Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 10th October, 2018 10.00 am

Venue: Council Chamber, Level 2, Town Hall Extension

Contact: Lee Walker 

Media

Items
No. Item

40.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 163 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2018 .

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision

 

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2018 as a correct record.

 

 

41.

Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Update pdf icon PDF 602 KB

Report of the Chief Operating Officer

 

This report provides an update on the progress in delivering waste and recycling and street cleansing services across the City.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee heard from a resident of Hulme, Clare Benson who had been invited to inform Members of her experience in her neighbourhood in relation to waste. She said that she had become concerned about the levels of debris accumulating in her neighbourhood and had decided to take action. She explained that she had set up a local campaign, including the use of social media to organise communal clean ups to improve the local environment.

 

The Committee then considered the report of the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on progress in delivering waste, recycling and street cleansing services (including ward level cleansing), cycle lane cleansing, weed control and the apartment service change. The report also included information on flytipping, and the role of planning to address issues of waste associated with both domestic and commercial properties; permitted development and its impact on waste and the impact of short term lets on flytipping.

 

Officers referred to the main points and themes within the report which included:-

 

·         The financial context in which all of these services were delivered;

·         Operational performance of Biffa, following commencement of their contract in July 2015, noting that Biffa were responsible for providing domestic residual and recycling waste collection services; planned and reactive street cleansing services for defined land types;

·         Information on the Service Improvement Plan implemented by Biffa in February 2017;

·         Performance data measured across a range of activities that included bin collection; cleaning of communal passageways; street cleaning services; district centres and city centre cleaning; litter bins and flytipping;

·         Leaf removal activity noting that the leaf removal programme in 2017/18 delivered an improved leaf removal plan, compared to 2016/17;

·         Weed removal services, noting that the standard required Biffa to complete two cycles of weed treatment across the City on an annual basis. This included all highways for which the City has maintenance responsibilities;

·         The approach adopted to the cleansing and leaf removal in cycle lanes;

·         The approach to the gritting of highways;

·         An update on the first phase of apartment service changes and the lessons learnt;

·         The approach adopted to the education, engagement and enforcement to improve levels of recycling, including information on the partnership work with the national charity WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to deliver a range of campaigns with residents;

·         Activities undertaken to address issues associated with commercial waste and flytipping on private land;

·         The waste management considerations when assessing planning applications; and

·         Planning legislation in relation to short term lets and permitted development.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:-

 

·         The Biffa contact and how this was monitored and their use of agency staff and zero hour contracts;

·         How effective was the monitoring of the service provided by Biffa and who undertook this;

·         Who was responsible for removing side waste;

·         Could the scheduling of road sweeping be coordinated to follow bin collections;

·         The problems associated with flytipping and the response to this issue;

·         The cleaning of communal bin areas and lighting of these areas;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

42.

Keep Manchester Tidy Update pdf icon PDF 149 KB

Report of the Chief Operating Officer

 

This report provides an overview of the City’s' partnership with Keep Britain Tidy and the 'Keep Manchester Tidy' campaign.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Operating Officer that provided Members with an update on the Keep Manchester Tidy campaign.

 

Officers referred to the main points and themes within the report which included:-

 

·         Providing a background to Keep Manchester Tidy following feedback from the Manchester Strategy consultation exercise;

·         A schedule of activities planned for 2018/19; and

·         Information on how the impact of these activities are to be collected and measured;

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:-

 

·         The need to reduce the use of single use plastics, noting that this contributed to litter in the immediate areas and contributed to wider, global issues of pollution and this impact this had on the environment and wildlife;

·         Schools needed to be supported to undertake activities, education and campaigns around this issue;

·         Licensing conditions needed to me used to address the issue of litter association with takeaways; and

·         Why was Manchester not engaging with the campaign to tackle discarded chewing gum.

 

The Strategic Lead: Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Services agreed that schools played an important role in promoting this area of activity, in addition to other important areas such air quality and road safety, however it was recognised that teachers needed support to deliver this and this was being looked into.

In response to the issue of takeaways the Strategic Lead: Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Services said that good relationships had been established with the national brands and they had supported local campaigns around this issue of litter.

The Strategic Lead: Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Services noted the comments regarding chewing gum, commenting that currently this was removed using steam cleaning. She said that whilst this was not a current campaign, consideration could be given to future campaigns to specifically address this issue.

 

Members gave examples of resident and community groups in their respective wards who arranged regular litter picks and clean ups, noting that a lot of litter in district centres was related to the night time economy, such as discarded cigarette butts and broken glass. The Chair recommended that a Task and Finish Group should be established to look at good practice, hear from resident groups of their experience and how this could be used to support groups in other areas of the city.  The Members supported this recommendation.

 

Decision

 

The Committee recommends that a Task and Finish Group be established to look at good practice, hear from resident groups of their experience and how this could be used to support groups in other areas of the city. 

 

43.

Overview report pdf icon PDF 291 KB

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

 

This report provides the Committee with details of key decisions that fall within the Committee’s remit and an update on actions resulting from the Committee’s recommendations. The report also includes the Committee’s work programme, which the Committee is asked to amend as appropriate and agree.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which contained key decisions within the Committee’s remit and responses to previous recommendations was submitted for comment. Members were also invited to agree the Committee’s future work programme.  

 

A Member requested that an update report on Improving Road Safety Around Schools that had been considered at the July meeting be added to the Work Programme. The Chair said that she would speak with the relevant Executive Member and schedule this report for an appropriate meeting.

 

Decisions

 

The Committee notes the report and approve the work programme.