Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Morley.

At this point Members must declare whether they have an interest, whether personal or prejudicial, in any of the items on the agenda.  Members must also declare if they are subject to their party group whip in relation to any items under consideration.

The following declarations of interest were made:

Item 5 – Environment Capital – The Next Steps

Councillor Sandford declared a personal interest as he was a member of PECT who were mentioned in the report.

Item 8 – Revised Biodiversity Strategy

• Councillor JA Fox declared a personal interest as she was a member of the Biodiversity Working Group.
• Councillor Rush declared a personal interest as he was a member of the RSPB who were mentioned in the report.
• Councillor Sandford declared a personal interest as he was a member of the Biodiversity Working Group.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2010 were approved as a correct record.

Gresley Way Street Lighting

Councillor Sandford advised that the street lights at Gresley Way were still out and this was an unacceptable position.  The Executive Director of Operations advised that he was disappointed that Councillor Sandford had not been kept updated on the position and he would ensure that an update was provided to Councillor Sandford.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2010 were approved as a correct record.

The decision notice for each decision will bear the date on which it is published and will specify that the decision may then be implemented on the expiry of 3 working days after the publication of the decision (not including the date of publication), unless a request for call-in of the decision is received from any two Members of a Scrutiny Committee or Scrutiny Commission.  If a request for call-in of a decision is received, implementation of the decision remains suspended for consideration by the relevant Scrutiny Committee or Commission.

There were no requests for call-in to consider.

First consultation on the development of the Environment Capital Policy.

The report provided an update on the progress of Environment Capital and the next stages in developing and launching the approach.

In adopting the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) the Council had committed itself to becoming the UK’s Environment Capital.  Environment Capital had widespread support which had been achieved through clear political direction and the efforts of a committed, cross-sector Environment Capital Partnership.  Significant building blocks had already been put in place including the SCS, Local Area Agreement, the creation of an Environment Capital Cabinet portfolio and the Environment Capital Scrutiny Committee itself.  The approach also had the support of Opportunity Peterborough and of the wider business community as represented by the Economic Development Partnership. 

There would be significant advantages in maintaining the current momentum in driving forward the Environment Capital agenda as it played a key role in driving the city’s economic development, supported sustainable growth and provided a focus for building strong and supportive communities.  Peterborough must continue to position itself as an environmental leader and enhance its reputation as a result.  It must continue to build on the Environment Capital culture within the Council and throughout wider city stakeholders and the next stages must also include a range of projects and activities aimed at supporting the Environment Capital agenda. The Committee had previously seen early drafts of the city wide Development Plan which would be updated and improved as part of this work.  The Council and other partners also needed to be aware of the impact of their activities and decisions on the environmental and wider sustainability agendas. 

The Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council together with the Cabinet Member for Environment Capital were committed to launching the Environment Capital approach this autumn and three work steams had now been established:-

Stakeholder Engagement: The Director of Environment Capital with support from GPP colleagues was working with partners to galvanise support for and input to the Environment Capital approach which would build and maintain a common approach and culture.  This would involve delivering a clear definition, an outward facing prospectus and a briefing document aimed at all city ambassadors. To succeed, Environment Capital must also deliver improved outcomes for local residents and communities.

Policy Development: This would include the replacement of the Council’s Environment Policy (2000) with a newly developed Environment Capital Policy which would form part of the Council’s Major Policy Framework.  A draft of this Policy would be brought to the September meeting of the Committee prior to its consideration by Council. The Policy would seek to ensure that Environment Capital principles were a consideration in all services, strategies and policies. The sustainable growth of the city would be supported by an Environment Capital Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which would drive sustainable developments across the city building on the Environment Capital Core Strategy policy.

Marketing: A newly formed team was leading the development of a marketing strategy to ensure that the new approach enhanced the city’s regional, national and international profile. This profile would,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider the proposals for the Christmas Park and Ride Service 2010.

The report provided an update on the arrangements being made for this year’s Christmas Park and Ride Service following the recommendations made at our meeting in February 2010.  The recommendations we had made were:

(i)            to increase public confidence in the park and ride service it needed to run for a longer period up to Christmas; and

(ii)          a small charge should be imposed on the park and ride service so funds could be used to increase the period the service ran for.

A budget of £29,000 had now been allocated to the Christmas 2010 park and ride service and over recent years the service had operated for varying numbers of days.  Passenger numbers on Saturdays were higher than on Sundays and usage was usually low at the beginning of the service and increased steadily before dropping off towards the end.  Based on 2009 costs, the proposal for the 2010 service was to operate on nine Saturdays and six Sundays, therefore operating from Saturday 23 October to Saturday 18 December and Sunday 14 November to Sunday 19 December.  The total estimated cost of providing the 2010 service was £29,428 plus any additional inflation costs.

The aim of the service was to attract car users away from the city centre but in recent years the Council had been criticised for not allowing walking passengers to use the service.  Officers had looked at the park and ride charges for a number of other cities in the region and all made a charge.  It was therefore being proposed to introduce a fare of £1 per adult passenger with a total estimated income of £9,948 but to be cautious an income of £7,500 should be achievable.  This additional income would be used to supplement the £29,000 budget to enhance the 2010 service on three additional Saturdays at a cost of approximately £4,800, cover any contract inflation increases and also to promote the service.  Due to budgetary constraints, the service had not been well publicised in previous years and this income would provide an opportunity to enhance the promotion of the service, particularly given that there was a significant change to the service by way of introducing a charge.

The operation of the service was at the goodwill of Diligenta and Perkins who provided their car parks at Lynch Wood and Eastern Industry free of charge.  These sites had now been confirmed for this year.

Teresa Wood advised that it had recently come to the attention of officers that the Queensgate Centre would be offering free car parking on Sundays and this meant that we now had to consider the viability of the charge we planned to introduce on Sundays.

Observations and questions were asked around the following areas:

• The impact of Queensgate offering free parking on Sundays would clearly have an impact on the park and ride service.  This situation was giving cause for concern and we would have to give further consideration as to whether we continued with charging for Sundays.
• It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider the Council’s responsibilities under the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme.

The report presented details of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme, specifically the Council’s responsibility to register as a full participant in the Scheme.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme was an obligatory emissions trading scheme which covered non-energy intensive users in both the public and private sectors. It was a central part of the UK’s strategy to achieve the carbon emission reduction targets set out in the Climate Change Act 2008. Organisations who consumed energy over a set threshold in 2008 were required to participate in the scheme and purchase allowances to cover their emissions.  The scheme consisted of overlapping phases of which each started with a qualification year, a ‘Footprint year’ and Footprint report, and then Annual Reports, sales and surrender of allowances and revenue recycling.   Registration for the first phase of the scheme started in April 2010 and must be completed by the end of September 2010. The Council was required to register for full participation in the scheme because it met the qualification criteria.

The Scheme covered all carbon dioxide emissions generated by an organisation’s consumption of energy, namely electricity, gas and oil.  Sources of emissions included within the scheme were administrative offices, schools, leisure centres, and day care homes, whilst transport related emissions, domestic emissions and emissions related to certain types of street lights were excluded.  The CRC also required that emissions from tenants were included where the landlord (PCC) was counterparty to the energy supply contract. This would include certain PFI and joint ventures where the Council was counterparty to the energy contract or is the majority

The costs of the scheme included:

·         Registration fee: £950

·         Annual subsistence charges: £1,290

·         Allowances

For phase 1, allowances would be purchased from the Government at £12 per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted. This would cost the Council around £300k p.a.  In subsequent phases of the scheme, allowances would be traded on a secondary market between participants, so the price would be subject to market variability.  

The CRC scheme carried substantial civil penalties for non-compliance with the scheme:

To consider the revised Biodiversity Strategy.

The report presented the updated Biodiversity Strategy for the Committee to consider prior to its consideration by the Cabinet and Council.

The proposed update had previously been considered by the Committee in September 2009 and following that meeting the Committee recommended to Cabinet that it:

(i)      endorsed the Biodiversity Strategy prior to its consideration by Council as part of the Major Policy Framework; and

(ii)          considered the requirement for additional resources during the development of the Council Budget for 2010/11 alongside other budget pressures.

Prior to being presented to Cabinet the Strategy had been considered by the Corporate Management Team (CMT) where concerns had been raised in respect to the additional cost of using hand held hedge cutting tools (petrol hedge cutters) instead of the mechanised cutting of hedges and shrubs in the bird nesting season.  In light of those concerns the Strategy was referred back to the Committee to consider possible amendments regarding manual cutting prior to resubmission to Cabinet.   CMT also recommended that the Strategy should be separated into two documents, a concise report for Cabinet and a main policy document.  Further updates had now been made to the Strategy in light of those recommendations including removing the policy with respect to works during the bird nesting season.  It was proposed to refer this to Peterborough City Services to lead on its progression separately from the Biodiversity Strategy.

Observations and questions were raised around the following areas:

• Whilst Members broadly supported the Strategy, the Bird Nesting Policy was important and it should be brought back to the Committee once it had been revised.
• There seemed not to have been much progress on the specific actions from the 2004 Strategy, for example creation of new areas of wildlife interest.  The Annual Review reports must have clear statements on progress of the specific actions.  The Annual Report would be laid out by headings and it would clearly show what progress had been made.
• Did planning have to adhere to the Strategy during its consideration of planning applications?  Planning were included in the Strategy and did have to comply with the Biodiversity Duty, however this was effectively already contained in Planning Policy Statement 9 – Biodiversity and Geological Conservation.  This rather than the Biodiversity Strategy would be the best reference to use in dialogue with planning.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Cabinet is recommended to:

(i)                  endorse the revised Biodiversity Strategy prior to its consideration by Council as part of the major policy framework; and

(ii)                consider the requirement for additional resources during the development of future Council budgets alongside other budget pressures.

ACTIONS AGREED

(i)                  To endorse the updated Biodiversity Strategy and the measures outlined within it, which will replace the existing 2004 Strategy;

(ii)                To receive annual progress reports against the updated Strategy.

(iii)               To request that the Commercial Services Director lead on the development of the draft policy for works during the bird nesting season separately from the Biodiversity Strategy.  Support to be provided from the Council’s Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider the issues which were identified at the Big Debate meeting held in February 2010.

The report advised the Committee of the outcomes of the Scrutiny Big Debate event which was held in February 2010.

The Big Debate had involved an investigation by the four Scrutiny Committees in to how the economic downturn had affected the City in terms of its aspirations for growth, levels of crime, requirements to support vulnerable people and its credentials for environmental sustainability with particular reference to transport.  It was a pioneering piece of work that had been designed and delivered in consultation with the Centre for Public Scrutiny.

The scope of the review for this Committee had been to look at how Peterborough should counter the affects of the economic downturn to ensure delivery of the sustainable transport elements of the Local Transport Plan.  The event had been held at Buckle’s Solicitors on 2 February 2010 and involved a panel of representatives from various organisations who gave their personal perspectives on the future of sustainable transport in Peterborough and who were then challenged on those views by the audience.  The event provoked lots of discussion and there had been a significant amount of positive feedback from attendees.  Following workshops which were held on the evening a number of issues were suggested to take forward for further work.  The Committee were now asked to delegate to the Group Representatives consideration of which items should be added to the Committee’s work programme.

Observations and questions were raised around the following areas:

·         Due to the current budgetary constraints how realistic was the prospect that the suggestions could be taken forward?  Looking at the list there could be some quick wins but some would cost more money and would have to be considered alongside other pressures.

·         Possible areas of future work suggested included:

-          Introducing subsidised fares for young people

-          Introducing the availability of cross ticketing on all bus operators

-          Improving disabled access in the city and on public transport

-          Allowing cycles to use bus lanes around the city

-          Encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport to school, including introducing Bikeability into schools

-          Trialling the use of electric vehicles in the city

·         Whilst supporting the suggestion of 20mph zones outside all schools across the city, how enforceable would it be?  The Executive Director advised that it would be virtually unenforceable due to the lead in drivers required before entering 20mph zones.

·         Could signs be used during school times showing 20mph and then the normal 30mph during other times?  Schools where there was a danger should be targeted.

·         Whilst the suggestion of providing a cycle bridge over the railway line at the station was probably not practical, the provision for cyclists over the existing Crescent Bridge needed drastic improvement.  It was felt that often cyclists were treated as second class citizens on the roads and for new road developments we were always looking to try and include a cycle path as part of the infrastructure.

·         Travelchoice were doing a lot of excellent work in encouraging people  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider to the Forward Plan for July to October 2010.

The latest version of the Forward Plan, showing details of the key decisions that the Leader of the Council believed the Cabinet or individual Cabinet Members would be making over the next four months, was received.

ACTION AGREED

To note the latest version of the Forward Plan.

To consider the Committee’s work programme for 2010/11.

We considered the Work Programme for 2010/11.

A referral had been made from the Gunthorpe, Paston, Walton and Werrington Community Committee that the Committee look at the issues around flytipping at Norwood Lane.

ACTION AGREED

To confirm the work programme for 2010/11.

Thursday 9 September 2010 at 7pm.

Thursday 9 September 2010 at 7pm