Agenda item

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 Communities and Housing; Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element); Locality Services; Planning and Building Control; and Regeneration and Skills; and that provided an update on information requested at the last meeting of the Committee held on 7 March 2023.

Councillor Atkinson, Cabinet Member – Regeneration and Skills presented her report and following a request from a Member provided additional information on a food trailer business primarily based in Southport that specialised in Caribbean food.

Councillor Hardy, Cabinet Member – Communities and Housing presented her report and highlighted the following issues:

·       Sefton Council recently winning the Best Initiative for Tackling Homelessness category at this year’s Northern Housing Awards for its Riverside Dispersed Accommodation Service

·       the number of topics included on the Committee’s work programme that fell within the remit of her portfolio

·       Sefton’s Culture Strategy

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

·       the fully Integrated Community Domestic Abuse Service was welcomed

·       the action being taken with local businesses and residents to tackle the consistently received complaints regarding black sacks being placed out along South Road on non-collection days. The on-going work was noted and that consultations were being undertaken with the Cabinet Member – Planning and Building Control regarding refuse storage facilities associated flat conversions; and the responsibility of both landlords and tenants as part of the Selective and Additional (HMO) Licensing Schemes was noted

·       the potential inclusion of Crosby Leisure Centre and the Formby Pool Trust as part of the Holiday Activity Fund

·       the consultation exercise to be undertaken regarding the new Crosby Library Project; and whether local groups could be involved in the consultation process. It was noted that extensive public/local Councillor consultation would be undertaken; and that the form of the consultation exercise would be determined by the Council’s Public Engagement and Consultation Panel

·       a recent New Beginnings LGBTQ+ Youth Group event held in Southport  

·       information was sought on the results of the proposals for stakeholder engagement, that were presented to the Public Engagement and Consultation Panel in early November 2022, in respect of the Council’s walking and cycling network and the local cycling and the walking infrastructure plan that was being developed

·       the disappointing response of schools to engage in the School Street pilot schemes was noted and what actions were being taken to improve interest in the pilot

·       in respect of building cleaning operations, the problems being experienced with the very difficult recruitment of staff in certain parts of the Borough with some posts receiving no applications, causing operational difficulties

·       the impact on the Highway Development Control team processing large numbers of planning applications, despite the ongoing challenges associated with the recent turnover in staffing resources, increased by the fact that no suitable applications were received for the vacant senior highway development engineer post

·       problems experienced with external agencies not adequately undertaking their duties and the knock-on impact on the Council having to resolve such issues

·       the detrimental impact on the environment due to National Highways not undertaking adequate cleansing operations on their major roads in the borough

·       a review of the policy of grass cutting on the Formby by-pass was required

·       whether the Winter Maintenance Policy should be submitted to the September or November 2023 meeting of the Committee

·       additional information was sought on the grounds maintenance of the borough’s cemeteries

·       bye laws in respect of dogs in the borough’s cemeteries and the recently introduced Public Space Protection Orders  

·       did Sefton have a Supplementary Planning Document in relation to telecommunications masts and associated equipment; and if so, could a copy be provided to all Members of the Council for information

·       information was sought on the 6 conservation areas to be removed from the National Heritage at Risk Register        

RESOLVED: That