Agenda item

FSD21004

Members were presented with a report that outlined the draft Environment and Community Services budget for 2021/22. The Head of Finance for ECS attended the meeting to present the report and answer questions.

The Committee was requested to scrutinise the draft budget for the Portfolio, so that comments could be fed back to the next meeting of the Executive before the Executive made recommendations to Full Council regarding the levels of Council Tax for 2021/22.

A Member asked for more information regarding the review of the £250k running costs. The Head of Finance clarified that this was in respect of various budgets across the department that were no longer required and therefore did not affect service delivery.

The Vice Chairman referred to the matter of paper re-cycling and the fact that there was 426 tons of paper that could not be recycled. He asked for more background information  concerning this and asked if residents could be better informed regarding the need to keep paper dry. 

The Strategic Manager for Waste Services explained how the moisture tests for paper and card were undertaken at the recycling plants. Any paper that had a moisture content of above 18% would need to be returned and then disposed of. The department was trying to get the message out to the public concerning the need to try and keep paper dry; one of the means that they were undertaking to achieve this was via ‘Environment Matters’.

A Member suggested that as paper and card re-cycling was increasing, then it may be a good idea to provide bigger bins for storage. This would avoid waste being burnt rather than re-cycled. The Strategic Manager for Waste Services responded that this was a matter that LBB was continuing to examine. 

A Member asked if conversations were taking place with the Planning Department to ensure that with any new builds granted planning permission-- proper storage areas would be provided. 

A Member enquired about unused buildings (like the Pavilion in Biggin Hill) and asked if there were plans to use these buildings so that they could start to generate an income.

The Director for Environment and Public Protection responded that officers from Environment and Community Services and Renewal, Regeneration and Housing, were working collaboratively to develop plans in this regard, and this would be a significant piece of work. It was not the best of times for businesses to start up at the moment (because of the Covid Pandemic), but it was important that buildings that were either not being used, or under used, should be brought back into use. He hoped that with input from the Environment Department, working with officers from the Renewal and Regeneration Department, that significant inroads would be made in the coming months.

The Member hoped that these plans would include Youth Centres. The Director responded that all buildings and services were being looked at as part of the Council’s Accommodation and Civic Centre Strategy. Members would be kept informed.

The Vice Chairman enquired how parking income had been affected over the Christmas period, and if any new TfL funding was available. The Assistant Director for Traffic and Parking responded that parking income over the Christmas period was a lot lower than usual, and it was expected similarly that overall parking income for the year would also be adversely affected. The Vice Chairman asked if the Assistant Director for Traffic and Parking could send him the breakdown of the parking figures. The Assistant Director said that if the Vice Chairman could email him detailing the information required, and in what format, then he would do his best to provide him with the data and in the required format.

It was noted that TfL funding expired at the end of March 2021. There had been a partial re-instatement of LIP funding. The Assistant Director for Traffic and Parking  hoped that by February, notification would be provided of the following year’s funding, so that LBB could plan properly. Normally, funding was provided in three yearly blocks.

RESOLVED that:

1- The report be noted.

2- The draft budget for the Environment and Community Services Portfolio be agreed. 

3- The Vice Chairman would email the Assistant Director for Traffic and Parking, and provide details of the parking data he required, and the preferred format for the data to be provided in.  .