To take any questions from members of the Public.

Please note: Members of the Public are requested to inform the Democratic Services Officer before the meeting begins if they wish to ask a verbal question to the Committee

No questions had been submitted or were asked by 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.

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the agenda.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee held on 10 June 2019 and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee held on 10 June 2019 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

To agree to the establishment of a cross party Member working group to oversee the development of the Council’s new Climate Change Action Plan.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee: 

(1)      Approved the terms of reference for the working group as attached in Annex 1 to the report.

(2)      Agreed the appointment of members to the working group and a Chairman as follows: Councillors Alex Coley (Chair), Hannah Dalton, Steve Bridger, Steven McCormick, Bernie Muir, Julie Morris, Kate Chinn.

The Committee received a report requesting the establishment of a cross party Member working group to oversee the development of the Council’s new Climate Change Action Plan.

The Committee noted that a special meeting of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee had been arranged for 20 January 2020 to consider the Climate Change Action Plan. An Extraordinary meeting of the Council would be held on the same evening to ratify the Plan.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee: 

(1)      Approved the terms of reference for the working group as attached in Annex 1 to the report.

(2)      Agreed the appointment of members to the working group and a Chairman as follows: Councillors Alex Coley (Chair), Hannah Dalton, Steve Bridger, Steven McCormick, Bernie Muir, Julie Morris, Kate Chinn.

In 2018 the Environment and Safe Communities Committee adopted the Environmental Health Service Plans for Health & Safety and for Food Safety.  This report contains monitoring information on action taken in 2018-2019 and proposes new targets for 2019-2020.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)       Adopted the service plan for food safety;

(2)       Adopted the intervention plan for health and safety;

(3)       Agreed to receive revised food and health and safety plans for 2020-2021 at a date in 2020.

The Committee received an annual report containing monitoring information on action taken against the Environmental Health Service Plans for Health & Safety and for Food Safety in 2018-2019 and proposing new targets for 2019-2020.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Shared service with other local authorities. A Member enquired whether a shared Environmental Health Officer resource with other local authorities had been considered to address the current recruitment challenges being experienced. Officers informed the Committee that this would be considered but that it was unlikely to be viable.

The Committee was informed that Environmental Health apprenticeships were a potential solution to the difficulties. A level-6 apprenticeship had recently become available to apprentices, and the Council already had a level-3 Apprentice working within the Environmental Health service team.

b)            Notifications of infectious disease. Following a question, the Committee was informed that 151 notifications of infectious disease within the Borough had been made to the Council in 2018-19.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)       Adopted the service plan for food safety;

(2)       Adopted the intervention plan for health and safety;

(3)       Agreed to receive revised food and health and safety plans for 2020-2021 at a date in 2020.

This report seeks the agreement of the Committee for off street parking fees and charges during 2020/21 as proposed by the Car Park Working Group. It also proposes changes to the operational hours of Hook Road car park and some alterations to the current charging schedules within our car parks.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      Agreed the changes to car park fees identified by the Car Park Working Group in Annex 1 to the report;

(2)      Agreed the changes to car park permit fees identified by the Car Park Working Group in Annex 2 to the report;

That the Committee agreed in principle:

(3)      a) To Hook Road car park being opened on a Sunday from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

b) That the period applicable for a discount fee for users of the Rainbow Leisure Centre who park in Hook Road Car Park is reduced from a stay of up to 3 hours to a stay of up to 2 hours.

(4)       a) To remove the maximum stay tariff in the car parks at the Ashley Centre, Town Hall and Hope Lodge available from 1pm and 3pm.

b)   To remove the maximum stay tariff in the car parks at Hook Road, Depot Road and Upper High Street available from 3pm.

c)    To introduce a pre-payable evening rate in the Ashley Centre which will be available from 6pm – 11:59pm, so long as the user leaves by midnight.

(5)      a) To the standard day time charges to apply in Bourne Hall car park for the period between 7am and 9am Monday to Saturday.

b) To the removal of the up to 30 minutes tariff in Dorset House and Ewell High Street car parks.

c) To the introduction of a weekly ticket in Dorset House and Ewell High Street car parks.

d) To the introduction of charging in Bourne Hall, Dorset House and Ewell High Street on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

(6)      a) To the extension of the daily rate tariff in West Hill car park to cover from 5am to 8am.

b) To the introduction of an evening tariff in West Hill car park.

c) To the introduction of charging in West Hill car park on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

d) That blue badge parking in West Hill car park is charged as per the rules in other Epsom town centre pay and display car parks.

(7)      To the introduction of an Ashley Centre parker card for those who work in Epsom town centre.

That the Committee:

(8)      Authorises the Chief Legal Officer to give such notice(s) and/or make such order as is considered necessary in order to give effect to the above recommendations. That any representations to these proposals are brought back to Environment & Safe Communities Committee in January 2020.

The Committee received a report seeking the agreement of the Committee for off street parking fees and charges during 2020/21 as proposed by the Car Park Working Group. The report also proposed changes to the operational hours of Hook Road car park and some alterations to the current charging schedules within the Council’s car parks.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Changes to fees and Charges. The Committee considered the proposed changes to car park fees and charges. It was noted that car park tariffs (excluding permits) had not increased in April 2019. Fees and charges for 2020/21 were proposed by the Car Park Working Group following consideration of a number of factors, including the tariffs set by other nearby Boroughs/Districts. Following a question as to whether reducing fees would increase usage and revenue, the Committee was informed that retail studies of the Borough in recent years had indicated that the most important influence on visits was the nature of the retail offering provided, not the car park charge.

It was noted that the Town Hall and Hope Lodge car parks were regularly full. The Ashley Centre car park was not at capacity on all days, and it was proposed to introduce a parker card for the car park to increase use.

b)            Discounted parking in Hook Road for Rainbow Centre users. It was proposed to reduce the duration of discounted parking at Hook Road Car Park for Rainbow Leisure Centre users from 3 to 2 hours. A member of the Committee raised concern that this would impact upon users of the new Rainbow Play Park, which operated sessions of 2 hours. The Committee considered that any concerns regarding this change would included within the responses to public consultation, and taken into account when deciding whether to proceed with the proposal at its meeting in January 2020.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      Agreed the changes to car park fees identified by the Car Park Working Group in Annex 1 to the report;

(2)      Agreed the changes to car park permit fees identified by the Car Park Working Group in Annex 2 to the report;

That the Committee agreed in principle:

(3)      a) To Hook Road car park being opened on a Sunday from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

b) That the period applicable for a discount fee for users of the Rainbow Leisure Centre who park in Hook Road Car Park is reduced from a stay of up to 3 hours to a stay of up to 2 hours.

(4)      a) To remove the maximum stay tariff in the car parks at the Ashley Centre, Town Hall and Hope Lodge available from 1pm and 3pm.

b)  To remove the maximum stay tariff in the car parks at Hook Road, Depot Road and Upper High Street available from 3pm.

c)  To introduce a pre-payable evening rate in the Ashley Centre which will be available from 6pm – 11:59pm, so long as the user leaves by midnight.

(5)      a) To  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

This report asks Committee to agree the proposed fees and charges for commercial advertising within the Ashley Centre Car Park.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee agreed to commercial advertising being introduced on boards within the car parks at the Ashley Centre and Hook Road.

(2)      That the Head of Operational Services in consultation with the Chair of Environment and Safe Communities Committee be authorised to  agree the fees for commercial advertising on boards within the car parks at the Ashley Centre and Hook Road for the remainder of 2019/20.

The Committee received a report asking it to agree fees and charges for commercial advertising within the Ashley Centre Car Park.

The following matter was considered:

a)            Charges and advertising periods. The Committee supported the introduction of commercial advertising boards within the Ashley Centre and Hook Road car parks. However, Members considered that there should be further refinement of the advertising packages, particularly to offer an incentive for longer subscriptions as these would reduce the Council’s costs of implementation and sign turnover. The Committee considered that approval of advertising packages for the remainder of 2019/20 financial year should be delegated to the relevant officer in consultation with the Chair of the Committee.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee agreed to commercial advertising being introduced on boards within the car parks at the Ashley Centre and Hook Road.

(2)      That the Head of Operational Services in consultation with the Chair of Environment and Safe Communities Committee be authorised to  agree the fees for commercial advertising on boards within the car parks at the Ashley Centre and Hook Road for the remainder of 2019/20.

This report highlights the adverse variance currently forecast for the Waste Services staffing budget and officer action being taken to address this.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      To note the current adverse variance in the Waste Services staffing budget and the actions that officers are taking to address it.

The Committee received a report highlighting the adverse variance forecast for the Waste Services staffing budget, and officer action being taken to address this.

The following matter was considered:

a)            Adverse variance. The Committee was informed that an adverse variance would be recorded for the Waste Services staffing budget for 2019/20, as it had not been possible to remove a vehicle and teams from service as initially anticipated. The removal of this vehicle and team had not been possible due to an increase in household and business collections, and potential negative impact on service quality.

It was noted that Officers would continue to review budgets to identify where the variance could be funded from.

b)            Bin replacement. The Committee noted that annual budget provision for replacement bins was provided. There was not currently a shared standard for bins across Surrey Waste Partnership members, but the Council procured it’s bin units through a framework agreement which significantly lowered its costs.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      To note the current adverse variance in the Waste Services staffing budget and the actions that officers are taking to address it.

To note the success of this years in-house bedding operation and plans for further improvements.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee noted the contents of the report.

The Committee received a report providing an update on the success of this year’s in-house bedding operation and plans for further improvements.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Sustainable planting in flower beds. Members of the Committee congratulated officers on the implementation of sustainable and mixed planting in a number of flower beds around the Borough.

b)            Hanging baskets. It was noted that officers would consider whether it would be appropriate to reduce the number of hanging baskets located at the Town Hall in future years, and report back to a future meeting of the Committee.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee noted the contents 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 2020/21.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      Noted the implications of the budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee.

(2)      Considered how savings could be generated to address the Council wide funding gap of £544,000 in 2020/21.

The Committee received a report informing it 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 2020/21.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      Noted the implications of the budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee.

(2)      Considered how savings could be generated to address the Council wide funding gap of £544,000 in 2020/21.

This report summarises the Building Control chargeable account.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      received and noted the review of the Building Control chargeable account following the end of the 2018/19 financial year as provided within the report.

(2)      agreed to grant delegated authority to the Head of Planning for the future adjustment of Building Control charges scheme upwards or downwards by 20% in consultation with the Council’s Chief Financial Officer to ensure that income will cover the cost of the chargeable service.

The Committee received a report summarising the Building Control chargeable account for 2018/19.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

That the Committee:

(1)      received and noted the review of the Building Control chargeable account following the end of the 2018/19 financial year as provided within the report.

(2)      agreed to grant delegated authority to the Head of Planning for the future adjustment of Building Control charges scheme upwards or downwards by 20% in consultation with the Council’s Chief Financial Officer to ensure that income will cover the cost of the chargeable service.

This report asks the Committee to agree its forward plan for 2019/20.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee approved the forward plan 2019/20 attached

 at Annex 1.

The Committee received a report asking it to agree its forward plan for 2019/20.

The following matter was considered:

a)            Climate Change. The Committee noted that work streams identified by the Climate Change Working Group would be included into its forward plan as appropriate. It was also noted that the consideration of climate change concerns would be included in future committee reports, and that officers were considering the most effective way of implementing this.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)      That the Committee approved the forward plan 2019/20 attached

 at Annex 1.