Agenda and minutes

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In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Special Development Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 6 July 2016 and the Development Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 20 July 2016 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Ian Beynon, Development & Outreach Manager updated the Committee on the current status of the Strategy document, which was almost complete.  Figures in relation to Nature Reserves, Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and Sites of Special Scientific Interest were awaited.

Stephen Cable, Children’s Play Officer circulated a copy of the draft Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report, which was currently with the relevant Heads of Service and would be submitted to Access to Services Officers for consideration and approval.  He reiterated that Access to Services would continue to be involved throughout the whole consultation process.  Outcomes from the consultation would be included in the Open Spaces Strategy action plan.

The Chair thanked the Officers for their work involved in drafting the Strategy document.

RESOLVED that the final Strategy document be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Healthy City for his consideration.

Ian Whettleton, Divisional Officer Waste Management and Fran Williams, Team Leader Enforcement, Fly Tipping and Litter attended to update the committee in relation to the following:

1.       How many prosecution cases had been taken by local authority enforcement officers in the last year;

2.       A sample of 5 cases outlining how the cases had been dealt with.

The Committee discussed the various course of action taken in relation to each of the cases and the evidence required in order to proceed with the prosecutions.  Members asked various questions, which were answered by the Officers.

The Officers explained that Fixed Penalty Notices could be issued in relation to offences committed under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, eg domestic waste (black bags) but under current Welsh Government legislation fixed penalty notices could not currently be issued in relation to Section 33 and Section 34 (1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, eg Flytipping.

In addition they outlined the following Domestic and Commercial Waste information:

From April 2015 to date

723 statutory notices for domestic waste have been issued

139 fixed penalty notices have been served for breach of notice. £100 reduced to £60 if paid within 7 working days.

44 statutory notices against businesses have been issued

12 fixed penalty notices have been served for breach of notice.  £180 reduced to £90 if paid within 7 working days.

The Officers reiterated that a large proportion of the work carried out by the Enforcement team involved working with the public, educating people and trying to assist them with any refuse problems that may occur.

A discussion ensued in relation to publishing details of successful prosecutions and linking these in with positive recycling statistics on the Council web site.  In addition the Committee suggested that information on the Fly Tipping web pages should be enhanced to include what not to do when instances of Fly Tipping are encountered.

The Officers stated that approximately 1000 recorded service requests per month were received by the Enforcement Team.

The Chair thanked the officers for the information provided.

RESOLVED that the information be noted and the officers provide a breakdown of the monthly service request figures by the next meeting.

The Chair reported the following updates:

1)       Pedestrianisation of Wind Street – The City Centre Manager had devised a questionnaire which would be hand delivered and hand collected to the relevant businesses;

2)       Swansea Market (Provision of a Public Toilet) – An update would be provided at the next meeting scheduled for 21 September 2016;

3)       Morriston District Shopping Centre - The Chair would arrange a second site visit on a Wednesday morning in the next few weeks.

RESOLVED that the Chairs update be noted.

The Chair presented the Work Plan for 2016-2017.

RESOLVED that the Work Plan be noted.