Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor McGinnity, Councillor Dowd, Cabinet Member – Communities and Partnership Engagement and Councillor Veidman, Cabinet Member – Highways and Housing

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

In accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations of personal interest were made and the Members concerned remained in the room during the consideration of the item:

Minutes of the meeting held 25 June 2024

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

Presentation by Ian Stephenson, Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority

The Committee considered, and received a presentation from Ian Stephenson, on the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority Service Delivery Plan 2024/25 (the Plan). Mr Williamson indicated that the Plan had four aims as detailed below:

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following matters:

·       the reason for the delay in the introduction, to October 2027, of the Deposit Return Scheme to reduce litter from drinks containers

·       the frequency of collections of food waste caddies when introduced in 2026

·       concern was expressed at the low 33.2% overall recycling rate in Sefton; information was sought on the reasons for the low rate; and could this be improved by instigating a fresh advertising campaign to advise residents about the recycling service

·       information was sought on the Liverpool City Region Zero Waste Strategy

·       information was sought on a breakdown of the kerbside collection figures

·       the potential for smaller and less packaging on products having an impact on recycling rates in Sefton

·       information was sought on the recycling contamination rates in Sefton

·       reasons why recycling contamination rates were worse at different times of the year

·       stakeholder involvement in the new contract, to be awarded in 2029, for the waste management and recycling contract 

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Assistant Director – Highways and Public Protection

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director - Highways and Public Protection seeking consideration of the revised Winter Maintenance Policy and Operational Plan policy document for approval for 2024/25.

The report indicated that the Council provided a Highway Winter Service to the Borough in accordance with the Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan; that officers monitored the weather conditions 24 hours a day throughout the winter season and enacted the plan when weather conditions dictated; that the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (section 111) had inserted an additional section 41(1A) to the Highways Act 1980 which placed a duty on the Highway Authorities in respect of winter conditions, and stated ‘In particular, a Highway Authority is under duty to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice’; and that in addition, the Traffic Management Act 2004 placed a Statutory Network Management Duty on all local traffic authorities in England requiring all authorities to do all that was reasonably practicable to manage the network effectively to keep traffic moving. In meeting this duty, authorities should establish contingency plans for dealing promptly and effectively with unplanned events, such as unforeseen weather conditions, as far as is reasonably practicable. The Council’s Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan, which has been approved by the Council, is reviewed each summer to ensure that it remained ‘fit for purpose’.

The report advised that as part of the annual review and reassessment consultation was undertaken and that a consultation letter was sent to every Elected Member seeking their views. A copy of the letter was attached as Annex A to the report.

One response to the consultation exercise was received requesting the addition of the footways in Birkdale village to the current gritting routes; and as the policy states that footway gritting should be tarrgeted towards shopping areas as these are the locations of the highest footfall, it was proposed to include Liverpool Road, Birkdale, between the railway station and Bolton Road, in the designated footway routes for the forthcoming season.

The report concluded by seeking comments for submission to the Cabinet Member – Housing and Highways.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Evaluation of the impacts of severe weather on road safety

·       Information was sought on the schedule of highways and pavements to be gritted as part of the Winter Maintenance Policy and Operational Plan

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Assistant Director – Economic Growth and Housing

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director - Economic Growth and Housing seeking consideration of the approval of the role of the Council as a ‘supporting authority’ in the preparation of the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), the next steps in the preparation of the LCR Local Nature Recovery Strategy and the submission of views to Cabinet or Council. 

The report had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s Executive/Scrutiny Protocol that indicated that the views of Overview and Scrutiny Committees be sought on all strategies and plans prior to submission to Cabinet and Council.

The report indicated that the 2021 Environment Act set out a requirement for the preparation of LNRSs across the country, to be approved by March 2025, to:

·       Agree priorities for nature’s recovery

·       Map the most valuable existing areas for nature

·       Map specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals;

that the LCR Combined Authority was the ‘responsible body’ for preparing and approving the LNRS for the region; that like the other LCR districts, Sefton Council was a designated 'supporting authority' with a specific role in this preparation process; and that the LCR were intending to approve a draft LNRS for public consultation in autumn/winter 2024/5, and the final LNRS in spring 2025 in line with Government’s deadlines.   

The report also set out the LNRS linkages and benefits; the emerging LNRS priorities for nature recovery; the emerging LNRS mapping of the most valuable existing areas for nature; and the emerging LNRS mapping of specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals.

The report concluded that as a designated ‘supporting authority’ for the LNRS, Sefton Council approvals were necessary before the Combined Authority as ‘responsible body’ for the LNRS could approve the draft and final Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Attached as an appendix to the report was a copy of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy Member Briefing Note prepared by the Combined Authority (July 2024).

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following matters:

·       “Making Space for Water”, the natural flood management schemes

·       The ongoing  wider stakeholder engagement on the Strategy which involved one-to-one sessions with landowners

·       The size of habitat land banks and were they the same size across different local authorities; and could the burden for such banks be borne more heavily in Sefton

·       Sefton’s liaison with other landowners such as the National Trust at Formby

·       The Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership and proposals for interconnected and dynamic coastal habitats

·       The removal of trees from sites to enable developments to take place; and what could be done to mitigate such practices

·       How local community groups could get involved in and potentially take ownership of projects

·       The potential for biodiversity projects, as part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, having a negative impacting on the viability of affordable housing within developments       

RESOLVED:

That the role of the Council as a ‘supporting authority’ in the preparation of the LCR Local Nature  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that sought the views of the Committee on the Work Programme for 2024/25; the identification of potential topics for scrutiny reviews to be undertaken by informal meetings of the Committee; the identification of any items for pre-scrutiny by the Committee from the Key Decision Forward Plan; seeking formal approval of decisions taken at the informal meeting of the Committee in respect of the provision of housing for former looked after children who are now care leavers; and which updated on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following matters:

·       The potential for holding an informal meeting to review the cleansing service and which could also include recycling operations. Councillor Harvey, Cabinet Member – Cleansing and Street Scene advised the Committee that a review of such a wide-ranging topic may be premature at this point in time due to the current vacancy for the post of cleansing service manager and that a new post of waste minimisation officer was shortly to be filled. It was suggested that further consideration be given to this mater in Spring 2025 

·       Information was sought on the review of weed control that took place in 2021/22 by a Member Refence Group

·       Information was sought on the Effectiveness of the Council’s Enforcement Activity Working Group

·       Updates on the closure of the White House, located in Southport’s Municipal Golf Links; and work on the Marine Lake Events Centre

In respect of the cleansing/street scene issues referred to above, the Senior Democratic Services Officer advised that the Work Programme included a number of associated reports that would be submitted to the Committee prior to March 2025. These reports related to:

·       Methods to increase Sefton’s recycling rates; the introduction of communal bins; and wider waste containment issues

·       Investigation of measures that could be introduced as part of the Selective and Additional (HMO) Licensing Schemes to compel landlords to have a level of control over their tenants to alleviate the anti-social actions of littering and dumping rubbish in rear entries

·       Investigation of the inclusion, within the Local Plan, of the need to provide recycling/community recycling facilities in development proposals

·       Presentation from Liverpool City Region Strategic Waste Partnership Manager about the changes in waste legislation and what that will mean due to the statutory requirement for the collection of food waste in 2026

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that included the most recent reports from the Cabinet Members for Cleansing and Street Scene; Communities and Partnership Engagement; Housing and Highways; Public Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element); and Regeneration, Economy and Skills.

Councillor Doyle, Cabinet Member - Public Health and Wellbeing presented her report and indicated that an updated version would be submitted to the next meeting. Councillor Doyle also highlighted issues associated with the allocation of legacy monies at Hesketh Park. 

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Councillor Doyle was thanked for her recent visit to a Southport allotment

·       An update was sought on the repair of the waterfall at Hesketh Park

Councillor Harvey, Cabinet Member – Cleansing and Street Scene presented his report and highlighted the following issues:

·       The successful application for £50,000 grant funding from DEFRA to launch a fly tipping intervention project in July. This two-month #WFT? Why Fly Tip? Project provided hard-hitting messages and had focused on waste in shared rear entries in parts of Derby/Linacre wards

·       Taking the Lead Campaign the aim of which was to offer important safety tips to all dog owners in Merseyside about looking after their pet, especially around children, which could prevent serious injuries

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The significant support offered by the street cleansing service following the incidents in Southport, both in terms of a role in the clean-up following the riots and assisting with managing tributes at various sites was praised

·       The £50,000 grant funding from DEFRA to launch a fly tipping intervention was welcomed but more funding was required to target other problem areas within the borough

·       The potential to include rear entries/alleyways as part of residents’ back yards/gardens to stop incidents of fly-tipping. 

Councillor Lappin, Cabinet Member – Regeneration, Economy and Skills presented her report and highlighted the following issues:

·       Employment and learning

·       Sefton@work

·       Tourism

·       Invest Sefton

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The positive comparisons for Sefton with the Liverpool City Region in respect of Not in Education, Employment, or Training

·       Childcare providers grant support and the provision of free places

RESOLVED: That