Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That the Information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2021/22 was updated.

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

Audio Recording – 3 minutes 24 seconds

The Policy & Communities Manager presented the information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2021/22 and drew attention to the following:

·         Have been working with the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership and took part in a COP event on 3 November.

·         A paper was circulated recently looking at solar bulk purchasing for County and Districts, this would be explored at the January meeting and further details would be shared at a later meeting.

·         NHDC were leading on Biodiversity and Biodiversity Baseline.

·         The Carbon Footprint Calculators have been reviewed and have shortlisted three, each with a different level of detail and ease of use. 

·         Community composting schemes were underway, with the support of the Council in promoting this.

·         All bins in town centres had been converted to collect cigarette ends and chewing gum.

·         There had been over 1000 expressions of interest in the ‘Tree Give-Away’ scheme and the Greenspace team would be liaising with BIDs to encourage further expressions of interest.

The following Members, Officers and members of the public took park in a discussion and asked questions regarding the Policy and Community Manager’s update.

·         Councillor Steve Jarvis

·         Councillor Amy Allen

·         Reuben Ayavoo

·         Diane Ketcher

·         Chloe Hipwood

·         Christine Watson

In response to questions, the Shared Service Manager – Waste Management advised there had been around 60 areas adopted as part of the ‘Adopt an Area’ scheme. They also confirmed that any leaves collected from open spaces and streets by NHDC contractors was sent for composting, but would need to confirm whether this could be shared with allotments.

Councillor Steve Jarvis commented that it was positive to hear about a County wide scheme for solar panels and that the 1000 expressions of interest in trees accounted for more than the 10,000 trees available and would need to look at making sure these were spread as widely as possible.

RESOLVED: That the Information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2021/22 was updated.

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