Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Fulcher and Cllr Mynott substituted.  

The minutes from the Environment and Housing Committee held on 9 March 2017 were approved as a true record. 

A presentation was given by Mr Carter on figures for service requests for Environmental Health, a breakdown of the fly-tipping cases, Enforcement action taken and the number of prosecutions and Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued. 

·         The number of service requests had a slight increase year on year (2016/17 to 2017/18).

·         There had been 39 cases of fly-tipping for 2017/18.

·         3 cases of prosecutions had taken place with a record fine for Brentwood Borough Council (BBC) of £3727 – the courts received the fine and  BBC received the costs involved. 

·         Duty of Care posters were delivered with Council Tax letters to all residents to raise awareness.

Mr Willson presented on the fly-tip numbers broken down by year and months from 2012-2017, fly-tip size for 2016/17, classification of waste and classification of land fly-tips occurred. 

·         No patterns or trends emerged on fly-tip numbers from 2012/13 to 2016/17.

·         Hidden cameras had been placed in rural areas.

·         8 FPNs and 2 CPNWs had been issued in the last 2017 to date.

·         Small vans, transits vans and single item fly-tips accounted to three quarters of all fly-tips in the Borough. 

·         96% of all fly tips occurred on Essex County Council land. 

The report provided an update on measures to protect Council owned land from unauthorised incursions and on the Council’s membership of the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU). 

Cllr Parker gave an update that the charges to ECTU for Brentwood would be increased by 8%. 

ECTU dealt with Brentwood Borough Council and Parish Council land but Cllr Kendall asked officers to provide advice and guidance to private landowners such as sports clubs/pitches on how to defend and protect their land. 

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Bridge to approve the recommendation in the report. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that: 

Members approved the potential additional expenditure to maintain ECTU membership for 2017/18 due to increased enforcement costs of incursions. 

Reason for recommendation

To continue to effectively deal with unauthorised incursions onto Council and Parish Council land in the Borough and to reduce the impact of additional expenditure. 

The Council were engaged in a variety of Enforcement actions across its services.

The purpose of the paper was to propose that a Corporate Enforcement Team (CET) be established in order that the Council be in an improved position to respond when enforcement activity was required.

It was made clear that Enforcement activity did not relate to the setting of fees or charges.  The establishment of fees or charges being the responsibility of the relevant committee or statutory instrument.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Cloke to approve the recommendations in the report. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOVED UNANIMOULSY that:

1.    The committee approve the appointment of a General Manager Corporate Enforcement, in line with Council HR policies and procedures.  Such process and appointment to be managed by the Chief Executive. 

2.    The Chief Executive and the appointed General Manager Corporate Enforcement bring back to the September Committee meeting, a work plan for Enforcement Activity. 

Reason for recommendations

The organisation needed to adapt its structure to support changes in circumstances and its aims. 

At the Environment and Housing Management Committee on 9^th March 2017, it was reported that there had been an investment in Front Line Services to resource a team to assist with clearing fly-tips and hence allowing the Neighbourhood Action Team (NAT) to return to working on requests from Members within their wards on a 15 week cycle. 

The Neighbourhood Action Team had been working on Members ward requests since 3^rd April 2017, and had nearly completed the first 15 week rota.  The new rota commenced Monday 17^th July 2017 in Brentwood North (see Appendix A).  It was noted that the template circulated to Members just required the location and description of requested task and where possible for the tasks to be listed in order of priority.      

The committee thanked Ms Taylor and NATs for the excellent work completed and the speed in which this had been done.  

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Bridge to approve the recommendation in the report. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

Members agree the arrangements for the Neighbourhood Action Team, and agree to actively participate in submitting on the request template to nats@brentwood.gov.uk two weeks prior to the team being in their ward. 

Reason for recommendation

The Neighbourhood Action Team will enhance the work of the operational teams, and it would be an opportunity for Ward Members to liaise with Officers giving them details of hotspots that needed attention within their wards.  The work carried out should create a visual impact within wards making Brentwood a cleaner and greener place for all to enjoy.   

The report was to notify Members of the forthcoming Recycling events planned for the summer period.  Officers were to be present to raise awareness of recycling by answering questions, provide advice and hand out rolls of recycling sacks and food waste bags to residents. 

To support the Love Essex 2017 and Keep Britain Tidy “Crime Not To Care” campaign (made up of representatives from 14 local Essex Authorities, Essex County Council and Keep Britain Tidy – (Cleaner Greener Group).  Previously the group had undertaken successful Litter Awareness Campaigns working alongside their partners such as McDonald’s, Dominoes, Keep Britain Tidy and Essex County Council.  In September 2017, the focus was on fly tipping and primarily raising awareness about the Duty of Care for householders when disposing of their household waste.

The campaign further complemented the “Duty Of Care” flyer produced by Environmental Health, which was delivered earlier in 2017 to every resident with their Council Tax letter. 

Cllr Kendall requested that more posters on fly-tipping and the fines be displayed around the Borough.  Cllr Kendall also requested that information was provided to residents at the Roadshow events with guidance on Amenity sites.  It was noted that there was a link about the Amenity Centres on the councils website.       

Ms Taylor explained that the new campaign for Autumn focused on these issues and “Crime Not to Care” to raise awareness of Duty of Care and the fines involved.  Ms Taylor emphasised the need to “Educate, Engage and Enforce”.   

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Mrs Middlehurst to approve the recommendations in the report. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

1.    Members agree the arrangements for the forthcoming Recycling Road Show events to be held during the Summer months of 2017.

2.    Members agree to actively participate in supporting the events and the Duty of Care campaign. 

Reasons for recommendations

Holding road shows can assist in helping to increase recycling and to encourage a change of behaviour for those who think it is acceptable to drop litter, as well as answering questions residents may have had.

To raise residents awareness about Householders “Duty of Care” for disposing their rubbish responsibly. 

At the Environment and Housing Management Committee, 9 March 2017, it was recommended that Essex County Council was contacted with a view to impose a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on Public Byway 55 – Navestock, Brentwood.

Essex County Council had responded – letter of 9 March 2017 – and indicated that the option would only be considered to facilitate the removal of fly-tips. 

(Cllr Kendall declared a pecuniary interest being an Essex County Councillor.)

Cllr Kendall suggested that contact be made with County Cllrs Walsh and Grundy in order for them to see the byway and the seriousness of the fly-tipping to assist with moving this issue forward.  

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Kendall to approve the recommendation in the report. 

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

The Committee continue to liaise with Essex County Council in order to seek closure or the regulation of byways. 

Reason for recommendation

Members were reminded that fly-tipping was an issue along the rural byways of Brentwood and despite the complications of meeting the legal requirements of regulating byways, Brentwood Borough Council should continue to liaise with Essex County Council and other groups to seek resolutions to the abuse of the byways. 

There were no items of urgent business to discuss.

The meeting ended at 21:00.