Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Rodrigues, with Councillor Brightman present as her substitute.

None.

It was confirmed that all items would be considered in public.

Members asked that the additional information requested from officers at the previous meeting be forwarded as soon as possible. This information included detail on:

·         The Emergency Centres Plan;

·         The Major Incidences exercises planned for October;

·         Schools reporting difficulties with accommodation of SEN children;

·         Detail on secondary intake for September due to late applications;

·         Revised projections for school places.

It was agreed that the clerk would liaise with the relevant officers regarding the above, before feeding back to the Committee.

RESOLVED: 

1.    That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2019 be approved as a correct record; and

2.    That the clerk would liaise with officers regarding outstanding actions from the previous meeting.

Steven Austin, Traffic, Parking, Road Safety and School Travel Team Manager, introduced a report detailing the work of the Council’s School Travel and Road Safety (STARS) Team to foster a positive road safety climate, attitude and environment at the Borough’s schools.

The officer highlighted a number of key points, including that, according to an analysis of 2018 Collison data collated by the Department of Transport, Hillingdon’s roads were the safest in London. The data recorded 48 incidents for every hundred miles driven, compared to the London average of 166 incidents per 100 miles, which showed that Hillingdon roads were approximately 71% safer than the average London borough. This was testament to the work of the Council in supporting the Road Safety and Highways teams, with Hillingdon often cited as a benchmark for road safety by other local authorities. The team’s work had been recognized in both national transport and London transport awards, and Councillor Teji Barnes was the chairman of the London Road Safety Council, which was further evidence of the Council’s commitment to keeping Hillingdon roads safe for residents.

Members asked a number of questions, including:

Could the officer provide further detail on the number of serious accidents recorded in recent years?

For 2018, the number of police recorded incidents in Hillingdon was 918, which was down 8% on the previous year, in comparison to a London total of over 30,000. These figures covered all roads in Hillingdon, including the A40. Statistics showed that certain accidents, such as pedestrian, car and motorcycle accidents, were declining, though cycle collisions had increased. There were no emerging patterns regarding the collision data (e.g. hotspots, etc.), though the team could undertake further analysis.

Could Ward Councillors help encourage schools to engage more with the Council and take up the initiatives offered?

A list of schools that were not currently engaging could be provided to Members outside of the meeting, and officers would welcome any help available. The team could also look into putting together literature to aid Councillors when approaching schools.

Air quality in the Borough was a very important issue. Was it possible to put notices outside schools mandating ‘no idling’, and specifying fines, as seen at councils such as Kensington and Chelsea?

Colleagues in the corporate communications team were working with air quality and health officers on designing schemes to address air quality, especially around schools.

How did the team contact schools, and how were schools prioritised for contact?

Every school was contacted at the start of each school year, and offered a variety of initiatives and opportunities to work with the Council. This included the formation of a travel plan, which could result in a host of events that the school could run, including engineering measures, bikeability courses, pedestrian training, and mini and junior road safety officers. This work was then recognised through the Stars program, and the schools were then accredited by Transport for London. Unfortunately, some schools chose not to respond. Officers also worked with other groups, such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Steven Austin, Traffic, Parking, Road Safety and School Travel Team Manager, introduced a report detailing the Councils extensive Parking Management Schemes.

The Council’s Parking Management Schemes were set into context, and the Committee was informed that, as per data captured from the London Travel demand survey 2011/2012, Hillingdon had the third highest household car access rates in London at 73%, only beaten by Richmond upon Thames at 75% and Bexley at 74%. Several major housing developments are under construction in Hillingdon, and so the demand for kerbside space was significantly increasing, together with the demand for parking schemes. In 2018, the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling had 64 petitions submitted to the Council that fell within his portfolio and of these, 41 (64%) were parking related.

Last year, the Transport and Projects team consulted over 11,500 households on possible parking options in their roads, and currently the existing program had over 51 schemes of various sizes that were being managed. This did not include the further 5 petitions that the Cabinet Member will be hearing in the coming months.

Members asked a number of questions, including:

Some residents are concerned at the time being taken to resolve requests for parking management schemes. Is this due a lack of team resources,  and what can be done to relieve the pressure in what is going to continue to be a demanding area to manage?

Recently, a new member of staff had been seconded into the team on a six month placement, to try and help clear the backlog. However, it was important to point out that the delay in resolving requests was not wholly due to volume vs. resource, but also due to the requirement to adhere to process and legal obligations before any actions could be taken, which is often a lengthy process.

How often were parking management schemes reviewed, and what more can be done in regards to educating residents on what their options are?

Officers were always happy to review what communication is being sent to residents, and all consultation forms included an officer's name, telephone number and email address should residents wish to contact the department. While officers were always happy to take on board suggestions for ways to improve correspondence and communication with residents, recent consultations had achieved very positive response rates.

In instances where proposed schemes cover part of a road or area, was there a way for officers to engage with the other road section to fully explain how they will be affected by the scheme? Often, the only course of action available to these residents is to engage with the Council’s petition scheme, which can be a lengthy process.

The extent of the demand was such that officers were comfortable that the petition scheme and subsequent consultation process was the most appropriate way for residents to make their views known. By signing a petition in sufficient numbers, the Cabinet Member was assured that there is a consensus among residents for some kind  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

The item was deferred to a future meeting of the Committee.

Cathy Knubley, Head of Waste Services, and Nathan Welch, ASB and Environment Manager, provided the Committee with information to aid the review into littering and fly tipping within the Borough.

Fly tipping was confirmed as being distinct from littering, in that fly tipping usually involved the deliberate aim of disposing of waste material unlawfully. The number of reported incidences of fly tipping was confirmed to be decreasing, but the volume of material being dumped was increasing. This was mostly due to organised crime, though a large proportion of fly tipped waste was due to elements within the Traveller community.

Littering involved the leaving of waste material from a person or vehicle, and as a result, gave rise to the perception that the Borough was untidy or unsightly. Littering also had implications for the environment, and wildlife. Littering could be domestic waste put out by residents onto the street for collection, but at the wrong time or in the wrong place.

Council resources to address littering and fly tipping included seven ASBET Rapid officers whose job was to deal with fly-tipping Borough-wide, three dedicated Cage Crew van operators who visit the fly tipping hotspot areas within the Borough, the Partnership Tasking team MPS North/South teams, and the Environmental Enforcement Team which consisted of ten officers. ASBET Rapid officers are trained in gathering evidence to review potential prosecution, while the environmental enforcement team predominantly address littering in high streets and public spaces. However, this team can also be tasked on various waste carrier operations in support of the Police, which can involve stopping vehicles carrying waste to ensure that they have the correct documentation and licenses to be conducting that waste carrier operation.

Members sought to gather further information, and asked a number of questions, including:

What was the cost to the Council to clear up littering and fly tipping?

Costs varied, though fees to recently clear three sites totalled £35k, £62k, and 72k, respectively. Cost details for preceding years could be forwarded to the Committee following the meeting.

Were there significant hotspots for littering and fly tipping?

Yes. Littering is mostly within areas of heavy footfall, such as parking areas or shopping areas. Popular fly tipping sites have been identified, with particular sites identified as problem areas due to illegal incursions and the occupation of land. To address this, the Council had secured an interim injunction to protect land from illegal incursions and remove occupiers quickly, to limit potential fly-tipping. Talks are ongoing with the police, with the idea that within three hours of a notified incursion there will be a waste carrier operation at the site, that will stop and search every vehicle going in and out of the site. Vehicles could then potentially be seized, which will have a dramatic impact on offenders.

However, while officers understand the most common locations, and secure the sites as much as possible, if people are determined to gain entry then they will use petrol-driven angle grinders and other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Consideration was given to the Cabinet Forward Plan.

Regarding the item on the Local Plan Part II, scheduled for Cabinet in October 2019, Members requested that the clerk speak to officers to determine whether a report could be brought to a future meeting setting out how residents would be affected by the proposed change to residential areas from suburban to urban designation.

In addition, it was requested that the clerk speak to officers to determine whether the item on the Collection and Processing of Co-Mingled Recycling was relevant to the Committee’s current review into Littering and Fly Tipping.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That the clerk review, with officers, whether a report on the Hillingdon Local Plan Part II could be brought to a future meeting of the Committee; and

3.    That the clerk determine whether the item on the Collection and Processing of Co-Mingled Recycling was relevant to the Committee’s current review into Littering and Fly Tipping.

Consideration was given to the Forward Plan.

Members were advised that the item on Charity Shop Waste had been removed from the Work Programme pending rescheduling, following feedback from officers that further work on the topic was required.

Members sought further information on primary school class sizes vs. secondary school class sizes, and requested that a regular item on Year 7 year group capacity be added to the programme. The Chairman reminded Members that a quarterly school places update was present on the Work Programme, and would include such information.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.