Agenda item

The report of the Head of Community Services

The Head of Community Services presented the report, with assistance from the Environmental Protection Team Manager.

A Member asked about the possibility of bus shelters and road signs being cleaned as part of the plan. The Head of Community Services concurred that cleanly street furniture was important to neighbourhoods and said that detailed considerations of this matter could be added in to the plan at the ward level.

A discussion was had about the communication strategy for the plan. The Head of Community Services advised that this plan gave added emphasis to communications, which were under the direction of a dedicated Officer, and entailed an extensive strategy which encompassed much more than simply social media.

A discussion was had about enforcement. The Environmental Protection Team Manager advised that there had been a number of successful prosecutions and fines given out, aided by tips from the public; there was also a steady stream of staff coming forward with evidence, although a more concerted effort to further engage staff could nevertheless be made. She added that there must be an awareness that this could involve people being asked to go to court as witnesses, but the excellent NWLDC Legal Team gave support to anybody who was requested to do so.

Following from this was a discussion about problems with littering on the A42. Members were extremely concerned with the proliferation of rubbish, how this compared to other districts, and the reputational damage it might be causing. Members also wanted to know whether an increase in the provision of bins on that stretch of road could help to mitigate the problem, or whether cameras and surveillance could be utilised.

The Head of Community Services advised that he shared the concerns of Members, but noted that this was a very dangerous place to litter pick and somewhere he would be extremely uncomfortable with volunteers operating. He felt this might be quite an expensive issue to mitigate; would entail public anti-littering education as part of a holistic, district-wide strategy; alongside a discussion with Highways about utilising cameras and surveillance; as well as, where appropriate, new bins by the side of the road on a trial basis. He was intending for something to be added into the 2025/26 budget to help to address the steeper slopes alongside the laybys.

Members commended the work of volunteer litter groups and cautioned against the risks of a perception arising that the Council was farming out the cost of dealing with litter to community groups. The Head of Community Services also praised the work these groups did and advised Members that they were partners who the Council tried to assist wherever possible, with equipment, advice and whatever else they could.

The Chair expressed a few thoughts. She had spoken beforehand to local litter pickers and advised the Committee that they had expressed concern at the increasing difficulty of procuring equipment, now the process was digitised. She wanted to see greater engagement between the Community Scrutiny Committee and these local volunteers. She also felt that the data presented within the report could be better contextualised and explained.

The Head of Community Services said that he would be open to inviting volunteers before the Committee as part of future performance monitoring for Love Your Neighbourhood. He was receptive to the Chair’s concerns with regards to the presentation of data.

The Chair invited the Portfolio Holder to speak.

The Portfolio Holder said that the scheme was a response to the effects of service cuts over a span of years. He was keen to make the district cleaner and greener, correct unnecessary cuts, and create a successful, voluntary partnership between the Council and civil society within the district.

The Chair suggested that there was a need for the Community Scrutiny Committee to monitor the performance of the campaign annually and the Head of Community Services concurred.

The Chair thanked Members for their comments, which would be presented to the Cabinet on 23 April.