Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2021/22 be noted;

(2)       That the Programme for Future Cabinet Panel on the Environment Meetings 2021-22 at Appendix A be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure the Cabinet Panel on the Environment is able to plan its workload and monitor actions.

Audio Recording – 4 minutes.

The Policy & Community Engagement Manager presented the information note entitled Work Programme and Actin Tracker for 2021/22 along with Appendix A and drew attention to points including:

·                Appendix A included a draft of suggested topics for the coming year;

·                This meeting was themed around Leadership and Behaviour Change;

·                The meeting in September would be themed around renewable energy generation, November on waste minimisation, and February next year would focus on adaptation to climate change;

·                On EP35 regarding litter awareness, Councillor Jarvis had led the successful ‘Don’t be a Tosser,’ campaign in 2020;

·                On EP38: a statement of licensing policy produced in November 2020 to be adopted in 2021 included environmental considerations such as encouraging biodegradable materials at events, waste management plans and recycling schemes, and vehicle use reduction;

·                EP40 highlighting details to help residents reuse and recycle furniture and household items had been completed; details were published on the Council’s website;

·                On EP41 the Council now had a shared Waste Awareness Officer who was undertaking work on education campaigns;

·                On EP46 taxis were now encouraged to use cleaner and low emissions vehicles with a subsidised licensing fee and all new vehicles and those replaced in 2028 onwards in the Council’s vehicle fleet would be ultra-low emissions vehicles;

·                On EP47 the Transport Policy Officer was investigating the use of smart cards for busses in the District as part of the emerging national bus strategy;

·                On Ep50 & 51 work on a draft local infrastructure plan for cycling networks was beginning and there was to be a public stakeholder event taking place in the summer.

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Gerald Morris

In response to questions the Policy and Community Engagement Manager advised that while licensing policy was primarily determined by the four licensing objectives set by statute, measures such as those in the Statement of Licensing Policy could strongly encourage license holders to consider their ecological impact.

Julia Sonander, Transition Town Letchworth, advised that there was a meeting on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan on 15^th July to which community groups were invited.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2021/22 be noted;

(2)       That the Programme for Future Cabinet Panel on the Environment Meetings 2021-22 at Appendix A be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure the Cabinet Panel on the Environment is able to plan its workload and monitor actions.