Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

(a)  To agree the Minutes of the meeting held on 14^th April 2021

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 14^th April 2021 were agreed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Briefing Note of the Director of Business, Investment and Culture

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a presentation from the Canals and Rivers Trust West Midlands Regional Director and the INNS Project Manager & Environmental Scientist, headed Coventry Canal – A Transition to a Greener Future.

The presentation highlighted the following:

·  The canal was 5 miles long and the West Midlands Region had 34% of Assets & PPM, 29% of the actual length, 32% of Locks, 39% of Reservoirs, 2m target population of 5.7m overall, 19 SSSI Sites, 1031km of towpaths, 948 access points, National Boat Count 24%

·  West Midlands region priorities were to achieve 5x Green Flag sites, Maximise brand awareness campaigns through signage, major activities and media, community ownership through local volunteering and adoptions, and activities to promote wellbeing to up to 2m canal neighbours

·  Active & Sustainable Travel - £1.4m towpath improvement scheme, funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority, resulting in high usage of the path by local residents and repeat visitors; access and signage improvements from Priestley’s Bridge to Hawkesbury Junction;  and improvements for walkers, runners and cyclists, encouraging sustainable zero emission transport methods

·  Improvement of Biodiversity - Management of water’s edge habitat to improve it for key vertebrate species; planting of wild flower seeds along key sections of the canal to improve plant diversity, to attract pollinators and to improve aesthetic value; maintaining trees overhanging waterway channel and towpath to ensure safe access and use of waterways; increasing amount of hedgerow to boost invertebrate and bird biodiversity along sections of the canal; and removal of invasive, non-native plant species that would otherwise displace native species and reduce biodiversity

·  Involvement of the Public – Leading wildlife walks along the canal for members of the public; encouraging local members of the public to report sightings of protected species to provide a means of monitoring presence along the canal; Involving the local community in environmental improvements that benefit their wellbeing by increasing volunteer activities such as

·  Environmental Protection & Monitoring – As part of the management plan: Air quality monitoring through portable air quality monitoring around roads along the city centre and the canal corridor; water quality monitoring through a regional water quality project to assess the chemical quality of waterways, with Coventry being a priority site; fly tipping: Increased communication with local authority, improvements in data collection/reporting & submission of evidence. Huge volunteer and community assistance in maintaining the canal environment

·  Invasive Species Project – Severn Trent: Strategic Partnership Project to tackle invasive species across the Severn Trent catchment (£600k of external funding) utilising treatment methods including chemical, biological, mechanical and exploring new alternatives, covers 4 operating regions including West Midlands - sites on the Coventry Canal are being targeted for treatment & eradication

The Board questioned officers, received responses and discussed the following issues:

·  Fly tipping and litter: vision for the canal length from the City Centre to the end of the canal in the city to be free of flytipping and litter - response team in place to tackle reports of fly tipping, Community Safety Officers undertaking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator that detailed the issues carried over from the Board’s Work Programme 2020/2021 and suggested for meetings of the Board in 2021/2022.

The Board noted that it was proposed that the meeting of the Board scheduled for 8th September 2021 be held at the Coventry Transport Museum. However, consideration would need to be given to the Government Guidelines in relation to Covid at that time, to ensure that the meeting could be held safely at the venue.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) notes the issues carried over from the Work Programme for 2020/2021 and suggested for meetings of the Board in 2021/2022, and Members  were invited to suggest further items as the year progressed.

There were no other items of public business.