Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are requested to ensure that they are familiar with the attached summary of the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol. The full Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol has been published and is available here: https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/council-and-committee-meetings.

The Chair, Councillor Amy Allen, welcomed everyone to this virtual meeting of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer gave advice on the following:

·                Attendance;

·                Live streaming;

·                Noise interference;

·                Voting;

The Chair started the meeting proper.

The Chair, Councillor Amy Allen, welcomed everyone to this virtual meeting of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer gave advice on the following:

·                Attendance;

·                Live streaming;

·                Noise interference;

·                Voting;

The Chair started the meeting proper.

Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.

Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Yvette Churchman, Morrison’s Community Champion.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 45 seconds.

Apologies for absence were received from Yvette Churchman, Morrison’s Community Champion.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 23 February 2021.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer advised that due to a change in regulations the minutes of the meeting of the Panel on 23 February 2021 could not be approved but were attached for Members’ attention only.

Audio Recording – 2 minutes 50 seconds.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer advised that due to a change in regulations the minutes of the meeting of the Panel on 23 February 2021 could not be approved but were attached for Members’ attention only.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chair welcomed those present at the meeting;

(2)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded and live streamed;

(3)       The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(4)       The Chair advised that Item 7 on the Agenda – Presentation by the Waste Awareness Officer would not be taken due to staff availability issues.

Audio recording – 3 minutes 27 seconds.

(1)       The Chair welcomed those present at the meeting, especially those who had attended to give a presentation;

(2)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded;

(3)       The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(4)       The theme of this meeting would be the work programme for the coming civic year;

(5)       Due to staffing issues Item 7 on the agenda would not be presented tonight.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording – 4 minutes.

There was no other business notified.

REPORT OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

To highlight items scheduled in the work programme of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment for 2021/22.

RESOLVED: That the Information Note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker be noted.

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

Audio Recording – 4 minutes and 5 seconds.

The Policy and Community Engagement Manager presented the Information Note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker and drew attention to points including:

·                The Panel discussed topics related to the environment and the Information Note was a standing item to update the public and the panel on the work of the Policy Team;

·                The Policy Team had been making contributions to the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership;

·                The Policy Team had instituted monthly eco-actions to encourage NHDC staff to adopt eco-friendly habits which are also included in NHDC’s Insight and Now publications to reach residents;

·                There was an Environment Panel inbox (EnvironmentPanel@north-herts.gov.uk)  where members of the public could submit items for discussion at the Panel

RESOLVED: That the Information Note entitled Work Programme and Action Tracker be noted.

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

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public including:

·                Yvette Churchman, Morrison’s Community Champion

The Chair invited members of the public in attendance to present to the Panel.

Audio recording – 8 minutes.

The Chair invited members of the public in attendance to present to the Panel.

N.B for clarity the content of presentations from members of the public and the resulting discussion is recorded at Minute 42 – Discussion Regarding Contributions to the Meeting. 

The Chair to lead a discussion regarding contributions made at the meeting.

The Chair led a discussion regarding contributions to the meeting and potential Panel themes for the civic year including:

(1)       Plastics

(2)       Targets under the Climate Change Strategy

(3)       Sustainability in housing and strategic planning

(4)       Energy generation

(5)       Sustainable transport plans

Audio Recording – 8 minutes 30 seconds.

The following members of the public asked questions and took part in the discussion:

·                Anni Sander

·                Roger Lovegrove

·                John Webb

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

·                Councillor Sarah Dingley

·                Councillor Gerald Morris

·                Councillor Steve Jarvis

·                Councillor Adem Ruggiero-Cakir

·                Councillor Val Bryant

·                Councillor Amy Allen

In response to questions the Policy and Community Engagement Manager advised:

·                The Council produces a bulletin on recycling and facilitates a number of Facebook groups on waste awareness and recycling;

·                The Council’s own website has pages on waste and recycling, home composting and food waste, and recycling of furniture and bulky items;

·                The work programme item on composting and food waste disposal was to encourage home composting and wormeries;

·                The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted work on changing waste collection schedules;

·                While legislation was in place to facilitate anti-idling policies the local authority still had to apply for powers to enforce these policies.

Points raised included:

·                Residents had to be encouraged to be mindful of their waste and consumption;

·                Plastic Free initiatives were developing well in Hitchin and Letchworth and were discussing how to spread initiatives in to more rural areas and village settings;

·                The problems of waste and refuse were more visible in towns but no less relevant to rural areas;

·                Producer responsibility was important and waste minimisation was an essential priority;

·                Many parish Councils had their own waste initiatives;

·                Waste minimisation was linked to carbon in that less frequent refuse collections would lead to less carbon emissions; encouraging recycling was important but producing less waste entirely should be the goal;

The Chair led a discussion regarding contributions to the meeting and potential Panel themes for the civic year.

Points raised included:

·                Items on the climate change strategy would make suitable themes for panel meetings;

·                The Panel had a role to play in ensuring sustainable housing and building standards were adhered to in the Council;

·                There should be a review of the sustainability of the housing proposals submitted under the local plan;

·                Supplementary Planning Documents on sustainability in housing standards were part of the adopted Climate Change Strategy;

·                The Climate Change strategy had two components and discussed areas where the Council had its own powers and where it had a leadership role in the community;

·                The Council as a landowner could enforce certain standards on its properties but was constrained by planning regulations; as a leader in the community it could encourage developers and residents to expect the highest ecological standards;

·                The Council could offer leadership and guidance on the issue of retrofitting houses to maximise sustainability;

·                Passiv Haus standards and similar should become the norm for new houses built and provided improvements in cost, sustainability, and lived environment;

·                The Cabinet Panel on Housing, Strategic Planning and Transport was better placed to consider specific issues relating to housing standards and planning;

·                An energy generation scheme for the District was being investigated and good practice from other districts was being observed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.