Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Gibson.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.  Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear.  New Items will be dealt with at item 13 below.

None received.

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interest are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

As the Council’s representative on the North London Waste Authority board, Cllr Canver declared an interest in items or discussions pertaining to North London Waste Authority. 

To agree minutes and action points from the meeting of 8^th January 2013.

The panel were updated on the action points from the 8^th January 2013. 

          Action point 5 – housing scrutiny

The Chair of the Environment and Housing Scrutiny Panel had met with the chairs of Homes for Haringey scrutiny bodies (Performance Committee and Resident Scrutiny Panel) together with the Homes for Haringey Director of Operations to discuss the scrutiny of local housing issues.  The meeting enabled representatives to share information about current and future work programmes to avoid duplication.   Representatives agreed to meet twice annually.

          Action point 8 – Cabinet meeting with Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Members of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC) and Cabinet had met to discuss local scrutiny arrangements.  The meeting was helpful in determining how the work of scrutiny could compliment the strategic priorities of the Council and ensure that there was no duplication.  It was agreed that Cabinet and OSC would meet twice annually (once directly after the Annual General Meeting).

The panel sought to emphasise a number of key principles that should underpin the selection of topics for scrutiny and for future work programming, which included:

§  that there should not be any dilution of the principle that scrutiny should be free to choose what work it undertakes;

§  that scrutiny can work effectively in operational matters as well as in policy and that through looking at systemic issues it can help to improve service performance;

§  that sufficient flexibility should be inbuilt in to work programming to allow scrutiny bodies to respond to issues as they emerge throughout the year;

§  that dialogue with services should underpin topic selection and scoping;

§  that consultation with other authorities is fundamental to shaping and informing  policy and practice here in Haringey.

Agreed:The panel agreed it would like to receive a briefing on the how the Corporate Plan was developed and its relationship with the Forward Plan.

          Action point 9 – Posting of special waste collection notices on Bank Holidays

The panel noted that special notices would need to be posted on the Council and Veolia website at Christmas and other times when service delivery is affected (e.g. bad weather, ice, snow or other reason that resulted in missed collections). Christmas Day is the only planned variance on the collection schedule.  A notice indicating that there is no change to the current collection system has been added to both websites for the Easter period.

          Action Point 12 -Strategic Enforcement

The Chair indicated that he had met with the Chief Executive to discuss the panel’s future planned work on strategic enforcement.  It had been agreed that this would be a useful topic to consider and would assist the Council.  The panel would further discuss the aims and objectives of this work in item 9.

The panel agreed the minutes of the 8^th January 2013.

Cllr Canver (Cabinet Member for Environment)  will attend to respond to panel questions within the Environment portfolio. 

Councillor Canver, Cabinet Member for the Environment, attended to respond to member questions within this portfolio. Prior to taking member questions, the Cabinet member welcomed the work of the panel to help increase recycling in the borough and also made a number of points:

§  The roll-out of fortnightly collection had helped to improve the recycling rate from 26% to 32% and is currently above contractual target for year end 12/13;

§  The Council had been given money from Defra for a food waste collection system for flatted properties and this would be developed over the coming months.

Reuse and Recycling Centre

          In response to questions around the transfer of the Reuse and Recycling site from Hornsey High Street, the panel noted that planning consent and a waste management license were being sought for the new site at Cranfield Way.  The panel noted that there was no intention for the loss of this facility during the transfer.  The panel requested that further information (a briefing) is provided on the Reuse and Recycling Centre transfer process.

Agreed:     That a briefing is prepared on the transfer of the Reuse and Recycling Centre in Hornsey High Street to Cranfield Way (e.g. plans, planning approval, timescales and risks).

          Waste and recycling collection

In relation to the roll-out of fortnightly waste collections, there was a perception that there were still ongoing problems which were not being resolved quickly enough, particularly in relation to side waste and overflowing bins at specific properties and locations.  The Cabinet Member acknowledged that whilst the overwhelming majority of households had complied with the new collection system, problems remained with about 5% of households.  Veolia and Single Front Line were taking steps to monitor and engage such households.

The panel noted that there should be a range of policy options at the disposal of the Council to encourage more people to comply with the new waste and recycling collection systems, including both incentives and enforcement options.  To encourage people to make the necessary changes to their behaviour would require the use of a range of different policy tools by the Council.

The Cabinet Member also noted that recycling contamination rates were also relatively low in Haringey; currently this was about 0.5% of loads.  This was also confirmed in the panel visit to Materials Recovery Facility where it was noted that contamination rates from North London Waste Authority areas was low. Nonetheless, the panel noted that the service continued to ‘drill down’ to identify localities where contamination occurred  and further engage local residents. 

The panel noted that one year on from the new collection system there were still ongoing problems (too many bins on the street and overflowing bins) at one of the case study sites (Milton Road and Milton Avenue, N6).  It was acknowledged that there were ongoing issues with the Miltons (N6) and that the service continued to work with local residents to find a solution.  The panel noted that a further consultation with local residents was planned in April  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

- To receive a briefing on the Councils approach to CPZ.

(Scrutiny/Parking Service)

- To receive a presentation update on plans for the Tottenham Hotspur CPZ.

(Parking  Service)

The panel noted the report on the Councils approach to CPZ in Haringey.

The panel received a presentation from Traffic Management with an update on plans to introduce a Tottenham Hotspur Match Day/Event Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ).  A summary of the issues covered in the presentation and subsequent panel discussion is provided below (a full copy of the presentation is attached). 

The panel noted that a total of £980k has been allocated through the Mayors Regeneration Fund for a phased development of the Tottenham CPZ (with £330k being available in phase 1).  Phase 2 is conditional on commencement of stadium build.  The service emphasised that the approach to this CPZ would be holistic and would involve all stakeholders.  In addition, the work would provide an opportunity to assess and resolve many localised parking and road traffic issues within the proposed CPZ.

The panel noted that local Councillors had been consulted in phase 1 who had concerns that this CPZ was based on anticipated demand rather than actual demand, which has been the general policy of the council to date.  In this context, both members and residents found it difficult to envisage what controls should be in place given that the development had yet to be built and no additional traffic problems had resulted in the area thus far. 

The panel noted that an initial consultation with local residents was attended by 24 people.  The panel noted that there were a number of key issues to emerge from this which included:

§  Surrounding localities expressed some support for additional controls;

§  The need to improve bus transport in this area;

§  The need for additional safety precautions for increased HGV usage around the area ahead of stadium build phase;

§  The need to address pop-up parking (unregulated off street parking).

The panel noted that the actual CPZ consultation will include over 8,000 households and would be conducted over a period of 8 weeks to ensure the following commitments:

§  4 drop-in day sessions one in each ward;

§  Pop up consultation events in High Road and Northumberland Park;

§  Leaflet distribution;

§  To provide information to areas in surrounding areas.

The panel noted the department is aiming to start the consultation in May/June 2013 with a final report to Cabinet on the proposed scheme in September 2013.  On site works will commence later in September in readiness for the opening of the supermarket in November 2013.

The panel noted that there were three outstanding issues which needed to be addressed:

§  To agree an approach to managing pop up parking;

§  To agree whether match day parking can be provided in commercial/industrial areas within the zone;

§  Agree how administration costs will be covered for new and future renewals of match day only permits.

The panel noted concerns around the THFC ambition that the stadium would be a leisure destination 365 days a year and whether planned for parking controls would be sufficient to not cause problems for local residents.  Other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

1)    Report back from Phillip Lane walkabout – update on costs, funding sources and implementation.

(To follow)

(Parking Service)

2)    Report back from panel visit to Tottenham Hotspur Match-day 9^th February 2013

-       Unregulated off street parking (pop up parking)

-       Blue Badge Scheme

-       Council operated car parks

(To follow)

(Scrutiny)

3)    Verbal report on other Local Authority perspectives of parking and traffic management on match days.

(Scrutiny)

        Report back from Phillip Lane Walkabout

The panel noted the report which provided itemised cost to undertake works identified in the walkabout on Phillip Lane.

The panel noted that £46,650 would be needed to complete all indentified work, though this could be reduced if this was programmed to be completed as one scheme as this would reduce consultation and legal costs ascribed to individual improvements.

The panel noted that the cost of these works needed to be weighted and prioritised against the budget available and other essential works.  The panel noted that there is currently a budget of £60k for parking infrastructure maintenance and £550k for reactive maintenance. 

The panel suggested that other funding avenues should also be pursued to further help reduce the total costs for this work.  It was noted that some of the works identified from the walkabout relate to traffic pinch-points on Phillip Lane, and it may be of some interest to Transport for London (TfL) that these are rectified to help reduce bus delays in the area. In this context, TfL should be approached to ascertain if they would be willing to contribute to any of the scheme proposals.

Agreed:      That Traffic Management Service should approach Transport for London as a possible contributor to the Phillip Lane scheme.

The panel noted that the walkabout approach which has been used to identify remedial parking and traffic management works in a defined area could be used as a model in which (subject to resources and other priorities) it could be replicated elsewhere across the borough. 

As a result of a recent reorganisation, the panel noted that parking services had been merged with sustainable travel into a singular Traffic Management service.  It was suggested that this merger would encourage more area based working and facilitate more joined up solutions to local traffic issues (as exemplified in the Philip Lane Walkabout scheme). 

Traffic Management Orders are used to instigate local road traffic restrictions (e.g. yellow lines, parking bays and one-way systems).  The panel noted that there had been some recent amendments to the way that these are authorised.

Agreed: The panel requested a brief update on recent changes to the process used to grant Traffic Management Orders.

        Report back from Tottenham Hotspur Match day Visit

The panel noted the report of its visit to Tottenham Hotspur to assess match day parking issues. 

The panel noted that pop-up (unregulated off street) parking was widespread in the area and beyond on match days.  Even in this assessment, over 25 different sites were identified to offer local parking for match day traffic at cost of between £5-18.   The nature of sites offering parking also varied including local schools, community centres and business forecourts.

The panel observed that match day parking restrictions were in operation in non-residential areas during the visit, such as in commercial and residential areas and that many of these streets where controls were in place were empty of cars.  Given that pop-up parking is also available in the area,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

1) Progress report on the implementation of recommendations arising from the interim report on the roll-out of the new waste and recycling service:

            - Update on recommendations

            - Update on case studies

            - Complaints audit (to follow)

 (Single Front Line)

2) Recycling from flats

-       Report back from panel visit to 6 flatted developments on 25^th February 2013

(Scrutiny)

-       Report back from evidence gathering session on 4^th March 2013:

o   Waste Watch

o   London Boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Hackney

o   Local Registered Housing Providers

(Scrutiny)

3) Further policy options for increasing recycling

-       Report back from evidence gathering session held on 4^th March 2013:

o   Single Front Line

o   Greater London Authority

o   London Boroughs of Croydon, Ealing and Lambeth.

(Scrutiny)

4) Report back (verbal) from panel visit to Eco Park and Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) on the 18^th March.

(Scrutiny)

        Progress report on implementation of earlier recommendations

The report updating the panel on earlier recommendations relating to the new waste and recycling service was noted by the panel.

The panel noted the analysis of complaint data that was provided in relation to the waste and recycling collection system.  From this report the panel noted that:

§  Of the 280 stage one complaints received about the waste and recycling service from march 2012 to February 2013, 47 (17%) were escalated to a stage 2.

§  A majority (65%) of stage 1 complaints received about the waste and recycling collection service related to missed collections, though other concerns related to the new containers (6%), the quality of the service (6%) or the new policy itself (5%).

          Report back from the panel visit to the Ecopark and Biffa operated MRF

There was insufficient time to consider this item and this was deferred.

          Recycling from Flats

There was insufficient time to consider this item and this was deferred.

          Further policy options to increase recycling

There was insufficient time to consider this item and this was deferred.

The panel to the discuss scope and approach of a future review of enforcement functions of the council in particular relation to:

1)    Audit of enforceable functions;

2)    Criteria for enforceable action (e.g. cost, public interest);

3)    Partnership working and information sharing protocols.

The panel reported back on discussions in relation to the scope of a future review of the enforcement functions of the Council.  The panel indicated that there should be three outcomes for this work:

§  To produce an audit of enforceable functions of both the Council and its partners;

§  To establish criteria for enforceable actions (for example, public safety, costs, public interest);

§  To develop protocols to enable and support partnership working and information sharing in support of enforceable actions.

For the panel to discuss the nature and scope of a future review in this area.  The current Statement of Community Involvement (planning) is attached for reference.

(Scrutiny)

There was insufficient time to consider this item and this was deferred to a future meeting of the panel.

To agree a further meeting date for April 2013.

The panel agreed to meet on Tuesday 16^th April at 18.30.

To review current work programme for 2012/13.

There was insufficient time to consider this item and this was deferred to the next meeting of the panel.

None received.

Meeting close – The meeting finished at 10.00pm