Council and democracy

Julie Rogers, Director of Environment and Highways, gave apologies for Daren Spring and presented the report that provided Members with an update on the progress made by the Cleaning and Greening services and outlined the service aspirations for the future. Julie Rogers referred Members to Appendix 2 the Communication Plan and stated that this was a draft plan but was provided to give a flavour of what would be launched in January 2019.

Councillor Abbas thanked Officers for the report and questioned how effective the street cleansing was. Julie Rogers stated that the Council was only responsible for roads in their portfolio and not for private housing estates where this would fall under management companies to maintain the cleansing of roads. Julie Rogers stated that if Councillor Abbas had concern over a certain road he should contact the team and they would investigate.

Councillor Abbas questioned whether there should be rules for those management companies to ensure they follow cleansing regulations. Vincent Taylor stated that this would be outside the remit of the Council.

Councillor Abbas questioned how effective fly-tipping removal was in particular abandoned vehicles, full of waste on the A1306 in Purfleet. Julie Rogers stated that the team were aware of known regular hot spots and used enforcement powers but the main problem had been proving who had committed the crime. Mobile CCTV has been used in various locations to record such actions. Julie Rogers stated that a change in legislation proposed for next year would mean that the vehicle owner would be held responsible.

Councillor Abbas stated that it was alarming vehicles could be left for such a long time and was there a strategy to identify those through vehicle registration numbers. Vincent Taylor stated those that carried out fly-tipping activities undertook this for a living and were very clever knowing how to avoid prosecution. The Council do not have facility or funding to remove these vehicles, from private land and it would fall under specialists to take vehicles away.

Councillor Abbas referred to a large car showroom and how they used the road to park their vehicles on and questioned what could be done to stop this. Vincent Taylor asked Councillor Abbas to provide details and he would pass them onto the enforcement officers. Julie Rogers stated that the enforcement officers monitored and targeted certain areas and discussions were taking place on how to broaden the team so that it worked 24/7 more effectively and particularly through the night. Julie Rogers stated that safety was paramount in considering what activities should be monitored. Civil enforcement officers would also be attending training in January 2019 on hate crime and how to get into safe situations.

Councillor Abbas questioned whether mobile teams could undertake and monitor random site visits. Julie Rogers stated the civil enforcement team was small with less than 10 members with various priorities, including schools and monitoring known hot spot areas. Discussions were taking place to look at how much income was required to self-fund more civil enforcement officers so that more random checks could be undertaken.

Councillor Rigby had noted less fly-tipping and questioned whether it was the larger organised crimes that should now be targeted. Julie Rogers stated that small fly-tipping were still taking place but the Council had become smarter on picking these up. That educating people through social media, to ensure that waste carrier licences are asked for before any rubbish was removed from their property, as unfortunately it was still innocent residents who were getting fined.

Councillor Rigby asked what was the best action on dealing with dog faeces not being picked up by dog owners. Julie Rogers stated it was difficult to tackle and that an advertising campaign will follow the new public bin roll out to let residents know that dog faeces can be placed in household bins and incinerated alongside normal household rubbish. Julie Rogers stated that the enforcement team work tirelessly to address these issues.

The Chair questioned how we prosecuted those that fly-poster. Julie Rogers stated the process for fly-poster was very rigorous with any posters placed on street furniture would be removed and used for evidence. Fines would be issued and where not paid those individuals would be prosecuted.

The Chair questioned whether the Council had a good enough relationship with the Port of Tilbury to ensure those lorries that leave the port are sheeted-up. Julie Rogers stated that the Council had no powers in relation to moving vehicles this enforcement falls to the Police. That the Port of Tilbury undertook their own checks to ensure vehicles were sheeted-up.

The Chair questioned what was being done about graffiti in the borough as some buildings including Council buildings were not being cleaned. Julie Rogers stated that the process was that incidents would be reported and the Council would ensure they were cleaned. Julie Rogers stated that if the graffiti was on private property the enforcement officers would write to the land owner and ask that the graffiti be removed but unfortunately it would be there choice whether to remove it or not. Julie Rogers asked the Chair to provide her with the Council building in question.

The Chair asked whether the CCTV cameras could be strategically placed to ensure that the Council caught those perpetrators who fly-tipped. Julie Rogers stated that those captured on CCTV and recognised would be prosecuted. That unfortunately this tends to be organised crime with vehicles having false number plates. The Council were working in partnership with the Environment Agency to track down such groups.

Julie Rogers stated that the next stage would be to set up mobile cameras in known hot spot areas but by law residents would need to be told about them.

The Chair questioned whether small waste collection vehicles could be used to target those missed bins and help reduce the number of bins being missed. Julie Rogers stated that narrow access vehicles would be used to address those blocked areas and work was being undertaken with the design team on yellow lines coming into force on waste collection days. Some areas would have bag collections and wheeled containers could be used in cemeteries.

The Chair asked whether bins would be available in cemeteries before spring. Vincent Taylor confirmed that work was being undertaken with the design team to trial a new wheeled bin and these would be rolled out in the next financial year.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the Cleaner Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the performance and service achievements in relation to Fly Tipping.

2.         That the Cleaner Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the performance in relation to the Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleansing section elements of the Clean It Cut It Fill It Programme since last reporting to the committee in July 2017.