Agenda item

a)        Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and the Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services

b)        Presentation by Senior Environmental Health Officer

Members considered the Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and the Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services that provided Members with an update on the work of the Council’s Community Action Team (CAT) and the use of targeted interventions (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

Ms J Jones, the Senior Environmental Health Officer was in attendance to deliver a presentation that highlighted the following points:-

• Background
  • Small ambitious team working with key partners and local communities
  • Proactively tackle local housing and environmental issues
  • 8-10 week projects
  • 3 phases: Engagement, Intelligence gathering, Priority setting, Action, Review, Exit and Feedback
• 2015 – 18 Programme
  • Core Casework: rubbish accumulations; defective drainage; fly-tipping; dog fouling and open to access
  • Total casework: 20148 pieces of casework tackled; 205 legal notices serves and 93 works in default
  • Comparison; workload and output continues to increase each year
• New Approaches to Improve Community Involvement 2017-18
  • Distribution of ‘action’ letter; trying different drop-in event formats; bin marking; rat surveys in yards and dampness surveys of private homes
• Review Findings 2017-18
  • Housing and environmental issues found were lower than the original walkabouts
  • Indicate a sustained environment
  • There remains a need for monitoring following exit
  • Some areas continue to have complex issues
• Future Work 2018-19
  • 4 new projects planned
  • Project locations based on greatest need
• Map shown of Community Action Project Locations 2018-19
• Photographs shown of partnership working; working with the local community; before and after rubbish cleaned; before and after land cleared and secured; before and after open to access and before and after drainage/pest control.

The Chairman referred to the clear link with ‘spruce up’. The Officer responded that they work with the spruce up team but they don’t work the same areas at the same time.  Spruce Up was more about tidying up the infrastructure such as benches, street signs where as the CAT team had enforcement powers.

Councillor Crute referred to the CAT scheme and sought clarification on the approach after exit.

The Officer responded that they tasked partners and asked neighbourhood wardens to do extra patrols and they try to sustain the work that they have carried out.

Mr Bolton asked what power they and partners had with absent landlords in relation to issues such as poor quality of properties or flytipping. The Officer responded that they have enforcement powers and can give a legal notice if know the whereabouts of the landlord. The landlord would be charged an administration fee, most landlords don’t want enforcement action and therefore carryout the requested work. However it is more difficult with absent landlords, other partners have other enforcement options that can be used.

The Public Health and Housing Manager commented that long term empty properties the council tax was increased to 150% and they can issue empty management orders.

Councillor Clare referred to the need to maintain the work done of the team but commented that the enforcement powers were inadequate and more enforcement powers were needed and asked if they needed permission to mark the bins.

The Officer responded that they did require permission to mark the bins but they used this as engagement to get more information and build up confidence of the residents.

The Public Health and Housing Manager commented that they go into areas to support communities and they encouraged communities to report any issues so that they could sustain the work carried out.

The Chairman commented on the exit strategy and that work had to be repeated but he understood that enforcement powers were not strong enough.

The Officer responded that new tenants were not reporting issues and that the barriers such as high turnover of tenants and others listed at paragraph 17 of the report.

Councillor Avery referred to the work the CAT team had carried out in Ferryhill Station which was marvellous and he undertook a walkabout with the neighbourhood wardens every 2 weeks.

Councillor Kay referred to the work the CAT team had done in Coundon in 2016 and how they had done a lot of work with private landlords to encourage them to populate homes as this deters flytipping. Taking part in Britain in Bloom commenced when the CAT team had left and encouraged the residents.

Councillor Maddison referred to the problems with fly-tipping in her ward and asked if they analyse the rubbish to see who was responsible. The Officer responded that they do work with the wardens and they do look through the rubbish but it was difficult to obtain evidence as it was usually old pieces of carpet or furniture and not letters. If there was any evidence then they would issue penalties.  The Public Health and Housing Manager advised that most of the landlords in the Spennymoor area had cleared their yards themselves but to prosecute evidence was needed and the court decides the punishment.

Councillor Jopling asked about the drainage cover shown in the presentation slides that had been replaced to address pest control and sought clarification as to which budget this came from.

The Officer responded that the photo shown in the presentation was a private property and the owner of the property was responsible for the cost. If there was an issue with rats they would ask Northumbrian Water to have a look at the area. Members were also advised that a paving slab was used to deter scrap metal dealers.

Mr Kinch referred to his area which was a small village and that they had two absent landlords who refuse to sell the properties and this was an issue not just in deprived areas.

The Officer responded that they have incentives to bring back empty homes into use.

Councillor Howell referred to the success in Coundon and the exit strategy and asked about the next steps of the initiative.

The Officer advised that Ground Works continues to work in the area, there was also liaison with schools but their actions depended upon the time of year. Consideration is given to what is done and how this links with the community.

The Chairman thanked Officers for their very informative presentation and asked Members to agree the recommendations.

Resolved: (i) That the information contained in the report and presentation be noted.

(ii) That the Committee receive a further update on the work of the Community Action Team at a future meeting.