Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Terence Nathan, Colin Smith and Lydia Buttinger, and from Nigel Davies, Executive Director of Environment and Community Services.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to this Committee must be received in writing four working days before the date of the meeting.  Therefore please ensure that questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 24^th September 2015.

No questions had been received for the Committee Chairman.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 7^th July 2015 (excluding exempt information) be confirmed.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to the Portfolio Holder must be received in writing four working days before the date of the meeting. Therefore please ensure that questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 24^th September 2015.

Questions had been received for oral reply from Vivien Smith and Roger Lawson, and for written reply from Councillor Terence Nathan – these are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

The Committee scrutinised the following reports for decision by the Environment Portfolio Holder.

Report FSD15054

At its meeting on 15th July 2015, the Executive had received the first quarterly capital monitoring report for 2015/16 and agreed a revised Capital Programme for the four year period 2015/16 to 2018/19. This report highlighted in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.7 changes agreed by the Executive in respect of the Capital Programme for the Environment Portfolio. The revised programme for this portfolio was set out in Appendix A, detailed comments on scheme progress as at the end of the first quarter of 2015/16 were shown in Appendix B and details of the 2014/15 outturn were included in Appendix C.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to note and confirm the changes to the Environment Capital Programme agreed by the Executive on 15^th July 2015.

Report ES15060

Bromley’s allocation from Transport for London (TfL) for 2016/17 was £2.482 million. Ring-fenced funding would also be available to support a number of other programmes including Local Transport Priorities, Principal Road Maintenance, Bridges & Structures, the Beckenham Town Centre major scheme, and the Borough Cycling Programme.

The report detailed officer proposals for how the allocated funding for 2016/17 would be spent in order to submit a more detailed list of schemes to TfL on 9 October 2015. This report therefore sought approval to progress the recommended list of schemes. All schemes would be subject to normal consultation with residents and ward members and decision by the Portfolio Holder.

Mr Peter McBride from TfL attended the meeting to give a short briefing on TFL’s role and answer questions. He emphasised the role of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy standing behind the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) which applied the strategic objectives locally. He informed the Committee that while current funding was guaranteed there was uncertainty for the future, and the new Mayor elected in 2016 would have the opportunity to revise priorities to meet the challenges of population growth and increasing demand for transport and services. 

Members put questions to Mr McBride, raising the following issues –

·  The Chairman asked whether pricing for public transport tickets could be based on a time limit rather than per journey. Mr McBride responded that this could be looked at, but the flat rate fare system was well established and there could be implications for revenue.

·  It was suggested that a comprehensive review of bus routes was needed in the light of current and future population growth - the bus network was a quick and efficient way to respond to new development. However, members felt that the process of altering routes was too complicated. Mr McBride stated that consultation needed to include not only the public but also the operators, and changes to routes could affect viability. There was an overall subsidy on bus services, recognising their important social and environmental benefits.

·  A Member suggested that better coordination was needed between bus services in London and those in Kent – this had been talked about but nothing much had actually been done. It was suggested that the Public Transport Liaison meetings would be a suitable forum to encourage this coordination. 

·  Members asked what TfL was doing to encourage walking. TfL did have a behaviour change team, and LIP funding was used locally to fund cycling, education campaigns and measures around schools. Mr McBride also pointed to the Legible London programme and to the Bromley North Village improvements, which had brought life back to the streets.  Officers confirmed that the Council had been very successful in building relationships with schools and all schools had travel plans. The Chairman emphasised the need, at a time of intense pressure on budgets, for the Committee to be assured that these measures were really providing value for money and successfully changing behaviour. 

The Committee considered the report and raised the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73b

Report ES15061

The Committee scrutinised a report to the Executive providing details of the effect of the Deregulation Act 2015 on CCTV Parking Enforcement, including staffing implications and proposed changes in operational practices. 

The Committee considered what would happen to the mobile CCTV cars if they were replaced with five automated cameras as proposed. Officers confirmed that no viable Council use had been found for them, and they would be sold for the best price that could be obtained. Possible use for combatting fly-tipping would be investigated. The automated cameras would be accompanied by warning signs on lamp columns. Their role would be to capture footage of illegal parking which would be sent back to the office for checking before notices were issued. It was confirmed that CCTV footage would be released to the Police or other proper authorities if there was evidence of a crime being committed.

A Member referred to recent media reports of school staff in a District in Essex being trained as civil enforcement officers to assist with parking enforcement. It was noted that under the Traffic Management Act a minimum of a week’s training and a BTec qualification were required and this was not an initiative being pursued elsewhere. 

The Chairman proposed that the Environment Portfolio Holder should proceed immediately with those elements of the proposals that did not require the approval of the Executive, and that the additional expenditure should be sought from TfL funding wherever possible. He also proposed that the views of the Education Portfolio Holder should be sought on enforcement outside schools. 

RESOLVED that the Environment Portfolio Holder and the Executive be recommended to -

(1)  Note that some proposals including the staffing implications of the Deregulation Act are subject to staff and trade union consultation, the outcome of which will also be considered by the Portfolio Holder and Executive in reaching a decision to:

Cease the use of manned static CCTV Parking and Bus Lane enforcement operation undertaken by five staff based at the Civic Centre.

(2)  Install ten automated CCTV cameras to undertake bus lane enforcement (subject to the Executive agreeing funding as set out in (5) below.

(3)   Cease the use of the four Mobile Parking CCTV vehicles.

(4)   Replace the mobile CCTV vehicles with five automated CCTV cameras (for enforcement at schools) and four dedicated Civil Enforcement Officers to undertake on-street enforcement through the current Parking contract (subject to Executive agreeing the funding set out in (5) below.

(5)   Supplement TfL LIP funding with a sum of up to £306,000 released from the Central Contingency (set aside for Parking Enforcement) for the purchase and installation (through the ESPO Security and Surveillance Equipment & Services Framework) of five automated cameras for enforcement at schools and ten automated cameras to undertake Bus Lane enforcement.

(6)  Take into account views of the Education Portfolio Holder in relation to enforcement outside schools.

Report CSD15106C

At its meeting on 3^rd September 2015, the Executive and Resources PDS Committee received a report setting out details of expenditure across the Council on consultants. This was for 2014/15 and for 2015/16 to date, covering both revenue and capital budgets. The Committee requested that this be referred on to all other PDS Committees. Information on consultants working on Environment Portfolio issues was set out on the seventh page of Appendix 2 (revenue) and throughout appendix 3 (capital). 

A member sought clarification of the £82,454 spent on maintenance with Aecom Ltd. It was clarified that this was for maintenance of highway structures such as retaining walls and car parks.  

It was intended that officers would continue to provide this information to PDS Committees, with reports at the end of each financial year and a mid-year update each autumn.  The Chairman stated that in future it would only be necessary for the Committee to receive details of expenditure on consultants within the Environment Portfolio.

RESOLVED that the information about expenditure on consultants contained in the report be noted.

Report ES15037

The Committee considered its work programme for 2015/16, progress on previous Committee requests and a summary of contracts within the Environment Portfolio. It was noted that the Portfolio Plan Half Year Progress Report would now be considered at the February meeting; the Chairman agreed that other items could possibly be moved to February to balance out the agendas. The Chairman also sought an update on loss of budgeted income for the next meeting.

The Committee had established two working groups, on Budget Pressures and on Grounds Maintenance Performance Management; these needed to start their work.

The Chairman invited suggestions for major issues that the Committee should scrutinise in future meetings.  

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summaries

refer to matters

involving exempt information

The Committee confirmed the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 7^th July 2015.

The Committee recommended that the Executive extend the Graffiti Removal contract.