To receive a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Strategic Housing reviewing past performance, identifying key issues and commenting on future plans in relation to the Environment portfolio.

The Chairman invited Councillor JG Jarvis, (Cabinet Member - Environment and Strategic Housing) to comment upon past performance; identify key issues and comment on future plans in relation to the Environment portfolio.

The Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing provided an overview based on the following themes of: Planning; Local Development Framework; Sustainability; Regulatory Services; Waste Management; Recycling, and Energy from Waste.

Arising from the presentation and questioning the following principal points were noted in relation to each of the themes:

Planning

• The Cabinet Member reported that following the reports by both the Audit Commission and Environment Scrutiny into planning, and consideration by the Constitutional Review Working Group the new constitution, which introduced the new planning committee arrangement in January 2010, were working well. The new arrangements provided for greater involvement by individual ward members into local issues and enhanced liaison between councillors and officers.  Parish Councils and planning agents had also responded favourably. 
• Responding to criticism concerning the lack of performance from the planning element of the new Civica ICT system the Head of Planning and Transportation shared in the disappointment, however, ICT were looking to rectify the problems.  While there had been a 5 to 6 week backlog in processing the applications to the system during the September switch over this was now down to an average of 2 or 3 days.  He acknowledged that plans were still being scanned externally and this caused a delay to their uploading.  This element was still being looked at from a corporate point of view.  Key staff had been consulted in the initial design of the system.  Town and parish councils and the public would be consulted during the system improvement stages.  The Sustainable Communities Director reminded members that the previous ICT system had ceased to be maintained by the manufacturers. The Committee were due to receive a report on planning at their July meeting and an update on the scanning element could be included.
• Concern was expressed regarding shortcomings in the enforcement of planning application conditions.  The Cabinet Member responded that following a reorganisation of the planning teams a team had been set up to specifically address the enforcement issue and revise the enforcement standards.
• During discussion reference had been made to a ‘planning tool kit’ on which members requested further information and the Head of Planning and Transportation undertook to include this in a forthcoming work shop for members.

Local Development Framework (LDF)

• The Cabinet Member reported that the LDF replaced the Unitary Development Plan and would be key to future development in the County.  Response to the Place Shaping Consultation during Jan to March 2010 had been very good with nearly 5000 people engaging in the process resulting in over 2400 detailed comments.  This compared very favourably to experiences elsewhere.  Results indicated support for both the proposed growth and proposed strategies.  He outlined further opportunities for member involvement prior to consideration by Council, which he hoped would be in this administration. 
• Responding to questions concerning any possible changes to the LDF process following the election of the new government, and in particular the housing allocation, the Cabinet Member reported that the LDF was being developed in accordance with current guidance.  While government had recently announced it had dropped the housing allocation element, he commented that the county would still need housing and the location and number would be open to debate.  The Head of Planning and Transportation commented that while the Regional Spatal Strategy had been dropped he was comfortable with how the draft LDF was progressing.
• Future development under the LDF required the utility companies to be in a position to provide the infrastructure and the Committee questioned what the latest position was, particularly with Welsh Water who, it was understood had not engaged in the discussions.  In response the Sustainable Communities Director reported that Welsh Water were now in discussions.  He acknowledged that there were areas of the County where major infrastructure improvements were needed and these would need to prioritised.
• The Cabinet Member acknowledged the work done by Councillor PJ Edwards at regional level.

Sustainability

• The Cabinet Member reported that currently 95% of schools were registered in the Eco Schools programme with the County being in the top 3 for the number of registered schools with the prestigious Green Flag Award.  Schools accounted for about 50% of the carbon emissions from council properties.  Schools were encouraged to participate in the energy challenge to adopt good energy housekeeping approaches and appropriate energy saving behaviour.  99% of schools had Travel Plans and 36 schools had won a School Travel Achievement Award. 17 Schools had Green Flag status.
• He also reported that a Herefordshire Environment Partnership had been formed to work on carbon reduction related issues.  The introduction of vehicle speed limits had helped with air quality issues at the Wilton roundabout and at Pencraig, Ross-on-Wye.

Regulatory Services

• The Cabinet Member reported that the good work of the Community Protection Team continued (reported in detail to the 26 March 2010 minute No 61). Achievements had been the implementation of the Civica single ICT system with Planning, Building Control, PS Housing, Land Charges and Waste Management.  A challenge would be to continue improvements to the System.  Other challenges would be the reorganisation of the directorate and associated accommodation issues, continue the work being undertaken on closed landfill sites and generally doing more for less.
• It was suggested that enforcement work by the Community Protection Team may be more effective if they worked out of usual hours.  The Cabinet Member responded that the team were willing to do so, however, human resources and contractual issues needed to be addressed.
• Questioned about a long standing issue concerning unadopted sewers the Assistant Director responded that meetings were ongoing with Welsh Water and a project group had been formed in an effort to progress the issue.

Waste Management

• The Cabinet Member reported that the 2009/10 recycling target of 35% had been met.  The target had been set at 41% for this year and there was a continuing need to reduce the residual waste while increasing the recycled element. Currently 63,725 household properties had a recycling bin and 14,902 had a sack recycling service.  This related to 97% of properties.  The remainder were flats and discussions were being held with housing associations, managing agents and landlords about bringing these on board.  The new refuse and recycling service had been introduced at a lower cost than the previous one whilst retaining a weekly refuse collection.  Councillors would have a further opportunity to visit the new Envirosort plant on 2^nd July.

Recycling

• Schools waste is classified as household waste and the Council has introduced at 61 schools recycling using wheeled bins.  The Council was looking at providing a service where a charge may be made for collecting household recycling from residential hostels, residential homes, hospitals nursing homes, self-catering holiday accommodation, holiday caravan and camp sites, charities and halls used for public meetings.
• The Committee noted that further delays had occurred to the development of a Greenwaste recycling site at Morton-on-Lugg.

Energy from Waste

• The Cabinet Member reported that the new energy from waste site would enable the recovery of energy from 200,000 tonnes of municipal waste per year (after recycling and composting) to reduce dependence on landfill. It would generate 15.5MW of electricity for the grid being enough to power around 20,000 homes with the renewable heat being used by nearby businesses.  40,000 tonnes of ash would be reprocessed to replace the use of aggregates. The site would provide up to 30 skilled jobs some of which it was hoped would be offered to applicants from Herefordshire.  A Local education and visitor centre would be created.  He further reported that a planning application had been sent to and validated by Worcestershire County Council as the planning authority. It was anticipated that the report to Worcester Planning & Regulatory Committee would take a number of months to prepare and no date had yet been set for its submission to the committee.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing for his presentation and for answering the many questions.

RESOLVED: That

1. the report on planning applications and enforcement programmed for the July meeting also contain an update on the system for scanning planning application plans.

2. the Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing note the concern of the Committee that the enforcement of planning conditions was far from satisfactory and the Committee wished to see continued improvements in this area;

3. it be noted that the Head of Planning and Transportation intends to hold a work shop for all members on the theme of planning enforcement which would include reference to the ‘planning tool kit;

4. the Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing and key officers be requested to press Welsh Water and other bodies concerned to deal with the issue of unadopted sewers as soon as possible.