Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships that provided Members with progress against the Council’s performance framework for the Altogether Greener priority theme for the first quarter of the 2017/18 financial year (for copy of report, see files of minutes).

The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager was in attendance to give a presentation of the Altogether Greener performance and explained to members the new performance reporting arrangements for 2017/18 in particular the key performance questions: How clean and tidy is my local environment?; Are we reducing carbon emissions and adapting to climate change? and How effective and sustainable is out collection and disposal of waste? (for copy of presentation, see file of minutes).

The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager advised that in some of the priority themes of the Council plan there were cross cutting questions and this was the case with the Altogether Wealthier question in relation to ‘Is it easy to travel around the County?’ which includes information on highways maintenance which falls within the remit of this committee.

Councillor Jopling referred to detritus on private land such as farmer’s fields and sought clarification if the Council contacted private owners to ask them to clean it up. The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager responded that it depended on the severity but the Council did have powers to intervene to ask landowners to clear up sites on their land.

Councillor Jopling then queried about recycling figures being down, and was informed that the authority was below the national average. National studies show that attitudes to recycling were linked to deprivation, but in relation to household waste level was in line with the national average.  Councillor Jopling advised the committee that she had attended the visit to Suez, which had been very informative.

Councillor Howell asked in relation to levels of detritus, litter and dog fouling if officers visited the same areas to measure the levels and was informed that officers visited a different place each time and that there was a prescriptive methodology on sampling which enabled local authorities to be compared against each other. There are similar demographics but the methodology specifies certain aspects to ensure that there was coverage of all different areas and different types of area.

The Chair advised that this is a national average therefore national methods were used and gave the example of dog fouling being reported as low.

Councillor Martin commented on the success of the Council receiving additional funding for highways maintenance and referred to the state of some unclassified roads which were in need of repair and below performance target and asked how did this skew ability to use on unclassified roads and draw away match funding?

The Strategic Highways Manager advised Members that the Council measured all road networks to identify their conditions and 3% had been identified for treatment. Over the last 10 years there had been improvements in A, B and C roads with the condition improving from 15% to 3%. Unclassified roads remained high at 20% and the strategy had now moved to these roads. Funds could be moved to fix unclassified roads but this would then impact on the deterioration of A, B and C roads. There was no match funding for Highways Maintenance, funds came from the Council’s defined maintenance budget but there was £1m incentive funding available to Durham as a top performing authority.

Councillor Howell sought clarification on the classification for prioritisation. The Strategic Highways Manager responded that the roads were surveyed using a scanner machine that collects lots of data which is processed and allows the service to plan indicating if the highway condition is green amber or red. They were unable to use the scanner on unclassified roads so they had to carry out a visual inspection and use an agreed methodology.

Councillor Manchester referred to fly-tipping and the use of CCTV cameras and asked if there was a rotation system in place and if a criteria was used to site the cameras.

The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager indicated that there was no prescribed methodology in placing CCTV cameras but they were placed based on information reports received of fly-tipping and hot spot areas. Local knowledge of Members and officers also had an input into the location of the cameras.

Councillor Clare sought clarification on the number of CCTV cameras held by the Council and the number of locations as it had been reported that there were only cameras in 19 locations. The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager would obtain the information and advise the member accordingly.

Mr Bolton referred to his parish council having fly-tipping problems and they asked for the installation of a CCTV camera but were advised that the site was not suitable as it was next to residential properties, Mr Bolton added that this was disappointing as the visual sign of a camera could have acted as a deterrent.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer advised Members that the Special Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be held on 23 October 2017 would be looking at fly-tipping and would ask the service to include information on CCTV cameras.

Councillor Turnbull indicated that Mid Durham AAP had purchased four cameras and he had been unable to determine where they were being used and would like to be provided with this information.

Councillor Sexton indicated that he was interested in technology and any alternative surveillance equipment available that were not subject to legislation such as wildlife camera traps and if covert cameras were used to detect dog fouling.  The Chair advised that the members’ questions would be picked up at the special meeting.

Councillor Jopling asked for an update on drain clearance as she had some issues with blocked drains which made the roads dangerous.

The Strategic Highways Manager responded that the drain and gully cleaning was a cyclic routine in some locations this could be three months but could be as long as two years.  The Strategic Highways Manager advised that soil can get trapped and during the spring and summer months grass grows and causes blockages. The Chair advised Councillor Jopling that the Highways Maintenance was on the work programme and was scheduled to come to the January meeting of the committee.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.