Agenda and minutes

To note any substitution of Members made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22.

The following substitutions of Committee Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:

Councillor P.Mabbott for N.Taylor

Councillor S.Markiewicz for K.Holman

Councillor T.Mitchinson for N.Chapman

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors N.Chapman, K.Holman and N.Taylor.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2017 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to it being noted that the following statements related to Performance Indicator – 18 Percentage of household waste collected and sent for reuse, recycling and composting and not Performance Indicator 23.

•      Members went on to express the view that they should be informed of any significant changes to targets before implementation.

•      The Chairman concurred with this view as it was relevant to all Members of the Council, whether the target was increased or reduced.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) lists the actions from previous meetings and their current status.

The status of actions agreed at the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 13 November 2017 in the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) was noted.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provides Members with an update on the principle resilience activities which have been carried out by the Risk and Resilience Team.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with an update on the principle resilience activities which had been carried out by the Risk and Resilience Team.

In response to questions from Members, Officers explained that in the emergency plan there was a defined role for Members.  It was a critical role, where Members reported to the Crisis Support Team rather than being part of it. 

Officers advised that the Emergency Planning and Fire Safety Member Development Event scheduled on Monday, 26 February 2018, facilitated by the Risk and Resilience Team, would cover the role of Members and who would be in charge during a crisis. 

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the content of the report be noted.

(2)          That Members commended the work of the Risk and Resilience Team, which consisted of two Officers.

Report by the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) updates Members on the work of the multi-agency safety advisory team which operates within the Borough.

Report by the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) updated Members on the work of the multi-agency safety advisory team which operated within the Borough.  It informed Members of the aims and objectives of the team, work which had been undertaken and completed to review the current operating procedures.

Members, referring to the discovery of knives in the town centre of Welwyn Garden City following the food fair in autumn 2017, expressed the view that the procedures and protocols for clearing and checking an area after an event be reviewed and made more stringent to ensure nothing untoward remained. 

Officers advised that the Council was aware of the case referred to by Members and gave reassurances that the matter was being addressed with the licence holder who had been formally notified of the incident.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the work of the Safety Advisory Team be noted.

(2)          That the content of the report be noted.

(3)          That the Committee, having considered the report and changes to the procedures as set out in appendix A be referred to Full Council for approval.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provides Members with the annual update relating to the pest control contract currently awarded to the Council appointed contractor, SDK Environmental Ltd (“Dial a Pest”).

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with the annual update relating to the pest control contract currently awarded to the Council appointed contractor, SDK Environmental Ltd (“Dial a Pest”).  It highlighted the extent of pest control treatments and activities by them during the period January 2017 to September 2017.  It also provided information on the levels of pest control enforcement action undertaken by the Council’s Public Health and Protection Service during the same period.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the report, performance of the contractor and work and services that have been provided during the period January 2017 to September 2017 be noted.

(2)          That future update reports be provided annually.

The pro-forma which sets out the Committee’s overview work programme has been updated since the last meeting to enable forward planning of items to be considered to take place.  Items which the Committee agrees it would like to consider will be scheduled into the work programme.

The pro-forma, which set out the Committee’s overview work programme, had been updated since the last meeting to enable the forward planning of items to be considered to take place. Items which the Committee agreed it would like to consider would be scheduled into the work programme.

RESOLVED:

That the work programme amended as agreed to be approved.

Members will recall that at its last meeting on 13 November 2017, the Committee appointed a Sub-Committee to scrutinise “The Prevalence of Rats in the District and the Methods of Eradicating Them”.

A pre-meeting of the Sub-Committee had taken place on 8 January 2018 with the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) and Governance Service Officer to scope the scrutiny exercise and to set timescales. 

A further meeting of the Sub-Committee had been scheduled on (date to be advised following the meeting on 8 January).

“The Prevalence of Rats in the District and the Methods of Eradicating Them” Scrutiny Review.

Members noted that two meetings of the Scrutiny Sub-Committee, had been scheduled on Wednesday, 7 February 2018 and Wednesday, 7 March at 7.30pm in the Chestnut Room at the Council offices.  Witnesses had been invited to attend to answer questions.

The Committee is asked to resolve:

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for items 19 and 20 (if any) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100A(3) and paragraphs 1 (personal information), 2 (individual identity), 3 (private financial or business information) and 5 (legal professional privilege) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100(A)(2) and (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting for items 19 and 20 (Minute 45 refers) on the grounds that they involves the likely disclosure of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100(A)(3) and Paragraphs 1 (personal information), 2 (individual identity), 3 (private financial or business information) and 5 (legal professional privilege) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

In resolving to exclude the public in respect of the exempt information, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provides Members with a summary of the work undertaken by the Hackney Carriage team during the past year.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with a summary of the work undertaken by the Hackney Carriage team during the past year.

RESOLVED:

That the work carried out by the Hackney Carriage Office to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public who use hackney carriage or private hire vehicles be noted.