Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Jackson and Melvin.

RESOLVED: That, subject to the addition of “It was agreed that Members would be provided with a breakdown of the Council’s water usage during the course of the review”, the minutes were agreed as an accurate record.

Witnesses

To assist Members with the review Paul Richards, Green Spaces and Leisure Services Manager; Jane Wilkin, Planning Advisor at the Environment Agency; and Alastair Wilson, Senior Environment Planning Specialist (Water Resources) were present to provide evidence.

A summary of the evidence provided to the Committee is set out below:

Current Water Use in Green Spaces

Witnesses noted that the Green Spaces Team had responsibility for managing and maintaining a diverse range of open spaces throughout the Borough, including:

All of the above users consumed water and it was noted that the primary users were the bowling greens, golf courses and the Rural Activities Garden Centre. However, allotments, floral displays, street trees and water play features also used a significant amount of water.

The water needs of these spaces were largely met by mains water supply with only one borehole currently being used at Ruislip Golf Course. Witnesses advised that the Council was charged both for the use of water and sewerage costs but, because water was primarily used for irrigation, it received a rebate on sewerage. In addition to the basic cost of mains water, the Council also paid for a licence from the water company to use fire hydrants for the watering of floral displays. Green Spaces’ spend on water (excluding the licence for use of fire hydrants) for 2012/13 and the expected expenditure during 2013/14 was set out. It was noted that, due to increased usage during the warm summer, the spend in 2013/14 was expected to be higher.

To increase the Council’s water efficiency and thereby reduce the associated costs, the team:

§         was careful with how it used water by being selective about what and how green spaces were watered. For example, only small parts of the Borough’s parks and golf courses were actually watered;

§         had put measures in place at allotments to ensure that users could not use hose pipes and would instead have to use watering cans;

§         were selective about what plants and baskets were used to ensure that they required as little water as possible;

§         were using new science and technology including efficient sprinkler designs, tree watering bags and wetting agents;

§         reduced thatch and spiked the Borough’s grassed areas in order to increase the level of water uptake; and

§         used mulch to increase water retention.

With regard to possible areas for improvement, witnesses advised that the Committee could choose to investigate whether the water butt that collected rain water (grey water) beneath the Civic Centre could be used as a water source. This water could be used for things such as flushing toilets, watering plants and street cleaning subject to the satisfactory resolution of hygiene and extraction issues. There was also work currently underway to investigate whether a borehole could be drilled at the Rural Activities Garden Centre but further work had to be undertaken to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

Members noted the updates provided on School Crossing Patrol Officers and the leasing of loft spaces in the Borough and advised that they did not require additional information on these issues.

Officers advised that an update on the Borough’s road depots would be provided in due course.

RESOLVED: That the Forward Plan be noted.

Following discussion, it was agreed that officers investigate and address the issue of private users of the Winston Churchill Hall bringing their own radio microphones that interfered with sound systems in other events.

RESOLVED: That:

1. the Work Programme be noted;
2. the Deputy Director, Public Safety & Environment investigate and address the issue of frequency interference at the Winston Churchill Hall; and
3. the Deputy Director, Public Safety & Environment draft a letter for roadside memorials, agree this with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation & Recycling and report back to the Committee on 12 November 2013.