To update Members on the progress towards achievement of targets for 2008-09 relevant to the Environment Scrutiny Committee and contained within the Environment & Culture Directorate and the Regeneration Directorate.

The Committee considered the progress towards the achievement of targets for 2008-09 relevant to the Environment Scrutiny Committee and contained within the Environment and Culture Directorate and the Regeneration Directorate.

The Improvement Manager reported that a significant number of the performance indicators were new (from the National Indicator set) and therefore a different format had been chosen, for this report only, to enable a more detailed description of each indicator to be provided. 

Overall performance by the Environment and Culture Directorate was considered to be on track for all Local Area Agreement, Community Strategy and Corporate Plan indicators on which the Environment and Culture Directorate took the lead or towards which it is making a significant contribution. There was a similar picture for other indicators, including those from the National Indicator set.  In general there were fewer indicators in the Council’s Corporate Plan with a number of those being reported annually or by external agencies.

On scrutinising the performance indicators the following principal points were noted:

• In relation to customer satisfaction (paragraph 9 bullet points 4 and 5) the Committee congratulated the staff, and acknowledged the good management, in achieving the good levels of customer satisfaction.
• Continuing the above point the Committee expressed an interest in comparing the satisfaction levels with similar authorities also affected by flooding and requested details from comparable authorities.
• Questioned on the collection of data for principal roads the Committee noted that data was collected by a specialist contractor on behalf of a number of authorities in the region. However, efficiencies may be made in that this survey work could be included in the revised Service Delivery Contract with Amey.  The Cabinet Member, Highways and Transportation (H&T) commented that he had to balance highway maintenance expenditure between the various categories of road.  A number of initiatives were underway e.g. the Watchman Scheme with the Parish Councils.  Following the recent floods in various parts of the County, unplanned works, and therefore unbudgeted, had been necessary.  While a claim would be made under the Belwin Scheme the Council would still need to fund the initial expenditure up to the Belwin threshold.
• Questioning the ‘Amber’ rating for the indicator ‘people slightly injured in road traffic accidents’ (agenda page 38) the Committee were informed that, while current performance had not met last year’s profile, it was expected that the target would be met.
• It was requested that the appropriate date be included in the report where data was collected annually.
• Responding to comments on the indicator for litter/detritus/flyposting/ graffiti the Director of Environment and Culture (E&C) acknowledged that there was always room for improvement.  However, he highlighted that due to the increase in fuel costs the street cleaning contract was likely to cost an additional £90,000 for the same level of service, a cost that would have to be supported from other budgets.
• Questioned on the level of flytipping the Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing (E&SH) acknowledged that more needed to be done.  However, whenever possible, cases were taken to court.
• Responding to a claim that the Council was not following the national guidance for cleaning ‘dirty streets’ the Director E&C agreed that if there was national guidance then it should be followed.  In response to comments regarding streets not being cleaned due to inclement weather or machine breakdown the Director E&C reported that cleaning should be in accordance with the contract, however, greater flexibility over the use of resources would be sought under a revised contract to ensure that, for example, grass cutting was only carried out when and where necessary.
• The Cabinet Member H&T commented that responding to previous criticism the number of days taken to repair ‘a street light under the control of the authority’ was now 2.45 compared to the target of 6.61.  In view of earlier comment concerning under resourcing in street cleaning the Committee questioned whether resources could be reallocated to the service from street lighting.  In view of light pollution, rising electricity costs and the need to meet carbon emissions targets (NI185) it was asked whether street lights could be turned off e.g. after midnight, light levels reduced or low energy light bulbs used.  The Director E&C reported that a number of authorities did turn off street lights and this option could be investigated.  The Head of Highways reported that street lighting was only installed as part of a developer scheme.  However, the Council had a street light upgrade programme using more environmentally friendly equipment.  The Committee acknowledged that the suggestion would have to be balanced against other social expectations e.g. personal security and crime levels. The Committee requested a report to the next meeting.
• Questioned why a proposal to introduce a 20mph speed limit on East Street (East), Hereford, had been delayed, the Head of Highways reported that there were stringent criteria governing such an introduction.  The scheme may require physical adaptations and would therefore be considered against other priorities. In relation to road safety the Cabinet Member H&T commented that various schemes were underway e.g. Young Driver training and Back on your Bike training, including the continuation of the safer routes to schools and school travel plans.
• Under the indicator ‘level of air quality’ (agenda page 43) the Committee questioned why the Council didn’t already have a full inventory of vehicles in its fleet.  The Director E&C reported that no central inventory was held because there was no central fleet manager and each Directorate was responsible for its own vehicles.  The Committee expressed concern over the economic and environmental implications of this and requested that a report, together with the inventory, be submitted to a future meeting.
• Also in relation to air quality it was suggested that in view of the traffic volumes on the A465 Belmont Road, Hereford, that this road should be included in the air quality monitoring surveys.
• The Sustainability Manager reported that once the data had been collected on the impact that past extreme weather events had had on the delivery of Council services, a report would be made to the various service managers.  Any actions identified would be included in directorate action plans which were due to be revised in April 2009.  The Committee requested a report on any actions to be undertaken.
• The Committee noted that every 1% change in household waste collected affected the contract by £300,000.  In relation to the ‘performance to date’ it was noted that the collection performance (197.6kg to June) was not linear and it was anticipated that the performance would be close to target.  Responding to questions on the possibility of introducing household food waste collection, similar to that in South Shropshire, the Committee were informed that the scheme at Ludlow had to be supplemented by food waste from supermarkets.
• It was suggested that trade waste accounted for between 80 – 90 % of waste sent to landfill.  The collection of trade recycling by the Council was limited by government constraints and private sector competition and could prove costly to set up as there were private sector businesses already in operation in this area.  It was thought greater incentives to recycle trade waste would come about following the increase in landfill tax. 
• The Cabinet Member E&SH reported that progress under the current waste PFI was holding up well and discussions were moving ahead.  He commented the review of the waste collection contract was already taking a broad view of waste reduction and collection.  In relation to trade waste, discussions were ongoing with the Blue Box scheme at Ross-on-Wye concerning their future involvement, particularly in trade waste recycling, and he hoped they could run a pilot scheme in the near future.
• In relation to inspecting food establishments the Committee noted that over 47,000 hits had been recorded on the Herefordshire ‘Scores on the Doors’ web site.  The Scores on the Doors scheme rates all food manufacturing businesses on their standards of hygiene, five stars being excellent and no stars being very poor.  A decision was awaited from the Food Standards Agency concerning what level was considered an acceptable rating.

RESOLVED: that

a)      the position as set out in the performance report for the four month period to July 2008 and further described above be noted;

b)     the Committee be informed of customer satisfaction levels with other comparable authorities as described above;

c)      where data is collected annually then the collection date be indicated in the report;

d)     the Director of Environment and Culture confirm that national guidance is being followed concerning cleaning dirty streets.

e)     a report setting out the options concerning the possible reduction of energy/environmental impact of street lighting be presented to the next meeting.

f)       A report on the Council’s vehicle fleet, including an inventory of vehicles, be presented to a future meeting.

g)     A report on the impact past extreme weather events had had on the delivery of Council services, together with any actions identified for inclusion in Directorate Plans, as they relate to the remit of this Committee, be presented to a future meeting.

At this point the Committee adjourned for 5 minutes and reconvened at 11.04 am.