Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

The Committee considered the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 December 2014.  During consideration of the Minutes, Members requested that the Committee place on record its appreciation to Officers in relation to the management of the Meeting and the set of Minutes produced arising from that meeting.

In relation to Minute No. 16 (Infrastructure Working Group), Councillor Weavers reported that Cabinet had considered and agreed the recommendations contained in the report at its meeting held on 15 February 2015.  Councillor Weavers took the opportunity to thank all the Officers and Members for their hard work in undertaking and completing the review.

RESOLVED: That

1.         the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2014, be confirmed as a correct record; and

2.         the Committee place on record its appreciation and thanks to the Officers in relation to the management of the meeting and the set of Minutes produced arising from that meeting.

To receive a presentation from Stuart Donaldson, Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Committee received a presentation from Carl Beer, Chief Executive of the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority in relation to progress against the Joint Merseyside Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

The following headlines were reported on:-

·         The Waste Hierarchy: Prevention being the most favoured option for waste management followed by preparing materials for re-use, recycling, other recovery and disposal.

·         The Merseyside and Halton Waste Partnership serves 1.5 million residents involving 688,000 households with an average 36% recycling rate. Includes 16 Household Waste Recycling Centres, 2 material recovery facilities, 4 Wast Transfer Stations and more than 200 bring bank sites.

·         Delivery of the Joint  Waste Prevention plan with a target in relation to reducing the total amount of waste produced per household, the key themes targetted being: food, textiles, junk mail and home composting.  Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority has been Nationally recognised for its programme of action.

·         Waste Prevention has been progressed by raising awareness and educating communities by advertising on Radio City and Juice FM (over 1,100 broadcasts), over 100,000 magazine adverts, over 43,000 junk mail leaflets stickers and almost 50,000 visits to the “recycleformerseyside” website. 

·         Establishment of the Merseyside Textile Forum which aims to increase re-use and recycling of textiles on Merseyside.  Liverpool University student campuses, 3 tonnes collected from the 5 textile banks.   

·         Progress of the Joint Strategy in relation to Carbon reduction 2013/14 with a target to reduce the carbon emissions from municipal waste management services.

·         Progress of the Strategy in realtion to bahavioural change – for example:  in total over 23,700 people engaged at 312 events through Merseyside Recycling Waste Authority funded education and awareness activities during 2012/13 and those included: 4328 visitors at 170 events at Gillmoss and Bidston Recycling Distribution Centres, 6074 visitors at 70 events at the Southport Eco-Centre and 4523 people at 24 events delivered by other organisations.

The following key headlines were also reported upon:

·         Very good value for money long-term Energy From Waste disposal contract which will save £100’s millions over landfill.

·         Recycling rate over 70% at Household Waste Recycling Centres.

·         6500+ education visits to Recycling Discovery Centres.

·         Community fund projects.

·         Future priorities will be around the circular economy.

·         Collection and Disposal target of 50% by 2020.

The Committee also considered an introductory report to the presentation from the Director of Built Environment that detailed the progress of the Merseyside Waste Partnership against the delivery of the objectives of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

The reported stated that:-

1.    All Merseyside Authorities had ratified the 30 year Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy “Resources Merseyside” that was developed following comprehensive resident and industry consultation.  It was reported that the Strategy was designed to meet and support relevant European and national statutory drivers for Resource (Waste) Management, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy aspirations.  

2.    The aim of the joint waste strategy “Resources Merseyside” was to deliver waste management within the context of wider resource management and climate change by:

·         Recognising waste as a valuable resource

·         Minimising the environmental impact of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

Presentation from the Director of Public Health

The Committee received a presentation from Rachael Musgrave, Consultant in Public Health, in relation to Public Health and the impact on Regeneration and the correlation and direct relation between Regeneration and Health.

The following headlines were presented:-

·         Life expectancy based on areas along the Southport to Hunts Cross Merseyrail Network and the difference across the Borough in relation to life expectancy.

·         A graph was presented illustrating how foodbank use had risen along with Hospital Admissions for malnutrition nationally since the financial crisis in 2008.  The national research evidence stated that:

Good quality employment is important for health.

Poor quality employment and unemployment are bad for health and wellbeing and make existing poor health worse.

Inequality is bad for everybody, equal societies do better across a range of outcomes for example health, education and crime.  The research evidence states that to maximise opportunities to improve Public Health at a regional level.  Link economic growth with public sector reform to prevent poverty and promote prosperity.

·         Promotion of the living wage.

·         Use joint spending power to promote good employment.

·         Improve quality and affordability of housing locally the priorities were stated as being:-.

Advocate for good quality paid employment; interventions to support people returning and staying in work (Sefton@work);  Healthy Bootle model testing efforts to tackle the causes of ill health on a focused geography.  Explore using the joint public sector procurement and commissioning investment to drive social value.

Members raised the following questions/points of observation:

RESOLVED:             That

(1)       Ms. Rachael Musgrave, Consultant in Public Health be thanked for her informative presentation; and

(2)       Ms. Musgrave be requested to include Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which referred to a stipulation contained in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requiring the Lead Local Flood Risk Authority to review and scrutinise its flood risk management functions and coastal erosion management functions.  It was reported that this had previously been agreed to be provided through the provision of an annual report.

The report identified the progress that had been made in the last year, highlighted key issues and set out priorities for the coming year.

It was reported that activities within Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) could be broadly split into the following outcomes:

·         Understanding Risk to our communities – work that seeks to improve our understanding of flood and coastal erosion risk.

·         Avoiding increased risk to our communities – controlling actions that may increase risk or impact on flooding or coastal erosion.

·         Reducing risk to our communities – maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure.

·         Reducing consequences to our communities – preparing for flood or coastal erosion events and working with our communities to increase their resilience.

The report also referred to flood insurance and indicated that last year the Government had consulted on a new approach to flood insurance which would see additional costs on premiums and excess capped.  It was reported that this approach would see those at risk of flooding paying some of the cost spread across all home insurance premiums.  It was reported that this approach did not apply to homes built after 2009 that are at significant risk of flooding.

It was further reported that further consultation had been undertaken on detailed elements of the scheme.  The report drew Member’s attention to an additional aspect that confirmed that Flood Re would provide transitional support to households at flood risk over a 25 year period as part of a gradual transition towards more risk reflective prices; this would provide time for choices to be made and risk management action to be taken.

The report referred to future funding and stated that where previously indicative grant allocations were set on an annual basis, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs had promoted the setting of a six year indicative allocation to promote better forward planning.  The report highlighted that the overall funding available still fell short of demand and as such the settlement for Merseyside had been disappointing.

RESOLVED:                       

That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Built Environment

Further to Minute No. 8 of the meeting of the Committee held on 16 September 2014 the Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment.

The report detailed the implementation of recommendations contained in the Final Report of the Employment Development Working Group and highlighted that the Cabinet on 5 December 2013, Minute No. 72 refers, approved the recommendations as set out in that Final Report.  The Cabinet had resolved that the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Tourism be requested to develop an action plan/implementation plan for each of the agreed recommendations, including timescales and milestones for completion.

It was further reported that an action plan had been agreed by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Tourism at his meeting held on 10 April 2014, which summarised activity across his portfolio and also identified initiatives undertaken with other portfolio holders.  The revised and updated action plan for implementing each of the Employment Development Working Group’s recommendations was attached to the report.

The Head of Economy and Tourism, Mr. Mark Long referred Members to the document attached to the report and entitled “Shared Prosperity – A Draft Policy”.

Mr. Long reported on the following headlines contained within the draft policy:-

·         Accelerating growth, creating Jobs, reducing poverty – an agenda for change.

·         A profile of Jobs and Growth in Sefton and the Liverpool City Region.

·         Sefton Council and its corporate priorities.

·         Partners for More and Better Jobs.

·         Policy Instruments.

·         Developing the Model for the Future.

A Member of the Committee raised concern regarding the Port and the undertaking from Peel Ports to employ local people.

The Chair reminded Members that some years ago the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) had undertaken a review in relation to the Port Master Plan.  The Chair indicated that a report was scheduled to be submitted to the next meeting of this Committee in relation to progress against recommendations of the Port Master Plan Working Group.   

The Chair, Councillor McKinley, thanked Mr. Long for the updated version of the report.  He stated that in his opinion the document was the first step in addressing the issues identified in the Final Report of the Economic Development Working Group in relation to supply and demand and social value.  He also highlighted that he was encouraged by the notion of accepting Capital to stimulate the local economy.

RESOLVED:             That

(1)       the report be noted; and

(2)       a report be submitted to the next meeting of this Committee in relation to the progress made against the recommendations of the Port Master Plan Working Group.   

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Services in relation to the Development of Local Town Centres element of the Employment Development and Development of Local Town Centres and Economies Working Group’s Final Report.

RESOLVED:

That this Committee supports the contents of the Local Town Centres Working Group’s Final Report and recommends the Cabinet to agree the recommendations as set out in paragraph 9 of the report.  

Report of the Director of Corporate Services.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Services that updated Members on the activities of the Cabinet Members for the December 2014 period for the follwing portfolios that fall within the remit of this Committee:-

·         Cabinet Member – Communities and Environment;

·         Cabinet Member – Regeneration and Tourism;

·         Cabinet Member – Transportation; and

·         Cabinet Member – Children, Schools, Families and Leisure.

RESOLVED:            

That the activities undertaken by the various Cabinet Members, whose portfolio falls within the remit of this Committee, be noted.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Services 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 this Committee and Members were reminded of their right to pre-scrutinise such items.

The report referred to the completion of the Employment Development and Development of Local Town Centres and Economies Working Group, Local Town Centres element that had been considered elsewhere on the Agenda. 

The report outlined progress in relation to the Shale Gas (Fracking) Working Group and sought approval to include Councillors Hartill and Maguire on the membership of that group.

The report also included the scoping document of the Working Group, as detailed in Appendix B to the report, for the Committee to agree.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer, Mrs. Ruth Harrison, referred Members to Appendix C to the report which detailed the programme of work for the Committee for the Municipal Year 2014/15. 

RESOLVED:             That

(1)       the Committee notes items for pre-scrutiny from the Key Decision Forward Plan;

(2)       completion of the review regarding Development of Local Town Centres and Economies be accepted;

(3)       the Committee notes the establishment and progress of the Shale Gas (Fracking) Working Group;

(4)       Councillors Hartill and Maguire be included as Members of the Shale Gas (Fracking) Working Group, along with Councillors Lappin, McGuire and Weavers;

(5)       the scoping document of the Shale Gas (Fracking) Working Group, as set out in Appendix B to the report, be approved; and

(6)       the programme of work for the Municipal Year 2014/15, as set out in Appendix C to the report, be approved.