Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2022 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            In accordance with Standing Order No.34 (9), the following public questions were submitted to the Board by email:

QUESTION 1 - Mr Millea – (Minute No 7 refers)

Can you guarantee that The Temporary cremator will be removed in July? In recent weeks it has been in use frequently for up to 8 hours a day not necessarily every day, but still a disturbing noise to contend with some days we have had to leave our house just to get away from the continuous droning noise which can be heard both inside and outside our home.

RESPONSE:

Whilst, due to reasons beyond the control of the Council, the procurement exercise for a new cremator had taken longer than anticipated, and the Council had to keep the temporary facility in place for longer than expected, Members were advised that the installation and commissioning of the new cremator was on schedule for completion by mid-July. It was therefore anticipated that the temporary cremator would be removed by the end of July 2022.

Supplementary Question

Why in over 2 years having known about the problem have none of our Birchfield Ward Councillors ever been to visit any of the affected residents? 

RESPONSE:

The three Birchfield Ward Councillors were in attendance at the meeting. Councillor Woolfall gave an outline of the contact he had made with Mr Millea and another resident, which included numerous emails, visits to the cemetery he had made and meetings that had taken place with Officers to discuss the issues raised.

            The Board considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board relevant to the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be received.

            The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report from the Chair of the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board 2021/22.

The full Board met on four occasions during the year and the report set out the work carried out and recommendations made throughout the Municipal Year April 2021 to March 2022.

RESOLVED: That the Annual Report be accepted.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented the Performance Monitoring Reports for Quarter 4 of 2021/22.

The reports related to the following functional areas which reported to the Board and detailed progress against service objectives and milestones, and performance targets and provided information relating to key developments and emerging issues that had arisen during the period:

·         Development and Investment Services;

·         Highways and Transportation, Logistics and Development Services;

·         Waste and Environmental Improvement and Open Space Services; and

·         Housing Strategy.

            RESOLVED: That the fourth quarter performance monitoring reports be received and noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, which provided information on the petition received from residents of Norton requesting that the existing bus shelter located at the Gooseberry Lane bus stop on the Busway be replaced with a more conventional style bus shelter. The petition was signed by 26 bus users. The existing shelter offered limited protection due to its design.

            Following complaints of anti-social behaviour from residents in close proximity to the bus stop, the existing shelter replaced a conventional type shelter in approximately 2010. However, it was noted that the most recent figures (April 21 to March 22) show anti-social behaviour to be at an average level of 5.9 incidents per month across the Norton North Ward. In addition, the corresponding bus stop on the opposite side of the road had a conventional type bus shelter installed with no reports of anti-social behaviour taking place.

            Councillor Logan addressed the Board in support of the petitioners.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the petition be noted;

2.    the request to remove the existing shelter and replace with a new conventional type be approved; and

3.    the local Ward members be informed of the outcome of the Board’s consideration of the petition.

            The Board considered an update on progress with the installation of a new cremator at Widnes Cemetery and the removal of the temporary cremator. At the previous meeting of the Board a number of public questions were submitted (Minute 28 refers). It was agreed that a report would be submitted to the June meeting to provide an update and this report provided Members with a sequence of events and timeline surrounding these matters.

            Members were advised that the installation and commissioning of the new cremator was on schedule for completion by mid-July. It was therefore anticipated that the temporary cremator would be removed by the end of July 2022.

            RESOLVED: That the update report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, which contained a copy of the adopted Climate Change Action Plan. The Plan provided a clear direction for the Council and a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, particularly as there were numerous sources of external funding becoming available to support such initiatives. The Plan also set a target to be carbon neutral by 2040 and provided an initial focus on buildings, vehicles and the Borough’s blue/green infrastructure.

            RESOLVED: That the Board records its continued support for the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, that presented the initial findings from the updated survey of local centres undertaken by the Planning Service in 2022. A copy of the completed survey was attached as appendix A. It was noted that the surveys took the form of a ‘facia survey’, where each centre was visited and the following information recorded:

·         Trader mix;

·         Type of goods/services sold;

·         Floor space; and

·         Quality of shopfronts and buildings.

            The results of the survey extended the time series that would be used to inform a future review of the Local Plan.

            Councillor McDermott requested that a report be brought to a future meeting on the impact since the Covid pandemic on local centres. This should include a synopsis of the facilities within each ward area that had closed and what facilities were still available.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director - Policy, Planning and Transport, that presented the initial findings from the annual monitoring of housing and employment development against Delivery and Allocations Local Plan (DALP) targets.

            The Plan sets out a number of development targets for the provision of housing and the supply of land for employment and retail development including:

·         Housing = 8,050 net dwelling gain at an average of 350 per annum; and

·         Employment = 180 hectares to be made available.

            The annual monitoring of granted planning permissions and construction starts and completions (April-March) had been completed and this report presented some of the interim findings together with some updated demographic projections (Appendix A).

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Community and Environment, which provided Members with an update on progress with work of the Working Party that was established to review the Council’s coppicing works programme. The first meeting of the Working Party would take place on 12 July 2022. This meeting would establish the scope of the review and a further progress report on the work of the Working Party would be presented to Members at the next meeting of the Board in September.

            RESOLVED: That the report be received.