current Asset Management database to store records of the tips and monitoring regime, until a unified system is agreed and implemented.

3.           Due to the timescales involved in preparing NPT’s response to the Law Commissions consultation, delegated power be granted to the Director of Environment and Regeneration to prepare and submit a response to the Law  Commissions consultation exercise in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Engineering.

4.           The coal tips and flood recovery projects be added to the Council’s Capital Programme and the works be progressed in advance of the grant.

5.           Due to the timescales involved in preparing NPT’s response to the Law Commissions consultation, delegated power be granted to the Director of Environment and Regeneration to prepare and submit a response to the Law Commissions consultation exercise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Engineering, with such a response addressing concerns on the financial responsibility of the maintenance now being passed to landowners, and that a copy of the consultation be forwarded to the local Members of Parliament for their consideration, and for them to pursue with UK Government.

Reason for Decisions:

To manage the risks and liabilities associated with historic coal and quarry waste tips within NPTCBC. The response to the Welsh Government Coal Tip Safety Task Force and the Law Commissions consultation response will assist and inform the future management of Coal Tip Safety in Wales. The planned programmes of work for the coal tips and flood recovery projects undertaken in advance of the grant award will help mitigate the associated risks early.

Implementation of Decisions:

The decisions will be implemented after the three day call in period.