There were no apologies received. 

The Chair welcomed Cllr McLaren as a new member for this committee following the loss of Cllr Kerslake and the Chair extended her sympathies to Cllr Kerslake’s family.    

Members RESOLVED that the minutes of the Environment, Enforcement and Housing Committee held on 13^th October 2020 were a true record. 

Members noted the updates provided in the Chairs report. 

Appendix C is confidential by virtue of the likely disclosure of information exempt under para. 1 and 3 of Part 1 to Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, namely information relating to any individual and information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council).

Fees and charges made by the Council for various services are reviewed on an annual basis by the relevant Committees relating to the services provided.  Recommended amendments to the fees and charges are incorporated into the budget setting process to take effect from the following financial year. Services areas have reviewed their fees and charges and submitted schedules to finance to co-ordinate.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Mrs Pearson and SECONDED by Cllr Hossack to agree the recommendations in the report.

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

Members were asked to:

R1. Agree to the proposed charges for 2021/22 as attached in Appendix A-K, subject to the annual budget setting process.

Reasons for Recommendation

Officers review fees and charges annually and this will be used to inform the 2021/22 budget setting process.

The report submitted a recycling update for the information of the committee.

Mr Campbell gave a presentation to the committee.

Members were asked to:

R1. Note the information contained within Appendix A – Members’ Recycling Briefing.

R2. Note the information contained within Appendix B – Residents Recycling Newsletter (draft).

This item was information only and members did not need to take a vote. 

Reasons for Recommendation

To provide feedback to Members on the performance of the new recycling Scheme. 

This report was the second Annual Report on the activities and operations of the Corporate Enforcement team and focuses on the period from 1st October 2019 to 31^stSeptember 2020.

The Chair and Vice Chair acknowledged and thanked the Enforcement Team for all the work they do for the Borough. 

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Mrs Pearson and SECONDED by Cllr Hossack. to agree the recommendations in the report.

Following a discussion a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

Members were asked to:

R1. Members approve and note the contents of the Annual Report contained in Appendix A and authorise the Director of Housing and Enforcement to make the report publicly available to increase the visibility and knowledge of enforcement activities

R2. Members instruct officers to continue to review and measure the quantity and effectiveness of enforcement activities carried out within the various services and report annually on outcomes.

Reasons for Recommendation

The report is principally for information purposes and to improve the transparency of the activities carried out.

Brentwood Borough Council were subject to a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) review into some compliance areas in 2019.

As part of this review, we were found to be effectively managing the risk across all areas of compliance but had areas requiring improvement in relation to Asbestos Management. We were working to an asbestos Standard but did not have an asbestos policy in place.

The Housing Department began working alongside the HSE to build upon our compliance, taking advice and guidance from them on where improvements could be made to our compliance management.

One main area of focus was the request to implement an Asbestos Policy for Asbestos Management which is available to the whole housing department.

We had been managing asbestos via a prior waiver using two Basildon Council asbestos contractors. In September 2020 we procured two new asbestos contractors to work in partnership with Brentwood Council, to continue from the existing asbestos surveys and re-inspections of all our housing stock to help populate our Keystone Asbestos database which is a regulatory requirement under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

It was agreed that this standard would become the baseline for our management to develop and produce a full asbestos policy that would being taken to a future appropriate committee following completion.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Mrs Pearson and SECONDED by Cllr Hossack.

to agree the recommendations in the report.

Following a discussion a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

Members were asked to:

R1. To approve the Asbestos Policy

Reasons for Recommendation

To ensure that the Housing Department has documentation to support the delivery of their Asbestos Management responsibilities, processes, and procedures and to comply with Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Appendix A is confidential by virtue of the likely disclosure of information exempt under para. 1 and 3 of Part 1 to Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, namely information relating to any individual and information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council).

The report summarised progress since the last report to Committee on 13 October 2020 on the development of a pipeline of new affordable homes through the development and regeneration of various Housing Revenue Account (HRA) owned sites. As a reminder, this Strategic Housing Delivery Programme (SHDP) is currently made up of two elements, 1) the regeneration of Brookfield Close, Hutton resulting in a planned 61 zero carbon homes and 2) the development of a range of smaller HRA sites to deliver new homes. All of these new homes will contribute to, and be managed within, the Council’s HRA. In addition, this report also lays out a recommendation for the future use of 17 Crescent Road, a currently vacant double fronted Victorian villa style house in some disrepair and also held within the HRA.

The Council’s Corporate Strategy ‘Brentwood 2025’ commits to Introducing “innovative Carbon reduction and absorption schemes”, “identify opportunities for low emission and green developments” and using ‘brownfield sites efficiently, such as council owned garage sites, to provide affordable homes…”.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Mrs Pearson and SECONDED by Cllr Hossack.

An AMENDMENT was MOVED by Cllr Naylor and SECONDED by Cllr Laplain that an additional recommendation be added to read: R4. Formal consultation to take place with ward members. 

A vote was taken on the amended MOTION by a show of hands and this was LOST.

A vote was taken by a show of hands on the substantive MOTION and it was RESOLVED.

Members were asked to:

R1. Authorise the Director, Housing and Enforcement to submit an application to Homes England for Investment Partner (IP) Status to facilitate the application for Government Grant to support the delivery of new Council homes.

R2. Authorise the Director, Housing and Enforcement to seek the necessary consents, and appoint contractors and technical support, to undertake the conversion of 17 Crescent Road, Brentwood, into 2 selfcontained flats for affordable rent within the HRA.

R3. Note the ongoing revisions to the HRA Business Plan to incorporate a 7-year delivery programme of new Council homes to be considered as part of the Council’s 2021/2022 Budget setting.

Reasons for Recommendation

Without IP status the Council will be unable to bid for Homes England funding to support its Homes Delivery Plan. This recommendation not only supports the Council’s Key Objective for the delivery of new Council homes but also the viability of such a programme.

There were no items of urgent business and the meeting closed at 9:00pm.