Agenda and minutes

Residents, Education and Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee - Wednesday, 26th June, 2019 7.00 pm

Venue: Committee Room 6 - Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge UB8 1UW. View directions

Contact: Neil Fraser  01895 250692

Items
No. Item

3.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Michael Markham and Tony Little.

4.

Declaration of Interest in matters coming before this meeting

Minutes:

None.

5.

To confirm that all items marked Part 1 will be considered in Public and that any items marked Part 2 will be considered in Private

Minutes:

It was confirmed that all items were marked as Part I and would therefore be considered in public.

6.

To agree the Minutes of the previous meetings pdf icon PDF 150 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Regarding minute 78, Councillor Sweeting requested that the minute be amended to include specific reference to the 85%-15% split in allocated funding for the repair of pavements in the north and south of the Borough.

 

Regarding minute 80, Councillor Mathers asked that it be noted that the previously proposed review into Youth Services was suggested as a broad topic inclusive of youth engagement, consultation, early intervention and prevention services.

 

In response to a query on minute 80, it was confirmed that the suggested review topic of ‘fly tipping and recycling’ had not been agreed as the next review at the meeting. An information item on the topic of ‘littering and fly tipping’ was included on the current meeting’s agenda, for the Committee to consider as a potential next review.

 

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meetings held on 16 April and 9 May 2019 be approved as a correct record, subject to the above amendments.

7.

Air Quality Briefing Note pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Minutes:

The briefing note was introduced, which highlighted that the Council’s new Air Quality Action Plan had recently been approved for implementation by Cabinet. It was confirmed that the Committee would therefore receive a full report on the Plan’s implementation later in the municipal year, once it was in place and being acted upon.

 

The Committee sought further information on the topic, and requested that the clerk forward a number of questions to the relevant officers. These questions were:

 

·         How many vehicles did the Council operate and what progress had been made to improve emissions?

·         What were the next steps for the replacement of vehicles? How long would it take to update the fleet in respect of satisfactory emissions?

·         How was the Council promoting the use of Green Fleets for sub-contractors and partners?

·         Could planning polices be reviewed so that the Council was not forced to approve applications lcolated in areas of poor air quality simply because the application provided some form of mitigation, such as mechanical air scrubbing?

·         Was the Council supporting tree planting on school land? What was the most common tree planted, and was it effective at improving air quality?

·         Could the Committee be provided with a list of schools located in areas where air quality was a concern?

·         Where were air quality monitoring stations? Were these in proximity to areas of poor air quality? Were these near schools, and were the stations at the appropriate height to obtain correct readings?

·         Could the Committee be provided with data from the monitoring stations, in order to identify any trends?

·         The review had made reference to a reduction in nitrogen dioxide. Was this statistically significant?

·         Regarding the Council’s cycle schemes, how often were lessons held? Were the schemes available across the Borough, and were schools encouraging their pupils to cycle to school?

·         Could information on AirText be forwarded to the Committee?

 

With regard to the report to be brought before the Committee in the future, the Committee requested that this include specifics, data, problem areas, and a focus on pollution around schools.

 

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

8.

For Consideration: Littering and Fly Tipping Review pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the proposed next review topic of Littering and Fly Tipping.

 

The Committee requested that, if approved, the topic be consdiered for widening to include waste management and civic amenity services. The importance of enforcement and punishment for offenders was highlighted, and a review of best practice from other authorities was recommended as a key focus for the review.

 

Members requested that the review also include a focus on actions around particular hotspots and problem areas, including current performance and response times.

 

It was remarked that there were a number of opportunities to encourage actions and initiatives within schools, resident associations and other groups. Members agreed that the issue was a hot topic for both Members and residents, and resolved that the topic be progressed as the Committee’s next major review.

 

RESOLVED:  That the topic of ‘littering and fly tipping’ be progressed as the Committee’s next major review.

 

 

 

9.

Cabinet Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 51 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Sweeting requested that the Committee be granted an early view of any report on the proposals for youth services, prior to its consideration as Cabinet, to enable it to submit comments.


The Chairman confirmed that, as stated previously, any such early view would be at the discretion of the relevant Cabinet Member. However, the Chairman agreed to discuss the matter with the Labour Lead outside of the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet Forward Plan be noted.

10.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members discussed the Work Programme.

 

Councillor Sweeting requested that the forthcoming item on SEN provision include information on the Council’s planning for the increase of SEN capacity within special and mainstream schools. Information on the proposed new special free school in the south of the Borough would also be helpful, together with information on the purported change to Grangewood school from a secondary SLD school to an all-through SLD school, and changes to capacity at Meadow school.

 

In addition, the Committee requested that the report include information on how mainstream schools were coping with providing support to children who had needs but did not have, (or were in the process of obtaining), an Education and Healthcare Plan, together with how schools were coping with reduced budgets.

 

With regard to the forthcoming presentation on the Council’s emergency planning procedure, it was requested that the officer include information on RAF Northolt and Heathrow Airport, infectious diseases, transport of patients, flood defences, and fires in high density buildings.

 

Councillor Mathers remarked that his suggested item on culture and heritage events within the Borough had not been included on the work programme. It was confirmed that this had been difficult to accommodate due to an already busy work schedule for information items.

 

It was requested that the item on youth services, currently scheduled for February 2020, be brought forward so that it was brought to the Committee prior to Cabinet determining the new budget. It was agreed that the feasibility of this would be reviewed by the clerk.

 

RESOLVED:  That the Work Programme be noted.