To consider performance and priorities in relation to street cleaning issues

The Committee considered the performance and priorities in relation to street cleaning issues.

As a result of monitoring general performance reports the Strategic Monitoring Committee expressed some concerns over the performance of the street cleaning service and suggested that this Committee receive a report on the approach currently taken to deliver the service and how performance is monitored.

The Streetscene Manager presented the report which indicated the method of target setting and performance management; the current street cleaning practice, and the measures being taken to improve service delivery.  He highlighted that working with Amey, the Council sought to adopt best practice set out in central government’s Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. He further highlighted that the Service Delivery Review of the Council’s Strategic Service Delivery Partnership intended to include a new performance management regime to drive improved outcomes in relation to the services provided. 

The Streetscene Manager reported that the 2008/9 street and environmental cleanliness targets for flyposting, graffiti and litter would be met.  It was predicted that unfortunately the target (12%) for detritus (natural litter e.g. leaves weeds) was likely to be missed by 1 percentage point – namely 13%. 

Mr M Thomas, Service Director, Amey Wye Valley, reported that they were working with the Council to improve the service to local community and added that educating the public not to litter was an important issue.

During the course of debating the report the following principal points were noted:

• The Chairman requested that once the new Service Delivery contract had settled down he hoped the Committee would be invited to see first hand the back office work of the Streetscene Team.
• The current schedule of street cleaning continued e.g. villages were cleaned every 6 months, however, there was flexibility within the schedule to ensure that streets that didn’t need a scheduled clean were left out in favour of those that needed additional attention.
• City Councillors questioned the implied low instance of graffiti and litter stating that local residents were having to undertake graffiti cleaning themselves and that a number of litter bins in the centre of the City needed emptying on a far more regular basis than currently happened. In response the Director of Environment and Culture reported that the Council took prompt action to clean graffiti from its own property, however, the Council had no power to clean graffiti from private property, other than to serve an enforcement notice which didn’t seem fair on the property owner. 
• A Community Protection Team, working with partner agencies, had been formed with the powers to tackle anti-social behaviour related issues such as flytipping, littering and dog mess. The Committee requested that all Councillors be advised of the relevant contact details.
• It was suggested that relevant parish councils be informed when litter picking teams were working in their area, particularly in relation to litter picking on the A49 (South).
• While the County had a good take up of Eco-schools, comment was made that schools needed to educate more widely to ensure that parents were also environmentally aware.
• It was suggested that while undertaking mechanical street sweeping, greater care was needed to ensure that litter and detritus was cleared from around fixed street furniture.
• A Councillor claimed that the Streetscene budget only allowed for 5 replacement litter bins per year which, if true, was insufficient, particularly when the public were encouraged to use them.  Comment was also made that local parish councils could, if required; fund any replacement through local management.

RESOLVED: That

a)        the performance outlined in the report on Street Cleaning be noted and consideration be given to a performance monitoring update report following  the changes to the Service Delivery Partnership with Amey; and

b)        The Streetscene Manager remind all Members of the Council of the contact details for the Community Protection Team and for reporting Streetscene issues.