Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Fenton, Councillor Weavers and his substitute member Councillor Balckburn.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

The following declaration of interest was received:

Minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2011.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2011 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which gave the Committee advance notification of a request to Cabinet and Council seeking formal declaration of two Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

The report informed Members that an analysis of air pollution monitoring data showed that the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) objective for nitrogen dioxide was exceeded at the junction of South Road and Crosby Road North, Waterloo and the junction of Hawthorne Road and Church Road, Litherland.

It was reported that an Air Quality Management Area for nitrogen dioxide must be declared at the junction of South Road and Crosby Road North, Waterloo and the junction of Hawthorne Road and Church Road, Litherland.

It was reported that both Air Quality Management Areas were identified as traffic related, because of the contribution of traffic related emissions to the concentrations of pollutants at each site.  It was further reported that measures to improve air quality in response to the declarations would be integrated with the Local Transport Plan capital programme and the TravelWise campaign to promote more sustainable travel.  It was highlighted that the declaration for Crosby Road North would be a key consideration in the A565 Route Management Strategy.

The report set out a timetable for providing information to and consulting those affected by the declaration including a number of named organisations (statutory consultees) and the local community.

RESOLVED: That the recommendation to Cabinet and Council declaring Air Quality Management Areas Numbers 4 and 5 Order, 2011 as detailed at Annex 1 to the report, be accepted.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

Link to Appendix 1 referred to within the report:-

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s36618/JRWMSAnnex1.doc.pdf

Link to Appendix 2 referred to within the report:-

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s36616/JRWMSAnnex2.doc.pdf

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which featured details of the Joint Recycling and Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Merseyside, which was first published in 2005 and then subsequently updated and approved by each Merseyside Authority in early 2008.

It was reported that a full review of the strategy began in 2009 with various workshops being held in March 2010 and January 2011 in order to contribute to the development of the strategic objectives, targets and prioritised delivery options presented in the Strategy.

It was further reported that a programme of presentations were delivered to all Overview and Scrutiny Committees across Merseyside including Sefton and that they had all supported the direction of the Strategy.

The report set out that the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority had approved the final draft strategy “Resources Merseyside”, appendix one to the report, in November 2011 and required formal adoption by each Merseyside Metropolitan Authority to become the agreed joint strategy.

It was reported that the headline objectives and targets for the Merseyside Strategy were to:

·        Recycle 50% of household waste by 2020;

·        Reduce the amount of Local Authority collected Municipal Waste landfilled to 10% by 2020 and 2% by 2030;

·        Demonstrate continuous improvement in the reduction of carbon emissions from the local authority collected municipal waste management service on Merseyside (from a baseline of 33,384 tonnes of CO2 in 2011);

·        All waste management choices should seek to optimise carbon reduction and prioritise and capture materials that offer greater carbon benefits, wherever practicable;

·        Maximise waste prevention and reduce the total amount of waste arising produced per household on Merseyside by 8% by 2030 (from 1,300kgs in 2009/10 to 1,227 kgs in 2020 and 1,180kgs in 2030);

·        Raise awareness and understanding of waste management issues to encourage and support residents and business organisations to change their behaviour and take part, particularly in waste prevention and resource efficiency activities; and

·        Demonstrate continuous improvement in reducing the ecological footprint of local authority waste management services on Merseyside (from a baseline of 0.038 hectares per person in 2011).

The following key elements of the Sefton Council Waste Action Plan were reported:

To meet 50% recycling and composting of household waste by 2020 (currently 40%) by: -

·        Supporting waste reduction initiatives;

·        Introducing plastic and cardboard kerbside collection, by no later than the 2014 statutory deadline;

·        Increasing the amount of food waste collected and composted;

·        Recycling collected bulky item materials; and

·        Recycling/composting street sweepings.

Members raised concerns regarding the collection of side waste.  It was reported that the various refuse collecting crews were aware of the Councils Policy on side collection.

Members raised concerns regarding behaviours and the issue of residents reverting back into old habits, over filling bins leaving the lids up and not following or using the recycling procedure correctly.  It was reported that there was a requirement to consistently remind residents of the Refuse/Recycling Collection Scheme and Policy which operated within Sefton, to encourage the desired behaviour, however the cost associated with such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

Link to Appendix referred to within the report:-

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/s36619/CarbonMgtPlanAnnex1.pdf.pdf

Further to Minute No.43, of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) held on 15 November 2011 - Work Programme Key Decision Forward Plan.  Members were reminded that the Committee had requested to pre-scrutinise the above item which had appeared on the Council’s Key Decision Forward Plan.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which proposed the adoption of a Carbon Management Plan for Sefton.  It was reported that the proposed plan should reduce emissions and associated consumptions from the Council estate by 25% by 2016.

The report highlighted that Sefton Council were the first in Merseyside to develop a Carbon Management Plan back in 2006 and had delivered 14% reduction in carbon emissions and associated costs within 3 years, above its original target.

It was reported that the Carbon Management Plan, Appendix 1 to the report, defined a strategic and practical process that Sefton Council would take to reduce carbon emissions and meet the targets set.  The plan sought to adopt a whole new business approach, meaning that no individual Council service would be wholly responsible, and that the objectives of carbon reduction be embedded across all Council activities.

The report highlighted the following advantages to a Carbon Management Plan:-

·        Reduced energy costs against steeply rising market.

·        Reduced liability and greater accuracy for Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme reporting.

·        Sustainable and transparent working practices.

·        Greater responsibility and understanding of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

It was reported that the Carbon Management Plan should act as a central pillar to the range of policies and working practices the Council operates that has enabled Sefton to be a more sustainable authority. 

The report sought to endorse and embed the Carbon Management Plan in Council Policy.  Measurements were proposed, in the business plan, whereby carbon management could be treated as a core element of all Sefton’s services ensuring maximum financial and carbon savings could be achieved.

Members referred to the new internationally recognised standard “The Covenant of Mayors” which had recently been developed and sought clarification.

It was reported that signatory to the “Covenant of Mayors” standard was a lever to access new sources of funding.  It was also highlighted that Sefton Council may have an option to either sign up to the covenant of Mayors on its own or as a joint signatory with the Liverpool City Region.

It was further reported that the Council could not sign up jointly and individually and so would need to choose between the merits of either approach.

RESOLVED: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services be recommended that the Cabinet:-

(1)       agree as Sefton Council corporate policy that “Sefton Council will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from its activities by 25% from the 2009/10 baseline by 2016 through delivery of the 2011-2016 Carbon Management Plan”;

(2)       agree as Sefton Council corporate policy that “Carbon Management be a common thread integrated through all service plans and binds together existing and future policies/strategies under a single  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning in relation to the Committee’s programme of work.  A number of Key Decisions within the latest Key Decision Forward Plan fell under the remit of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) and Members were reminded of their to right to pre-scrutinise such items.

The report highlighted that Members of the Port Master Plan Working Group were keen to interview various key witnesses in order that they may question appropriate representatives regarding various issues including the transportation of containers through the city on Heavy Goods Vehicles and the impact of this to the Community in relation to pollution and health.  Members referred to a lengthy debate that took place at the meeting regarding the relationship between the port and adjacent communities and the impact the port expansion would have on those communities in terms of increased traffic, pollution and deterioration of roads.

It was reported that the Committee would be updated of progress regularly.  

RESOLVED: That:-

(1)       the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) be advised of it’s right to pre-scrutinise items, that fall under it’s remit, from the Key Decision Forward Plan, as detailed at Appendix A to the report; and

(2)       progress of the “Port Master Plan” Working Group be accepted.