Issue - items at meetings - Information Note Environment Panel

INFORMATION NOTE OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

To highlight items scheduled in the work programme for the Cabinet Panel on the Environment for 2020/21 following the initial meeting. As at Appendix A, the Work Programme/Action Tracker allow the scene to be set for evaluation and the agreement of topics for 2020

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2019/20 be noted:

(2) That the Policy and Community Engagement Manager be requested to amend the Action Tracker as follows:

· Prioritise the actions listed taking into account what is achievable;

· A column be added to indicate when an action was expected to progress;

· Wherever possible updates be provided on particular projects;

(3) That the referral from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be considered at the next meeting of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment, due to be held on 9 September 2020.

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

Audio Recording – 6 minutes 1 second

The Policy and Community Engagement Manager presented the information note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker for 2020/21 together with the following appendices:

· Appendix A - Work Programme and Action Tracker;

· Appendix B - Terms of Reference for Cabinet Panel on Environment (attached for information only).

He drew Members attention to the following:

· There was now a dedicated email address for the Panel:

EnvironmentPanel@north-herts.gov.uk

· It was suggested in the Work Programme that future meetings consider the following subjects:

· 9 September 2020 -The New ‘Normal’: Recovering from a Pandemic - (Including bio diversity, air quality, council operations moving forward);

· 17 November 2020 - Food Waste, Waste, and Recycling (Including food waste reduction, and capture from the residual stream);

· 23 February 2021 - Round-up Meeting (Including review of achievements and Climate Change Strategy)

· The Action Tracker shows

· Actions completed – 16;

· Ongoing actions – 24;

· Outstanding actions – 5.

· The Covid-19 pandemic had impacted on moving actions forward.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

· Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg;

· Councillor Steve Jarvis;

· Councillor Claire Strong;

· Councillor Gerald Morris;

· Councillor Carol Stanier;

· Councillor Michael Muir;

Members made the following comments:

· Every action in respect of recycling and waste had been discussed with officers;

· That actions should be prioritised taking into account what is achievable, that a column should be added to indicate when an action was expected to progress and that, where possible updates are given on particular projects;

· That there had been some significant opportunities due to Covid-19 as well as some significant issues;

· It was important to consider environmental impact when considering the new normal.