Issue - meetings

(Report of Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships)

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships to consider proposals for amendments to environmental crime fixed penalty levels outlined in the Government ASB Action Plan.

Cabinet asked for regular updates on progress throughout the year. It was agreed that information be added to the Quarterly Performance report that is reported to Scrutiny and Cabinet.  

Cabinet thanked volunteer litter pickers and Street scene for their hard work clearing litter and fly tipping. 

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships)

Including a verbal Community Safety update from the Assistant Director, Partnerships and Chief Inspector Rob Neeson

The chair welcomed the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Environmental Health, the Assistant Director, Partnerships and Chief Inspector Rob Neeson to discuss the report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships to consider proposals for amendments to environmental crime fixed penalty levels outlined in the Government ASB Action Plan.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the item explaining that in May the Government introduced a new anti-social behaviour action plan which enables the council to review their policies and highlighted the following information –

Ø  The penalties for fly-tipping and littering have been increased including for fly-tipping up to a maximum of £1000, there are instances where the Council can still take people to court, where they could possibly face imprisonment.

Ø  Environmental cameras are now live on Masefield Drive and we are now considering where else they can be installed.

The Assistant Director asked that the committee to consider the issue of penalties first.

The committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

1.     The committee highlighted that there are domestic and commercial fly-tipping but also fly-tipping that links to organised crimes and that the maximum penalty should be used for these actions.

2.     Why have the Littering, Graffiti and Fly-posting items been categorised together?

The Officer confirmed that they are treated as separate things but are together as in the Environment Crime Policy the fines are the same level.

3.     How many cameras are in place? Are they covert and have they been advertised.

Officers clarified that there are six deployable cameras (one at each site) and the Masefield Drive area was chosen as it is a littering hotspot. A press release has gone out. There are signs in place and leaflets have gone out. The cameras are overt.

A second camera has just gone up in Tinkers Green and another hot spot has been identified which they are looking at. They are looking at a litter cam on the old A5 and working with Highways around how this could be done. This would be used to identify items thrown from cars and identify the car to issue fixed penalties.

The cameras are battery powered and footage is fed straight back to a laptop and can also be used to address other forms of ASB.

4.     The committee highlighted that the council need to consider the bureaucracy around the bulky waste service available to residents (an example of the service not taking corner sofas was given) to encourage people to use the service.

5.     With regards to the ‘Duty of Care’ it can be cheaper for people to contact a ‘man in a van’ and pay the fine, than to arrange a skip to dispose of waste so this needs to be considered when setting fines and also look at making legal ways of disposing of waste affordable.

The officer clarified the duty of care is around households being responsible for ensuring that those disposing of their waste has a valid waste carriers licence.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55