Apologies were received from Cllr Wiles with Cllr Mrs Pound substituting and also from Cllr Morrissey. 

The minutes from the Environment and Enforcement Committee held on 6 December 2017 were approved as a true record.

Cllr Parker addressed the committee on the incursion measures at the Brentwood Centre.  Defences and repairs would alleviate the number of incursions.   

The report was to notify Members of the forthcoming Recycling events planned for the summer months. Officers would raise awareness of recycling by answering questions, providing advice and handling out rolls of orange recycling sacks and food waste bags to residents.

Members should be aware that officers from Street Scene would be working with partners of The Cleaner Greener Group on two campaigns.  One campaign would be held the early part of 2019 and would concentrate on Litter.  The second campaign planned for Autumn 2018 would continue the campaign launched the previous year #CrimeNotToCare, regarding ‘Duty of Care’ awareness to try and tackle fly-tipping issues.

A second delivery of orange sacks and food waste bags would take place in Autumn/Winter 2018; 40 sacks would be delivered in one roll to every household (excluding flats, which were on request).

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

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

1.    Members to note and support the arrangements for the forthcoming Summer Recycling Road shows; and to note that Brentwood Borough Council will be working again with the Cleaner Greener Group later in the year on campaigns tackling litter and fly-tipping.

2.    Members to note that a second delivery of orange sacks, food waste bags and a recycling information flyer will be made in Autumn/Winter 2018.

Reasons for Recommendation

Holding road shows could assist in helping increase awareness about recycling and gather feedback from residents about the service.

Working with partners on campaigns to raise awareness about Duty of Care, fly-tipping and litter issues would help to raise the same consistent message throughout Essex, with shared resources.

As a trial, two deliveries of orange sacks were to be made in 2017/18 in order to assess their usage and establish identifiable savings.

A benefit of having a later delivery in the year, close to the Christmas holiday period, would help to remind and encourage residents to participate in the Council’s recycling services as it was intended to deliver food waste sacks and on information flyer also.

Following a series of complaints and incidents in and around Brentwood Town Centre involving anti-social behaviour of several types, the Corporate Enforcement Team investigated the use of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to assist in controlling activities that were causing concern.

A draft Order was produced to address evidenced issues in the town centre following liaison with legal advisers, Essex Police, Essex Police Fire & Crime Commissioner, and stakeholders in the area proposed to be covered by the Order.

The draft Order covered the main Brentwood town centre area including the High Street and surrounding areas and incorporating roads down to Brentwood rail station.

Members supported Order being put into place and praised the work put into this and getting the officers accredited. 

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

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

1.    To consider the outcome of the consultation which has been undertaken and the comments received set out in Appendix A (of the report).

2.    To approve the Final Order set out in Appendix B (of the report).

Reasons for Recommendation

To effectively address issues of anti-social behaviour in and around Brentwood Town Centre and reduce the fear of crime. To enable the use of relevant powers of enforcement needed to tackle the issues covered by the Order and to make our community safer and a more pleasant place for anyone who visits, lives or works in our town centre.

Brentwood Borough Council, in common with most other local authorities, had seen an increase in fly tipping with a cost to the Borough of over £60,000 in the previous year.

Mr Carter presented to the committee figures on fly tipping.   

The Council had focussed on ways to provide an effective and robust approach to enforcement of fly tipping in the Borough to seek to act against those responsible.

The report outlined the measures taken to date and recommended proposals aimed at increasing awareness of fly tipping problems and to further improve successful enforcement.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Parker and SECONDED by Cllr Bridge 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 to consider improving the visibility of action against fly tipping using warning signage and surveillance cameras in hotspot areas.

2.    Members agree to procure a dedicated enforcement vehicle to  assist with the duties of the Street Inspector. 

3.    To review the charges for legitimate clearance against the cost to remove/enforce against fly tips and what are the likely benefits/results of a more attractive rate.

4.    That funding is taken from the Incursion Defence budget.

5.    Members note the effects of improved enforcement activities regarding waste offences and resolve to maintain regular updates to the Committee on future enforcement action. 

Reasons for Recommendation

To provide more effective, mobile and visible enforcement activity which would enables technology to assist in environmental crime and waste investigations.

New penalty levels for littering, graffiti, fly-posting and unauthorised distribution of free literature on designated land had recently been introduced by the Government with effect from 1st April 2018, with discretionary levels that could be set by local authorities.

The Community Safety Accredited Officers would have powers to issue these penalties. 

The report set out the new levels of these fixed penalty notices and summarises the powers available to authorised officers to issue penalties.

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

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

1.    Members approve the new recommended maximum penalty levels set out at 4.5 of the report. 

2.    Members to approve the additional discount levels for early  payment also contained in Table 4.5 of the report.

3.    Members agree to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, Director of Operations, the General Manager Corporate Enforcement and to such officers of the Council that are nominated by any of them to issue Fixed Penalty Notices under the relevant legislation.

Reasons for Recommendation

New penalty levels were recommended at the maximum levels in order to  reflect the Council’s intention to ensure that enforcement action was effective; most of these penalties were offered as an alternative to prosecution and should therefore reflect the serious nature of the offence.

There were no items of urgent business to discuss.

Th emeeting concluded at 8:55pm.