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PRESENT: Councillors Mrs Howes (Chairman), Kellaway (Vice-Chairman), Adams (substituting for Councillor Holness), Beer, J Evans, Muir, Thompson (substituting for Councillor Mrs Wilson)

Also present: Councillor Burbage.

Officers: Mr S Brown, Ms Bailey, Mrs Dackombe, Mr Gould, Mr Herlinger, Mrs Hornby, Ms Kenyon, Mr Martin, Mr Oram, Mr Perkins and Mr Wolfe

64/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Holness and Mrs Wilson.

65/08 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None were received.

66/08 MINUTES

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meetings held on 12 January 2009 be approved.

66/08 HOUSEHOLD WASTE INCENTIVES SCHEME

Members received a presentation on the Household Waste Incentives Scheme from Mr Terry Gould, Head of Public Protection and Sustainability. Mr Gould commented that this was to be a pilot scheme and the Royal Borough would be the first authority in the UK to undertake this scheme, which was presently successful in some areas of the United States of America. This pilot would be carried out by Veolia Environmental Services, the RBWM’s waste contractor and would be an incentive reward scheme, meaning the more that was recycled, the more rewards earned. The scheme would be weight-based using bin-weighing technology to be installed on vehicles that would weigh the bins on being emptied and would assign the weight of recycled materials to specific households and convert the weight into ‘reward points’. The scheme would use ‘Reward Partners’ to enable residents to redeem their accumulated points in local outlets. The objectives listed were –

To divert waste from landfill, therefore saving costs and there would be an environmental gain.
It would increase recycling.
It would encourage sustainable behaviour
It would promote community leadership and ‘exempler’
It would promote community-based environmental stewardship
It would stimulate the local economy.

Two trials were proposed as follows –

That subscribed green waste clients would be given 3 months with an option to extend if necessary. There would be no change to the present collection arrangements and would be a systems test.
Co-mingled dry recycled materials would be a small scale test of a 6-month pilot scheme with an option to extend using a singled wheeled bin to replace the two existing recycling boxes in a defined area of 4000 households. Collections would continue to be weekly.

A robust monitoring system would be put in place which would include weights, equipment checks, effect of incentives, reward elements, acceptability, local participation (residents and reward partners), % recycling improvements, set performance metrics with a review at the end. The scheme would be rolled out in May/June 2009 and supported with an appropriate communications strategy.

After some discussion, the Panel was advised that it would cost £1.2million to roll the scheme across the whole of the Royal Borough should it go ahead. Mr Gould confirmed that there were still some issues to be resolved particularly for people living in flats. The Panel noted that with the scheme being weight based, there was a significant difference between glass and plastic bottles and that plastic bottles took up a large amount of space, and asked that this issue be taken into consideration. The Panel asked if it would be possible to discount Council Tax as part of the reward scheme and it was commented that this was not impossible. Mr Gould also commented that donations to charity could also be a part of the reward scheme. The Panel warmly received the presentation by Mr Gould and commented that they looked forward to receiving the report for any additional comments.

RESOLVED: That the Panel warmly received the presentation and requested that the Head of Public Protection and Sustainability circulate the Household Waste Incentives Scheme report for any additional comments, when available.

67/08 REVIEW OF DESIGNATED PUBLIC PLACES ORDER (ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION)

Members considered the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26 February on the Review of Designated Public Places Order (Alcohol Consumption). Mr Martin reported that authority to introduce a new order is being sought whereby the proposal was to revoke the existing orders made in 2002 and 2006 and seal a new order that would encompass the streets currently covered in the existing orders and the new streets that had been identified as having sufficient evidence of alcohol related problems taking place. The proposal was also to revoke the existing orders at the same time that the new order was sealed, so there would not be a period of time where the existing areas were not covered by an order.

Following a short discussion the Panel was informed that although PCSOs had limited authority they could issue on the spot fines and confiscate alcohol and that should further trouble ensue that Police would back up the PCSOs by responding as quickly as possible. The Panel noted that there were signs up in the areas covered by the existing orders and that new signs would be added in the proposed new areas. The Panel raised concerns about anti-social behaviour and was informed that this was being tackled as part of the scheme. The Panel endorsed the report.

RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet for approval.

68/08 SCHOOL TRAVEL STRATEGY (SUSTAINABLE MODES OF TRAVEL STRATEGY)

Members considered the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26 February on the School Travel Strategy (Sustainable Modes of Travel Strategy). Ms Kenyon commented that the report set out the Royal Borough’s approach to “Sustainable Modes of Travel” for all travel to and from schools within the Borough. It was also a requirement of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, which placed a duty on local authorities to develop sustainable travel and transport networks and promote their use for home to school travel. The Panel noted that monthly reporting was already undertaken by the Royal Borough. The Panel also asked whether bad behaviour had decreased with the introduction of Yellow, American style, school buses and was informed that whilst it was difficult to assess the situation behaviour on school buses was not a significant problem. The Panel noted that there are CCTV cameras on some buses, but not all.

Members were informed that ‘Walking Buses’ were being encouraged across the Borough. The Panel noted that the Royal Borough had the highest number of Independent Schools in Berkshire and requested that this be reflected in the report by adding an extra line in the report to separate Independent schools from State schools.

Members commented about fatal accidents and asked if there were several accidents in particular ‘hot spots’ were they being identified and investigated. Ms Kenyon commented that most fatal accidents recently were one-offs and that the Police always inspected an accident site within 48 hours and that findings were being added to a database to build up an accurate picture. Most accidents last year were due to joy-riders.

RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet for approval subject to an extra line being added to reflect the separation between Independent and State schools.

69/08 BUDGET REPORT

Members considered the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26 February on the Budget Report. The Panel noted that the report highlighted issues regarding the ‘Credit Crunch’. After some discussion, the following points were noted –

Some Pelican crossings were being installed due to the difficulty in recruiting School Crossing Patrol Wardens, and therefore this was seen as an investment.
That the title of Budget Savings be headed ‘Description of Saving/New Income Streams’.
Figures for Council Tax levy – Band D property 2009/10 on the Direct Cost Summary was not the correct version and the Panel requested that the correct version be included in the report.
That a £15,000 Planning saving would be achieved by only using advertising when legally necessary and when re-negotiating the deal for placing advertisements.

RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet for approval subject to the title on Budget Savings to be headed ‘Description of Saving/New Income Streams’ and that the figures for Council Tax levy, Band D property 2009/10 on the Direct Cost Summary be the correct version. That a £15,000 Planning saving be achieved by only using advertising when legally necessary and re-negotiating the deal for placing advertisements.

70/08 SERVICE MONITORING REPORT

Members received the latest Service Monitoring Report for all service areas, including areas relevant to the Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

71/08 WORK PROGRAMME

Members noted the items suggested for discussion at the meeting of the Panel to be held on 2 March 2009.

72/08 MEETING

The meeting, which began at 6.35pm, concluded at 8.30pm.