Agenda, decisions and minutes

This report provides a review and update on the progress of the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan.

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN: REVIEW & PROGRESS UPDATE(Item 5 of the agenda) was withdrawn from the agenda for the following reason:

a)            To bring the report back to a future meeting of the Committee following the review and scrutiny of the report by the Climate Action Working Group.

The Chair confirmed that the CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN: REVIEW & PROGRESS UPDATEreport (Item 5 of the agenda) was withdrawn from the agenda for the following reasons:

(1)          To bring the report back to a future meeting of the Committee following the review and scrutiny of the report by the Climate Action Working Group.

In relation to the withdrawal, the following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Date of next Climate Action Working Group meeting: In response to a question from a Member, the Environment and Sustainability Officer explained that due to Officer and Member availability, and due to the period of national mourning following the death of her Majesty the Queen, the subsequent meeting of the Climate Action Working Group, following its April meeting, had been delayed to November.

To take any questions from members of the Public.

No questions were received from members of the public.

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

Tree Management Plan

Councillor Steven McCormick, Other Interest: In the interest of openness and transparency, Councillor Steven McCormick confirmed that he is a member of the Tree Advisory Board, and Chairman of the Surrey Tree Warden Network.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee held on 27 July 2022 and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

The Committee confirmed as a true record the Minutes of the meeting of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee held on 27 July 2022 and authorised the Chair to sign them.

This report seeks authority to utilise the safer streets grant award to replace 16 out of the 20 CCTV cameras in the borough, requests a decision to decommission the remaining 4 cameras, and approval to spend the balance of the safer streets grant award on the identified projects appearing as part of the successful bid.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Approve the allocation of the Safer Streets grant allocation to the projects outlined in the bid submission in Appendix 3 of the report.

(2)          Approve the allocation of £128,624 of Safer Streets grant funded capital expenditure to the replacement of the 16 remaining cameras in Epsom and £43,888 transmission costs covering two years.

(3)          Approve the decommissioning of two obsolete CCTV cameras in Stoneleigh and two in Ewell.

The Committee received a report seeking authority to utilise the safer streets grant award to replace 16 out of the 20 CCTV cameras in the borough, requesting a decision to decommission the remaining 4 cameras, and seeking approval to spend the balance of the safer streets grant award on the identified projects appearing as part of the successful bid.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Police monitoring of CCTV: The Public Protection Manager confirmed that Surrey Police are currently monitoring the CCTV. He explained that 2 years ago Surrey Police confirmed they will withdraw from the arrangement within 3-4 years but have not confirmed a date of withdrawal as of yet.

b)           Associated costs and location: The Public Protection Manager confirmed that the monitoring costs associated with the CCTV cameras would be funded by the Epsom BID, and that the monitoring would take place within the Ashley Centre. He confirmed that the transmission and maintenance costs would be covered by the Council.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Approve the allocation of the Safer Streets grant allocation to the projects outlined in the bid submission in Appendix 3 of the report.

(2)          Approve the allocation of £128,624 of Safer Streets grant funded capital expenditure to the replacement of the 16 remaining cameras in Epsom and £43,888 transmission costs covering two years.

(3)          Approve the decommissioning of two obsolete CCTV cameras in Stoneleigh and two in Ewell.

This report introduces the Council Tree Management Plan and seeks support for carrying out a targeted stakeholder consultation.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Agree to carry out a targeted stakeholder consultation of the Tree Management Plan set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee received a report introducing the Council Tree Management Plan and seeking support for carrying out a targeted stakeholder consultation.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Amendment to list of consulted groups: The Committee considered that the following groups be added to the list of those to be consulted:

·                     Friends of Epsom & Ewell Parks

·                     Trustees of the Woodcote Millennium Green Trust

·                     Residents Associations and Political Parties

This was noted by the Environment and Sustainability Officer.

b)           Tree Pruning: In response to a question from a Member,the Director Environment, Housing and Regeneration confirmed many trees in the Borough are protected by tree preservation orders or are located in conservation areas. She also confirmed she understood people have a legal right to prune unprotected trees that overhang their land. The Committee considered that the wording in the Tree Management Plan (Appendix to the report) be amended as necessary prior to consultation in order to provide clarity on legal rights in relation to pruning protected trees overhanging private land.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Agree to carry out a targeted stakeholder consultation of the Tree Management Plan set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

This report informs the Committee of the Council’s revenue budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee.  The report seeks guidance on the preparation of the Committee’s service estimates for 2023/24.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Note the implications of the budget targets presented to Strategy & Resources Committee on 26 July 2022.

(2)          Note that any additional new growth items supported by the Committee will need to be fully funded from existing budgets.

The Committee received a report informing the Committee of the Council’s revenue budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee.  The report sought guidance on the preparation of the Committee’s service estimates for 2023/24.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Homelessness net cost reduction target: In relation to paragraph 2.3.5 of the report, the Chief Accountant confirmed that the Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee is aware of the target and is monitoring it closely. The Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration informed the Committee that the matter will be going to the upcoming meeting of the Community and Wellbeing Committee, and more information will be available following that meeting.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Note the implications of the budget targets presented to Strategy & Resources Committee on 26 July 2022.

(2)          Note that any additional new growth items supported by the Committee will need to be fully funded from existing budgets.