Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 in respect of filming at the meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barbara Blake, Hare, Jogee and Stennett.

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 as noted below).   

None.

None.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of 9 March 2017.

In respect of item 33 (Haringey’s Sustainable Transport Programme), it was noted that the abandoned bicycle parts on cycle stands referred to had now been removed.  Responsibility for removing them lay with Veolia, as part of dumped rubbish and issues should be reported to them in the first instance. 

Panel Members felt that there was a need for greater clarity over responsibility for removing abandoned bicycle parts on stands. It was noted that it could sometimes be difficult to determine whether bicycles had been dumped and therefore notices had to placed on them before action was taken. 

AGREED:

1.    That responsibility for the removal of bicycle parts from cycle stands be clarified with Veolia and that an update on progress be circulated to Panel Members; and

2.    That the minutes of the meeting of 9 March be approved.

To consider any items admitted at item 3 above.

None.

To approve the re-appointment of a non voting co-opted Member to the Panel.

AGREED:

That a representative from Haringey Association of Neighbourhood Watches be appointed as a non voting co-opted Member of the Panel for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

To note the terms of reference and membership of the Panel for 2017/18.

AGREED:

That the terms of reference, protocol for Overview and Scrutiny and policy areas/remits and membership for each Scrutiny Panel for 2017/18 be noted.  

To agree the areas to be prioritised within the Panel’s work plan for 2017/18.

In respect of the review on street sweeping, the Panel felt that, amongst other issues, needs based standards should be considered.  In respect of the forthcoming review on parks, it was noted that the report by the London Assembly on green and open spaces in the capital was shortly to be published.

AGREED:

That the areas proposed for prioritisation in the 2017/18 scrutiny work programme be approved and that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be asked to endorse them above at its meeting on 17 July 2017.

To question the Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Peray Ahmet, on current issues and plans arising for her portfolio.

The Panel received an update from Councillor Peray Ahmet, the Cabinet Member for Environment, on key issues within her portfolio as follows;

·         She welcomed the proposed reviews by the Panel on street sweeping and parks.  She reported that a workshop had been arranged with, amongst others, friends of parks and regeneration partners to consider the protection of green spaces and opportunities for enhancing them.  Litter was a particular issue in some of the borough’s parks and work would be undertaken to see what could be done to address this.      

·         There were shortly to be two large events, including Wireless, at Finsbury Park.  Action was being taken to taken to reassure residents and regular meetings were taking place with the Police.  In addition, letters had also been sent to local MPs and ward Councillors.  There had been improvement in how Wireless were working with the local community and, in particular, they had involved local schools. 

·         The Council’s Transport Strategy was currently being developed and this would include a section on walking and cycling.  She felt that there was a need for greater progress to be made in respect of these.   In addition,  strategies were also being developed on air quality and fly tipping, which was shortly to be circulated to Councillors.  She reported that the service was aware of where fly tipping hotspots were.  The two electoral wards with the highest levels were Northumberland Park and Woodside. 

·         The Sustainable Transport works plan had now been agreed and details of this would shortly be circulated.  In respect of parking, six new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) had been implemented.  These had proven to be popular and residents had asked for extensions for some.   Their introduction could be of benefit to neighbourhoods and often led to reductions in fly tipping. 

·         The changes that to charging policy that had been approved as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy were shortly to be implemented.  The on-the-spot enforcement process that was undertaken by Kingdom was due to be reviewed.  There was now a new operational structure for tactical and strategic enforcement.  Finally, the new landlord licensing scheme was due to be launched shortly and details of it had been sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government, as required.

In response to questions about the work being undertaken by Kingdom, the Cabinet Member stated that the scheme was a pilot and was therefore subject to review.  Most of the fines that had been levied so far had been for low level issues and it was hoped that there would be a greater focus on more serious issues in the future, such a fly tipping.  It was nevertheless acknowledged that catching offenders for more serious offences was more difficult.  A greater perception of risk could help deter people from offending.  There needed to be a balance between enforcement and education though.  

The Panel noted that the Council’s enforcement officers were not paid any bonuses for levying fines.  Some had been subject to assault and there some  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To report on the latest performance statistics for waste, recycling and street cleansing.

Zoe Robertson, from the Commercial and Operations Service, reported on current performance in respect of waste, recycling and street cleansing. The Panel noted the following;

·         Street sweeping had met performance targets for the last two quarters following a deterioration in performance that had occurred when the frequency of sweeps had been reduced from twice to once weekly;

·         After a short period shortly after changes being implemented when performance had dipped, targets for detritus had consistently met relevant targets;

·         The changes had also not led to a significant increase in complaints.  It was possible that ward walkabouts had assisted with this by helping to identify issues at an early stage;

·         There had been a sustained increase in satisfaction levels amongst residents over a number of years.  This had peaked last year but was still high despite a recent drop.  It was possible that the drop was due to the changes to services that had been introduced last year;

·         Graffiti levels remained low;

·         Figures for fly posting had improved substantially since business cards had been removed from monitoring;

·         There had been a reduction in reported fly tipping since October.  The reduction had come about from fewer reports being received from Veolia.  There had been no specific change in how the Council was addressing the issue.  The figures were being monitored very closely and the intention was to reduce fly tipping by half.

The Panel noted that a wide range of streets were inspected by staff for monitoring performance and these were chosen at random. The Keep Britain Tidy campaign had been brought in to assist with monitoring and help train staff.  Veolia also undertook their own monitoring.  Inspections were done on the day of the sweep.

In respect of fly tipping, the Cabinet Member reported that a lot of effort had been put into reducing levels.  It was acknowledged that there was a problem within the borough but part of this was due to the fact that Haringey was conscientious in recording fly tips.  It was noted that there was no standardised way of recording fly tips.  Panel Members felt that there was a need to ensure that a strong message was provided to all residents that fly tipping was unacceptable.  The Cabinet Member felt that engagement with local residents was important.  Following the Team Noel Park pilot, residents in Noel Park were now taking a greater level of responsibility and this had led to higher levels of reporting. 

Panel Members felt that there was a hard core of offenders who were responsible for a large amount of fly tipping.  These were often houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).  The Panel noted that a new licensing scheme for landlords was due to be introduced shortly.  There was a list of the top 10 fly tipping hotspots in the borough.  Consideration was being undertaken on suitable further action to be taken in respect of such problematic sites.  Hotspots were not just indentified through data and Councillors were also able to feed in their concerns.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

To agree the draft final report of the Panel’s review on Fear of Crime for submission to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for approval.

The Panel noted that fear of crime was a quality of life issue and Haringey had some of the highest levels in London.  Successful action to address the types of crime that caused residents the highest levels of concern should help to address the issue.  However, people did not respond to crime in a uniform way and levels of anxiety in some areas were comparatively low despite there being high crime rates whilst in other areas the reverse was true.  This could lead to resources not being utilised in a way that was proportionate to the severity of issues.   The issue was very complex and there were no obvious solutions, although there were some interventions that had been used elsewhere that appeared to have the potential to make a difference.

AGREED:

That the report and its recommendations be agreed and submitted to Overview and Scrutiny  for final approval.