Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Environment & Transport concerning the agency arrangements and future programme for public conveniences.

Agreed to authorise the Head of Environment and Transport, following consultation with the Executive Councillor for Waste and Streetscene, to negotiate draft heads of terms with Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neots Town Councils for an agreement for the joint operation and maintenance of all town centre conveniences for a period of not more than seven years and to report the outcome of the negotiations to Cabinet not later than their meeting on 3^rd February 2005;

Authorised the Head of Environment & Transport to serve notice on J C Decaux terminating the agreement in respect of automatic public conveniences in villages from 1 January 2005 and to make arrangements for their removal and for the restoration of sites;

Approved the release of MTP funds in 2004/05 to implement the removal of the APCs;

Approved the changes to the MTP which relate to the removal of the APCs; and

Agreed to establish a Working Party (comprising Councillors Bates, Chandler, Clarke and Guyatt  to review the issues associated with Public Conveniences and report back to the Cabinet at a later date.

Agreed that the recommendations b and c as set out in the report now submitted be deferred to a later date.

Further to Minute No. 03/132 and with the assistance of a report by the Head of Environment and Transport (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet was acquainted with the present position in relation to the Council’s public conveniences, their future maintenance and the revised financial implications thereof.

Having reviewed the recommendations in the report, it was

RESOLVED

  (a)that the Head of Environment and Transport be authorised, following consultation with the Executive Councillor for Waste and Street Scene, to negotiate draft heads of terms with Huntingdon, St. Ives and St. Neots Town Councils for an agreement for the joint operation and maintenance of all town centre public conveniences for a period of not more than seven years and to report the outcome of the negotiations to Cabinet not later than its meeting on 3rd February 2005;

  (b)that the Head of Environment and Transport be authorised to serve notice on J C Decaux terminating the agreement in respect of automatic public conveniences in villages from 1st January 2005 and to make arrangements for their removal and for the restoration of the sites;

  (c)that the release of funds from the MTP for 2004/05  in respect of the removal of automatic public conveniences be approved;

(d)  that the changes to the MTP arising from the removal of automatic public conveniences be approved; 

(e)  that the remaining recommendations in the report be deferred; and

  (f)that an Advisory Group comprising Councillors I C Bates, Mrs J Chandler, R L Clarke and N J Guyatt be established to consider the matter further and to report with their recommendations to a future meeting of the Cabinet.