Meeting documents

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 13 March 2013

The minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 13 March 2013 were received.

To consider report of the Director of Services.

[Councillor Vigor-Hedderly declared a personal interest in this item, having leased land (unrelated to the land under discussion in this item) from the Hall Barn Estate]

The PAG considered a report, which sought Members’ advice regarding parking on Beaconsfield Common Land and the potential way forward.

The issue of parking on Beaconsfield Common Land had been the subject of previous reports to the PAG. The matter was last considered at the Environment PAG on 7^th February 2011, when it was agreed that the preferred option was to explore a land swap and release of current land from common land status. It was agreed that a further report would be considered by the PAG once the comments of Beaconsfield Ward Members on the issue had been received and a meeting had been held to discuss the option with the Town Council, Hall Barn Estates, Bucks County Council and District Councillors.

Members were provided with more details, as set out in the report, regarding the proposed arrangements for the land swap and release of current land from common land status.

The PAG were made aware of the comments which had been received from the various Stakeholders, including the Town Council, on the issue. Whilst it was noted that Bucks County Council, Hall Barn Estates and District Councillors had all shown support of the scheme, the Town Council had raised some concerns. 

Having considered the comments received from Stakeholders and the advice of the PAG, the Portfolio Holder has resolved to undertake initial soundings with local groups in the area to ascertain their views on the potential way forward. Further discussion is also required with the Town Council and their formal view sought prior to commencing any formal consultation.  Following this, a report will be submitted to the PAG to consider the possibility of undertaking formal consultation. 

RESOLVED that the report be noted and a further report be submitted to the PAG in due course.

To consider report of the Director of Services.

The PAG considered a report which updated Members about the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Local Nature Partnership (LNP).

The PAG noted that the LNP had been renamed as the Buckinghamshire Natural Environmental Partnership (NEP) to acknowledge the wider remit, to incorporate issues such as Green Infrastructure, Health and Communities. 

Members were advised that a Shadow Board had been set up, which would be reviewed after a year.  The board’s terms of reference and the minutes of the last board meeting were attached to the report. A draft Memorandum of Agreement had been prepared and was attached to appendix 3 of the report.

The PAG noted that the NEP will play a vital role in progressing the Buckinghamshire Green Infrastructure Strategy and reviewing the delivery plan. An update on the Buckinghamshire Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan was attached as appendix 4 of the report. 

It was noted that funding had previously been agreed for the support of the Partnership for 2012 – 2015.   However, in response to a concern that some District Councils were not contributing as much as others, the funding structure had been amended so that each District Council would contribute an equal amount of £4,000 per annum (to be reviewed after the initial year). The Council’s contribution to the partnership had therefore been reduced by £1,700 per annum. It was proposed that this amount be saved annually and accumulated into the existing budget so that it can be used for funding potential future projects within the South Bucks area.

RESOLVED that the report and appendices be noted. Having considered the advice of the PAG, the Portfolio Holder indicated support for the following proposals:

1. That the amount of £1,700 saved per annum be accumulated for funding potential future projects within the South Bucks area;
2. That the draft Memorandum of Agreement, attached as appendix 3 to the report, be endorsed;
3. To endorse the continuing work on the Buckinghamshire Green Infrastructure Strategy and Delivery Plan.

To consider report of the Director of Services.

The PAG received a report which updated Members on the project to redevelop the Council’s depot on Dropmore Road.

The PAG noted that despite planning delays, the project to redevelop Dropmore Road Depot was progressing as planned. The PAG were advised that if this was to change once construction begins the Portfolio Holder would be updated as required.  The contract for demolition and construction works had been finalised by Legal Services and was due to be signed on 1^st July, with works due to commence within 2 weeks of this date.  Contract costs were contained in Part II of the report.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To consider report of the Director of Services.

The PAG considered an update report on the Council’s recycling publicity planning, which sought the PAG’s advice on the latest publicity plan. 

The plan, which aims to ease the transition to the new collection scheme through maximising the awareness residents have of the scheme change, was attached as an appendix to the report.  The report sets out the various methods for raising awareness, including leaflets, vehicle panels, road shows, emails, letters and calendars. 

Members were advised that Member briefing days would be taking place in July. The following two dates had been provisionally set:

• 11^th July

• 30^th July

Members welcomed the plan and stressed the importance of ensuring that residents are kept well informed.  It was noted that printing information in Parish Council newsletters and Parish magazines would be an effective means of raising awareness.   A suggestion was also made to send information out to parents via children’s school bags.

RESOLVED that having considered the advice of the PAG, the Portfolio Holder endorsed the proposed recycling publicity plan as set out in the appendix of the report.

To receive a verbal update on this item.

The PAG received a verbal update on the Future Services Roll Out Plan and other associated information.

Members were made aware of the following information as part of the update:

• The project was on track to meet all the relevant deadlines.
• The public consultation closed yesterday. A total of 231 responses had been received.  Two focus groups had taken place. One more focus group was scheduled to take place next week.
• Majority of respondents were happy with same colour bins with different colour lids.
• Majority of respondents prefer to be informed via leaflets and emails.
• Majority of respondents were satisfied with having the calendar delivered and then further copies made available online.
• 40% indicated that they would sign up to the garden waste scheme (the majority would want to set up direct debit to pay for the scheme).
• Respondents were offered the option of making any other comments when responding to the consultation – 14% used the other comments section to praise the scheme.

In the discussion which followed, Members were advised that residents were informed of the consultation through the Council’s webpage, a press release, and via email. An officer also went to the District’s town centres to promote the consultation by using a decorative wheelie bin. 

RESOLVED that the report be noted

To consider report of the Director of Services.

The PAG received a report which provided Members with an update on flytipping over the past financial year. The update included information on the progress of the County-wide anti-flytipping campaign called Illegal Dumping Costs and a graph illustrating the success of the campaign in reducing flytipping.  The report also illustrated the Council’s excellent prosecution rate.

Members noted that whereas the number of flytipping incidents was starting to plateau at the current level, there had still been a significant decrease overall. The Council would continue to work towards decreasing the levels of flytipping further and increasing the amount of enforcement action.

RESOLVED that the report be noted

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

The PAG received a report which provided an overview of the 2011 census results for South Bucks. 

The PAG noted that the first phase of Census data for local areas was released between November 2012 and February 2013 and that more detailed information was due to be released in stages in 2013. Members were made aware of the headline results from the 2011 Census as set out in the report and were advised that more detailed Census information could be found in Appendix A of the report and on the Council’s KnowledgeSource system.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To receive any reports from the Chairman or PAG Members.

None received.

Any other business which the Portfolio Holder considers is urgent.

The Chairman agreed to take the following item as a matter of urgency in view of the need for a recommendation to be made to the next Cabinet meeting:

Parking Survey

The PAG were advised that in order to inform future decision making, there is a need to conduct a parking survey of Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross in the sum of £25,000.

To note the following item(s) contain exempt information, which is not for publication to the press or public.

Members noted that the following report contained information that was not available to the press and public.

Dropmore Road Depot Move Update

(Schedule 12A part 1. para 3 – because of information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular individual including the authority)

RESOLVED that the report be noted.