Agenda item
Neighbourhood Compliance Team Report
Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)
The report provides the Committee with an overview of activities carried out by the Neighbourhood Compliance service area which is part of the Community Safety, Compliance and Enforcement Service.
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an overview of activities carried out by the Neighbourhood Compliance service area which were part of the Community Safety, Compliance and Enforcement Service.
Key points and themes in the report included:
· Providing an introduction and background;
· Providing a description of the remit and responsibilities of the different teams;
· Providing a number of detailed case studies across a range of activities; and
· Consideration of challenges and future initiatives.
Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:
· Welcoming the report, noting that it provided the reader with an insight into the breadth of work that was undertaken on behalf of the residents of the city;
· Requesting that future reports include comparative data to allow improvements in service delivery and requests for service to be tracked;
· Did the Council have any influence as to where any unpaid work was delivered as part of the Magistrates Court sanctions;
· What was being done with flats above commercial properties;
· Was there any funding available to deliver additional alleygating schemes;
· Was there any funding available to deliver any additional CCTV equipment to help detect and prosecute perpetrators of fly tipping;
· Had there been any cost benefit analysis undertaken to understand if it would be more cost effective to offer unlimited free bulky collections rather than pay to have fly tipping removed;
· How many complaints were resolved informally;
· The importance of bringing empty homes back into use;
· Littering from vehicles; and
· Were there any legal encampments in Manchester for the traveller community.
The Head of Compliance Enforcement and Community Safety commented that the new reporting system that was being introduced would allow for comparative data to be extracted and this would be included in future reports. Noting the comments expressed regarding flats above commercial properties she made reference to work of the Intensive Neighbourhood Management Pilot that brought a range of Council departments together to deliver targeted activities. She stated that consideration would also be given as to how the impact of this and similar activities such as Action Days were captured and reported. She further advised that CCTV was a limited resource, and priority was given as to where this was deployed to tackle particular hotspots. She further commented that at present there was no additional funding available to deliver further alleygating schemes. She also confirmed that at present there were no legal encampments in Manchester for the traveller community.
The Head of Compliance Enforcement and Community Safety stated that there was a dedicated Empty Homes Team within the Homelessness Unit that worked with property owners, with the aim of bringing these properties back into use, noting that there was a variety of reasons as to why a property could be empty.
The Neighbourhood Manager – Neighbourhood Compliance commented that the sanctions imposed by the courts were solely the discretion of the magistrate. He commented that approximately two thirds of complaints were resolved informally. The Head of Compliance Enforcement and Community Safety added that they were currently in dialogue with the Probation Service to discuss where any unpaid work was delivered, noting a comment made by a Member regarding the positive impact delivery of this work had in a park in her ward.
The Neighbourhood Manager – Neighbourhood Compliance said that enforcement action would be taken in the form of a Fixed Penalty Notice against the registered owner of a vehicle where litter had been dropped from and all reports would be investigated. He further added that any witnesses could be required to attend court to provide evidence.
The Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods stated that the issue of fly tipping was a national issue, commenting that in the previous three months there had been a reported 11,300 cases in Manchester. She said the cost to the Council of disposing of waste needed to be taken into consideration and more emphasis needed to be given to opportunities for community reusing and recycling. She said the Clean and Green Board was looking at this issue of fly tipping as a priority, noting the discussion in relation to the Our Manchester Strategy and the priority identified for Neighbourhoods to be attractive places with good homes, facilities and green spaces.
The Chair, in concluding this item of business, acknowledged the significant amount of work undertaken by the team on behalf of the residents of the city and she requested that the Committee’s appreciation be relayed to all staff concerned.
Decision
To note the report.
Supporting documents: