To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2025.

In approving the minutes of the previous meeting, the Chair recognised that the Council had since been named as a Gold Carbon Literate Organisation by the Carbon Literacy Project, the UK's very first local authority to achieve Gold status. The Chair on behalf of the Committee extended congratulations and appreciation to the Carbon Literacy team.

(See minute reference ECCNSC/25/12 Embedding Carbon Literacy within the Council)

Decision

To approve the minutes of the Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13 February 2025 as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing

This report provides the annual update on the delivery of the Green and Blue Implementation Plan together with information on the Biodiversity Strategy and Tree and Woodland Action Plan.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing that provided the annual update on the delivery of the Green and Blue Implementation (G&BI) Plan together with information on the Biodiversity Strategy and Tree and Woodland Action Plan. The work on improving our green and blue spaces is an essential component of delivering the vision for Our Manchester. It also contributed to delivering Manchester’s Climate Change Action Plan by helping to create a more climate resilient and biodiverse city. The report looked back on the progress made during 2024/25 and set out the key priorities for 2025/26.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Information in regard to governance arrangements with information of the G&BI Board;

·         Information on the G&BI Stakeholder Group;

·         Consideration of challenges, opportunities and key issues;

·         G&BI Implementation Plan 2024/25 highlights by objective;

·         Awards and recognition;

·         Highlights and update on the Tree Action Plan;

·         Highlights and update on the Biodiversity Strategy; and

·         Future priorities.

The Committee welcomed Claire Biggs Director of Longsight Community Art Space and project lead on the SNUG project. SNUG stood for Sustainable Northmoor Urban Greening and was a project of Longsight Community Art Space in the Northmoor area of Longsight. One of SNUG’s main projects was based out of the Orchard Garden in Crowcroft Park and a short presentation was delivered on this project. She provided a history to the project and described the many benefits realised, both in terms of delivering valued green space and fostering community cohesion. When asked she said the two main barriers experienced were the cost of public liability insurance required to deliver events and accessing funding and support for established, ongoing projects.

The Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport said that she would raise the issues articulated by Claire Biggs with officers and the Clean and Green Board.

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee thanked Claire Biggs for attending the meeting and contributing to the discussion.

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

·         The approach to delivering Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) on site;

·         Was the default option to deliver Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) when delivering highways schemes;

·         Could visual mapping be included in future reports;

·         Were gulley cleaning vehicles used to clean SuDS;

·         Would the Castlefield Viaduct be extended;

·         Where were the four new orchards located;

·         What was the criteria used to identify areas of greatest need for the allocation of funding from the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund;

·         The approach to the management of ash dieback;

·         Consideration needed to be given to communicating to residents where decisions had been taken not to cut grass etc as a means to encourage bio diversity;

·         What was the approach to be taken to the planned refresh of the Greater Manchester All Our Trees Strategy;

·         The importance of gardens as a space to support biodiversity; and

·         Welcoming the information provided in relation to insects.

The Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

This report provides a progress update on the delivery of the 'Food for the Planet' theme within the Manchester Food Strategy 2023-28, with a specific focus on Council actions.  

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive that provided an update on the delivery of the 'Food for the Planet' theme within the Manchester Food Strategy 2023-28, with a specific focus on Council actions. 

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background;

·         Overview of the Manchester Food Strategy 2023-2028;

·         Overview of the Manchester Food Board;

·         Delivery of the Food for the Planet section of the Manchester Food Strategy;

·         Action to address the issue of food waste, noting that the Food Strategy set out a number of actions on food waste;

·         Noting that the Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan, launched in December 2024, contained a specific objective on food waste;

·         Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and the expectation that the private sector would commit to reducing unnecessary packaging from finished products and within supply chains;

·         Food growing and the ambition to increase the quantity and quality of food-growing spaces;

·         Sustainable food in the City; and

·         Food Strategy activation and implementation.

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

·         What would the money received from the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) be used for;

·         Residents should be supported and encouraged to use available space to grow food and was there any data available on this activity;

·         The benefits of allotments, both in terms of growing food and mental and physical health;

·         Noting that sharing allotment plots was a solution to reducing the waiting list;

·         How much food waste was collected in Manchester;

·         What activities were ongoing with schools; and

·         A Member stated that compost created via the In-Vessel Composting facilities was available to community groups.

The Head of City Policy said that work was ongoing to identify land that could be used for growing food, making reference to the Open Space Survey. He also advised that discussions were at an early stage with a local Housing Provider to explore opportunities to release land to deliver allotment space. He said that best practice and lessons learnt from other Local Authorities on this activity were considered. He commented that the process for adopting land could be complicated due to landownership arrangements and information on this process would be provided following this meeting. He said that conversations were ongoing with schools and early years colleagues to ensure all levers of influence were used to implement change. He commented that a specific Council action plan would be developed to capture actions to deliver the Strategy. He also referred to the work of the two Manchester Food Board task and finish groups which had been established to focus on food resilience and food growing, that they were time limited and that new groups would be established focusing on different topics. He also acknowledged comments made regarding the diversity of the Manchester Food Board and reported that consideration was being given to this.

The Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport said that a skills audit of the Manchester Food Board had be undertaken and all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides an update on the approach to providing a Pest Control Service across the City of Manchester describing how the activities contribute to pest reduction, and control.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an update on the approach to providing a Pest Control Service across the City of Manchester describing how the activities contributed to pest reduction, and control.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing an introduction and background to the service;

·         Providing an overview of the activities carried out by the Pest Control Service in delivering treatments for residents, the council, registered housing providers and other commercial customers;

·         Noting that the Service also delivered the Council’s statutory duties in relation to keeping its open land free from pests as outlined in the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act (1949);

·         Case studies;

·         Examples of social value delivered by the service; and

·         Challenges and future initiatives.

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

·         Welcoming the report that was very informative;

·         Noting that the service was very competitively priced;

·         Recognising that a small team had a substantial impact;

·         Was service activity at a ward level available;

·         Was literature giving advice and information on the service provided in different languages;

·         Did the service offer apprenticeship opportunities;

·         The approach to working with United Utilities;

·         Was the poison used when sewer baiting cruelty free;

·         Was there a correlation between flytipping and pests;

·         Could students access the service; and

·         Had any trends been identified in the types of pest the service was having to deal with.

The Pest Control Services Manager informed the Committee that currently information and advice about the service, both written and online was only provided in English. She commented that when technicians attended properties they would use google translate and any information provided via email could be copied into google translate also. She said that the team was relatively small, currently twenty in total and an apprenticeship scheme was not currently offered, however they did offer a trainee scheme that when successfully completed resulted in a recognised qualification. She also described that the service had recently undergone a small restructure to ensure a clear succession plan was in place due to the ageing workforce, adding that this also offered career development opportunities for staff. She said that the service worked in partnership with and had a contract with United Utilities to undertake sewer baiting, adding that hot spots would be targeted following a period of testing, and ward level data was available on this activity. She said that the bait used was cruelty free and the service did not use glue boards. She said the administration of the bait was managed in accordance with all safety guidance. She said that fly tipping would attract pests if not removed, and the service worked with other Council departments to resolve such issues. She commented that building works, especially in the city centre could also result in the displacement of pests and the service worked with United Utilities to manage this. She said students could access the service, however the landlord as the property owner should take responsibility  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

This is a monthly report, which includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the Committee’s work programme and any items for information.

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.

Decision

The Committee notes the report and agrees the work programme.