Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2016, having been circulated, were signed as a correct record.

            The Board considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board relevant to the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be received.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which detailed the fourth quarter performance management report for 2015/16 on progress against service objectives/milestones and performance targets and provided information related to key developments and emerging issues that had arisen in relation to-:

·       Development and Investment Services;

·       Highways and Transportation, Logistics and Development Services;

·       Waste and Environmental Improvement and Open Space Services; and

·       Housing Strategy.

 Members queried the status of the European Programme 2014-20 and associated funding, following the outcome of the recent European Referendum vote and the decision for Great Britain to leave the European Union. In answer, Members were advised that for the moment and for EU projects that had already received an ‘offer letter’, it was business as usual and that for the next two years, or at least until the UK Government invoked Article 50, it would still be possible to apply for EU funding for projects.

RESOLVED: That the fourth quarter management report be noted.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which provided a summary of the delivery of the four-year implementation programme of Integrated Transport Schemes and Interventions. The report reviewed the delivery of schemes funded through the Integrated Transport Block (ITB), which was used to fund small transport improvements.

Expenditure during the four-year period had been in accordance with overall ITB allocation within each of the themes listed below:-

·       Integrated Transport;

·       Neighbourhood Centres;

·       Walking and Cycling Improvements;

·       Measures to Assist Buses;

·       Local Safety Schemes and other Highway Improvements; and

·       Other funded schemes.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which sought to develop a Work Programme of topics for the Board to scrutinise for 2016/17.

          In discussions, Members requested information on the following matters:-

·       Councillor Sinnott requested information on the extent and cost of fly-tipping in the Borough and what action the authority can take to reduce its occurrence;

·       Councillor Howard asked about arrangements for a meeting with the Housing Associations, specifically in Halton Castle Ward, related to problems with fly-tipping;

·       Councillor Nolan asked for information as to whether any profit from the green waste collection could be used to tackle the issue of fly-tipping.

Members were advised that individual responses would be provided direct for these queries. However, the Chair also requested that Jimmy Unsworth, Divisional Manager, Waste and Environmental Improvement, be invited to the next meeting of the Board to report and answer questions on Green Waste collections, Fly-tipping in the Borough and the introduction of the Food Waste collection service.

          It was reported that the Tree Working Group set up in 2015, had considered those recommendations from the previous Working Group that had not been implemented; these were set out in the report at paragraph 3.23 for reference.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    Details of topic briefs be agreed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board, in conjunction with the Lead Officer;

2)    Members confirm their support for the continuation of the Waste Management Working Group with membership as follows:- Councillor Sinnott (Chair) and Councillors Nolan, Joe Roberts and Zygadllo as Members; and

3)    Members confirm that there is no longer a need for the Tree Working Group to meet, but that a report should be brought to the September meeting of this Board, to progress with implementing recommendations a, b and d of the Tree Working Group, as outlined in paragraph 3.4 of the report.

          The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report from the Chair of the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board 2015/16.

The full Board met on five occasions during the year and the report set out the work carried out and recommendations made throughout the Municipal Year April 2015 to March 2016.

It was also reported that the Board agreed nominations of Members to sit on the Council’s Public Transport Advisory Panel and the Consultation Review Panel for 2015/16.

RESOLVED: That the Annual Report be accepted.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which requested nomination of two Members to represent the Board on the Consultation Review Panel.

          RESOLVED: That the Chair and Vice Chair of the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board sit on the Consultation Review Panel as may be required from time to time.

(N.B. Councillor Zygadllo declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business as he was a member of Halton Borough Transport)

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, on the public attendance record of the Halton Public Transport Advisory Panel (the Panel).

          It was reported that the purpose of the Panel was to monitor the performance of the public transport network, make recommendations on future developments, and comment on the effectiveness of the Council’s public transport priorities.

          A summary of the key issues discussed at the Panel during 2015/16 were detailed at Appendix 1. The Board was advised that attendance at meetings of the Panel by members of the public had been very poor, as evidenced in the report. It was therefore proposed that future meetings of the Panel be suspended until the Board agreed otherwise, with public transport queries being handled via the bus operators and the Transport Co-ordination Team.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the Board endorses the proposal to suspend future meetings of the Public Transport Advisory Panel until further notice; and

2)    the key issues discussed by the Panel during the Municipal Year 2015/16, as set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report, be noted.