Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

a)  To note the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 March, 2021

b)  Any matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on the 18^th March 2021 were agreed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Briefing Note of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note on Fly-tipping in Coventry. The Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor Hetherton, introduced the item and focussed on the preventative work and thanked the community activists who had worked hard to clear their neighbourhoods. The Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, Cllr AS Khan also added that the challenge would be to educate people on how to dispose of their rubbish correctly, balanced with high profile enforcement. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Councillor Welsh also explained that private landlords can be held accountable through licensing conditions, to make sure their tenants have information and sufficient bins to deal with their rubbish effectively.

The briefing note provided information on the challenges around waste disposal and fly tipping over recent years and that the COVID-19 epidemic had significantly changed the landscape of waste disposal and the ability to challenge adverse behaviour. Recorded fly tipping within the City had increased by 54% to 10,765 in 2020/21.

Data tables included in the briefing note showed recorded fly-tipping by Ward in 2020/2, with Foleshill, St. Michael’s, Upper Stoke and Lower Stoke being the four highest wards in the city.

Members heard that whilst it was early days, 2021/22 by comparison had provided more of a settled environment for waste disposal services, education of residents in waste matters and enforcement activities. There had been pleasing reductions evident in the worst affected wards.

Examination of waste type data showed that the vast majority of fly tipping in the city was classified as ‘domestic’. It was apparent that commercial/business waste formed a relatively small part of the problem.

The increase in fly tipping throughout the past year was also accompanied by increased levels of enforcement. The Street Enforcement Service investigated all reports that were referred to it and carried out formal action as appropriate, which was hampered by the inability to carryout formal interviews under caution due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Scrutiny Board questioned officers and the Cabinet Members and received responses on the following issues:

·  The reported figures included all incidents that were cleared up, not just those reported by members of the public.

·  There are not huge numbers of repeat offenders, the reasons are mainly due to ignorance, laziness, or the thought that they could get away with it.

·  There are concessions available for the bulky lift service and the reduced cost period would be extended for a bit longer. There would also be an additional “mop-up” round of waste collection to empty contaminated bins, so they were not left on the street. This would be alongside education, door knocking and pictorial leaflets to break the waste continuum.

·  Additional teams had been established with the additional resource allocated. 90 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from roads and work was continuing. There was also funding available to support community clear ups. 60 groups across the city had been supported, including skips for the rubbish.

·  Enforcement action for rented properties is targeted at the landlord as this is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Scrutiny Board considered a Cabinet Report about the Local Development Scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, Councillor Welsh introduced the report explaining that it was a legal requirement that a local planning authority must prepare and maintain a Local Development Scheme (LDS), which is a project plan setting out the timetable for the preparation of Development Plan documents. The report updated the previous LDS which was published in 2015. There would also be additional detailed Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD’s) which could be considered by scrutiny, particularly the one on affordable housing.

Members of the Board questioned the Cabinet Member and officers and received the following information:

·  SPD’s cannot change the numbers or ratios of affordable housing in the Local Plan but can amplify and maximise. Numbers will be considered as part of the review of the Local Plan.

·  “Affordable Housing” is a required terms with a specific definition

·  The Council had a commitment to social and affordable housing but there was a limit to what the Council can do within the framework it has.

·  The Tall Building SPD is very specific and applies to the City Centre to protect the views zones of the spires.

·  2021 Census data would be available from May 2022 in draft form which should be able to use for comparisons with projections.

·  The communities themselves are responsible for neighbourhood plans. The Council’s statutory duties relate to the consultation stage where the Council would act as a consultee and to arrange the referendum, but it is the community’s responsibility to lead on it.

RESOLVED: The Board considered the content of the Local Development Scheme and requested Cabinet to note that the Communities and Neighbourhood Scrutiny Board supports the Local Development Scheme. 

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Board considered the Work Programme 2021-22 and requested the following issues be considered as future items.

·  Residents Parking Schemes

·  Housing Development Infrastructure

·  Christmas Waste Review – to include contingency planning and prioritisation of streets

·  20 mile an hour city - linked with Average Speed Camera item

·  Update on the PFI lighting scheme and saving we were making

·  Flood risk management – December

·  Pavements and pathways – November

·  Impact of VLR and Utilities on Highways

·  Electric Vehicle Charging Points

·  Feedback on the Hot Street Pilot

There were no other items of public business.