Agenda item

Report of the Democratic Services Manager.

Members welcomed Councillor Viv McCrossen, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Natural Habitat to the meeting to examine her portfolio. Councillor McCrossen delivered an update on the various areas of responsibility within her portfolio. She gave the following updates:

 

It was noted that the Council’s Carbon footprint for 2023-2024 saw a 45% decrease in CO2 emissions when compared to 2019/20. The decrease primarily in relation to vehicle and electricity emissions.

 

Members noted that bicycle lockers had been installed at the Civic Centre and various leisure centres across the borough, enabling staff and public to cycle with confidence that their property would be secure.

 

Government funding of £287K had been secured through the Fast Followers Competition funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero Innovation UK. The funding would aim to deliver efficiencies and a scalable route to Net Zero for the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA). The bid was submitted in collaboration with Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Rushcliffe Council, Broxtowe Borough Council and Gedling Borough Council.

 

It was noted that Devolution retrofit funding schemes funded by the EMCCA delivered £578,000 on installations of home energy efficiency measures within lower income households with low energy performance ratings within the borough.

 

Members noted that a funding bid for £100k to improve the Jackie Bells Park, in partnership with the Friends of Jackie Bells Park, had been successful. Various other funding bids are due to be submitted, working in partnership with the following groups:

 

·       Friends of Church Lane

·       Friends of Onchan Park

·       Newstead Parish Council

 

The Chair then gave Members the opportunity to ask questions of Councillor McCrossen’s portfolio.

 

Members asked what the Council had been doing to protect Gedling parks from traveller encampments.

 

It was noted that the Council had been looking at access points to parks and conducting an audit to safeguard them from traveller encampments.

 

Members asked what the Council had been doing to provide activities for young people when considering improvements for Gedling parks.

 

It was noted that Gedling Borough Council had been praised on its use of park infrastructure to enable skateboarding and other activities for young people.

 

Members queried whether there had been any consideration towards on street electric vehicle charging points via street lighting and other means.

 

The Council had been in consultation with Nottinghamshire County Council to provide the infrastructure to facilitate on street charging and potential sites were being identified.

 

Members asked whether data had been collected on the use of Gedling Country Park and queried whether the council had seen a decrease in visits since the introduction of the parking charge.

 

It was noted that although the Council itself doesn’t conduct footfall figures, the ‘park run’ conducts footfall figures for their various events and hadn’t seen a decrease. It was also noted that the café had not reported a decrease in footfall.

 

Members queried whether the annual fee for parking could benefit from a quarterly offering to help residents with affordability.

 

It was noted that this could be something the Council could look at ahead of the upcoming fee setting.

 

RESOLVED:

 

To thank Councillor McCrossen for the information provided.

 

 

PROGRAMME OF PORTFOLIO HOLDER PERFORMANCE.

 

Members welcomed Councillor Marje Paling, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services (Operations) to the meeting to examine her portfolio. Councillor Paling delivered a brief update on some key areas of responsibility within her portfolio. She gave the following updates:

 

Members noted that the council’s waste management service collected the following:

 

·       Black Bins (residual)

·       Green Bins (recycling)

·       Glass Boxes

·       Brown Bins (Garden Waste)

·       Trade Waste

·       Food waste for businesses with 10 or more employees.

 

It was noted that the new Whites pace waste management system had been implemented and had already seen an impact on efficiencies.

 

Members noted that new bin lorries were due to be introduced, with the expectation that they would see a significant reduction in vehicle breakdowns, further improving waste collections.

 

Members noted the remaining space in cemeteries within the borough:

 

·       Carlton Cemetery – 20 years

·       Gedling Cemetery – 11 to 15 years

·       Redhill Cemetery – Full

 

It was noted that each year the Council’s Street cleaning team cleaned over 2,000 miles of streets, footpaths, public spaces and parks. Scheduling had been an issue this year as leaf fall had started early, forcing a change in schedule for heavy leaf fall areas.

 

The Chair gave Members the opportunity to ask questions of Councillor Paling’s portfolio.

 

Members expressed concern with consistently missed garden waste bins for the residents within their ward, highlighting that garden waste is a paid service, emphasising how important it is to resolve the issue.

 

It was noted that garden waste had been placed at the top of the list for a round re-organisation as the Council had been aware that the current customer base and crew capacity were unsustainable.

 

Members queried whether the transition to green diesel for the bin lorries had seen any decrease in their capacity.

 

It was noted that the Council had not seen a decrease in the vehicles’ performance.

 

Members queried whether any consideration could be given to the sweeping schedules of sites within the borough where there had been a reduction in sweeps per year.

 

It was noted that the sweeping schedules were currently under review and that officers would be interested in hearing about any area in particular which could benefit from a review.

 

Members queried whether the Council had any plans to increase capacity in the cemeteries which were becoming full.

 

It was noted that other cemeteries were being developed by private developers, and the Council had been considering expanding Carlton cemetery to improve capacity.

 

Members queried whether the public litter bins within the borough could be reviewed as some are becoming full far too quickly while others remain empty between rounds.

 

It was noted that with the roll out of the Whites pace system for street care, staff would be able to note how full bins were when they were emptied to inform revisions to bin locations and collection rounds.

 

RESOLVED:

 

To thank Councillor Paling for the information provided.