Agenda item

The Review of the Ownership and Maintenance of Orphan Sites is to be presented to the Panel.

Preceding the report the Panel received a presentation from the Executive Councillor for Environment, Street Scene and Operations and the Interim Head of Operations on the Operations Services. The key points were as follows:

·  The service is divided into three sections: Environmental Services, Commercial Services and Business Development.

·  The service has undergone some key development issues including: reconfiguration of the waste collection services to deliver efficiencies, consulting on reducing bin capacity and charging for replacement bins.

·  Between 56-58% of household waste is recycled in the District. The service is now focusing on reducing residual waste. Household waste only accounts for 12-14% of waste in the country.

·  Since the arrival of the Interim Head of Operations the management of Huntingdonshire District Council’s (HDC) tree stock has become a priority.

·  In the last year the service has taken over the management of the Corporate Estate.

·  As a result of not profiting from the markets in Huntingdon and St Ives, the service is looking at reconfiguring the layout of the markets to make them more appealing to traders and customers.

·  The Business Support Team has downsized in order to make it more focused.

Following a question from a Member regarding the forwarding of non-HDC enquiries from a HDC operative to an external agency it was confirmed that the Operations Service had been liaising with the Call Centre in order to aid an easy handover. Members were advised that the difficulty is ensuring that the customer’s enquiry will be dealt with once it is passed over to the external agency.

Concerns were raised as to whether recycling does get recycled and in response Members were reassured that the recycling goes to a treatment centre where it is sorted. A following question was asked in relation to the cleaning of recyclates before recycling to which the Panel were advised that the Council recommends the cleaning of recyclates for the following reasons: to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and to enable the Council to receive the best gate fee it can when the recycling is presented to the treatment centre.

In response to a question on the contamination of recycling Members were informed that the service had an issue with garden waste contamination which it addressed by reissuing guidance to residents. In addition the practice of photographing the contaminated bin had been introduced in order to provide the resident with a reason as to why their bin had been rejected. In the majority of cases the resident has then accepted the explanation however in a minority of cases the Council is required to work further with the resident before the ultimate sanction of the removal of the bin is imposed.

Officers agreed to circulate the Operations Service presentation slides (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to Members of the Panel following a request by a Member to do so.

A concern was raised by a Member that it is possible that the District would see an increase in black bin bags left beside bins or fly tipping as a result of reducing the size of residual waste bins. In response Members were informed that in order to prevent fly tipping it is important for the service to consult with residents and achieve ‘buy in’. In addition the scheme will be targeted to those households that are deemed able to cope with a reduced bin capacity.

The Panel was advised, following a question regarding commercial and industrial waste, that the solution to commercial and industrial waste would be found at national level. HDC does however provide a chargeable waste collection service for local businesses.

Following a concern regarding litter on a skate park in St Neots and the suggestion of the introduction of a recycling bin the Panel was advised that such a bin could be introduced and the best way to manage the waste was to work with a voluntary organisation. Currently HDC needs to work with users in order to constitute a formal group.

After a question on bin collections Members were reassured that the waste collection operatives would be retrained to return the bins to the curtilage of the property after it had been emptied.

In response to a question asked in relation to the use of Microhydro Electricity the Panel were informed that currently HDC does not generate any electricity through Microhydro Electricity however the Council has been working on heat source pumps in order to assist the reduction of the Council’s energy bill.

With the aid of a report by the Interim Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Review of the Ownership and Maintenance of Orphan Sites was presented to the Panel.

Following a brief introduction of the report a Member asked if the Council would continue maintaining privately owned sites at the request of the owners. In response the Panel was informed that the Council would continue to maintain the land at the request of the owner however they would be charged the market rate plus a margin of profit. Members were also advised that the Council would continue to maintain non-HDC land as long as HDC had an interest in doing so for example to prevent the spread of pests.

After a query regarding the location of orphan sites the Panel was informed that where requested Members would receive maps of orphan sites for their ward.

The Panel asked if there was scope to charge retrospectively for historical maintenance however Members were informed that retrospective charging would be difficult to manage. In addition case law provides the example of another Local Authority who attempted to charge retrospectively for historical maintenance. In the case it was accepted that the Local Authority did carry out maintenance however there was no contract and therefore no grounds for a claim.

Members expressed concern that resident’s concerns could be a secondary factor whilst the Council, County Council and Parish Councils discuss how different segments of land should be maintained. Members were informed that the matter had to be resolved and all efforts were being made to resolve the matter with resident’s needs as a priority. The Panel,

RESOLVED

to recommended that the Cabinet should agree to completing the recommend actions of the report in relation to the 240 orphan sites.

(At 7.46pm, during the discussion of this item, Councillor J A Gray left the meeting).

(At 7.48pm, during the discussion of this item, Councillor J A Gray entered the meeting).

(At 8.10pm, during the discussion of this item, Councillor J A Gray left the meeting and did not return).