Meeting documents

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 6 December 2016.

The minutes of the meeting of the PAG held on 6 December 2016 were received.

With regards to item 21 - waste containers – the Waste Services Manager provided clarity around the process of ensuring that charges are introduced to developers for new properties as soon as the Council is notified of them through the LRPG.

To receive any reports from the Chairman or PAG Members.

None received.

The Portfolio Holder and Head of Service to update Members on Part 1 current issues relating to the PAG and to receive feedback from Members, if any.

Presentation on Street Cleansing

The PAG received a presentation on Street Cleansing by the Council’s Waste Services Manager.

The presentation covered the following

-        The Waste & cleansing contract

-        Street cleansing responsibilities

-        The Biffa Crew deployment

-        Background to the service covering road sweeping and litter picking

-        The Code of Practice and grades of cleanliness

-        The grading principles in both relevant highway and hard surface setting

-        The grading principles in soft surface setting

-        Response times

-        The work of Barrowmen in zone 1

-        Ancillary services

-        Short term and long term options for the future

The PAG thanked the Waste Services Manager for the presentation and requested that the presentation be made available to all Members of the Council.  The PAG also requested that a map of the zones be circulated to all Members.  It was noted that it would be useful if the presentation and zones map could also be made available to residents on the Council’s website to aid their understanding of how the service works.

In the discussion which followed the presentation, the PAG raised some concerns regarding areas where there was an issue with littering and flytipping. PAG members were invited to meet with the Waste Services Manager following the meeting to look into these areas further.   A suggestion was made to work in partnership with schools to help clean up areas around schools in the District.

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted and that a copy of the presentation and a map of the zones by circulated to all members.

The PAG received a report which updated Members about the Common Land and Waste of the Manor land in Beaconsfield Old Town and the responsibilities/ limitations of the Council. The report sought the Portfolio Holder’s agreement to restrict the Council’s management of the land in line with the clauses set out in the Scheme of Management and recent Council Legal advice.

Members were advised that the need for the Council to limit expenditure of public money had identified a need to review the management situation in Beaconsfield Old Town.  A recent Legal Review had clarified the responsibilities of the Council with regard to Common Land and Waste of the Manor Land.

In the discussion which followed, with regards to the Common Land, the PAG requested that that greater clarity be provided on what parcels of land the Council is responsible for including CL36, CL37, CL38, CL39 and that information be provided on what parts of the land the Council has already devolved maintenance to.  Furthermore, the PAG requested that clarification be provided on section 6(e) of the Copy of the Scheme in connection with the regulation of motor vehicles. The PAG, being mindful of the possibility of legal challenges, were of the opinion that that the Council should enter into further discussions with the other parties to discuss possible ways forward. 

With regards to the Waste of the Manor land, whilst recognising that the Council does not have a duty or responsibility in respect of the land outside the registered Scheme described as "waste of the manor" as it is not registered common land, the PAG were of the opinion that there may be times when it would be in the Council’s interest to work with other parties and therefore the Council should arrange a meeting with the other parties to discuss areas of mutual benefit.

Having considered the advice of the PAG, the Portfolio Holder AGREED the following

Common Land:

1)     that greater clarity be provided on what parcels of land the Council is responsible for including CL36, CL37, CL38, CL39;

2)     that information be provided on what parts of the land the Council has already devolved maintenance to;

3)     that clarification also be provided on section 6(e) of the Copy of the Scheme in connection with the regulation of motor vehicles; and

4)     that the Council enters into further discussions with the other parties to discuss possible ways forward

Waste of the Manor land:

Whilst recognising that the Council does not have a duty or responsibility in respect of the land outside the registered Scheme described as "waste of the manor" as it is not registered common land, there may be times when it would be in the Council’s interest to work with other parties and therefore the Council should arrange a meeting with the other parties to discuss areas of mutual benefit.

The PAG received a report which updated Members on the approach for the county wide Fighting Food Waste project to be delivered through the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire.

The Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire submitted a bid to DCLG’s fund for increasing recycling rates and the partnership was awarded £838,600 for its proposed ‘Fighting Food Waste’ project.  The aim of the project was to encourage more residents to recycle their food waste; this would increase recycling rates and also represents the lower cost option for processing food waste.

A base data gathering exercise identified that 50% of Buckinghamshire residents use their food recycling service but of that 50%, only a proportion of food waste was being captured.  The Partnership Delivery Team for the project have looked at best practice examples provided by the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP).  In terms of providing effective communications, the preferred approach had been agreed by the Environment Cabinet Members across the partnership.

The PAG were advised that it was proposed that a communications package containing a leaflet, a roll of caddy liners and a bin sticker for the residual bins be delivered to Buckinghamshire residents with wider communications taking place to promote food recycling and food waste reduction.  Further data gathering exercises would take place to monitor the effectiveness of the campaign.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Any other business which the Portfolio Holder considers is urgent.

None.