Live broadcast to start at 7pm and available for repeat viewing. 

Apologies were received from Cllr Wiles with Cllr McCheyne substituting. 

The minutes of the Clean & Green Committee held on the 11^th September 2023 were APPROVED as a true record.

The report began on page 13 of the agenda and highlighted the work the teams have done.

Cllr Barber asked the Chair for an update on situation with he pigeons at the railway station.  Cllr Aspinell would provide members an update ahead of the next Committee meeting.   

A presentation will be given by Lower Thames Crossing officers. 

A presentation was given by Emily Dawson from the Lower Thames Crossing team.

A new community woodland is being created in Brentwood Borough (Hole Farm Lane, Great Warley). To compensate for the environmental impacts of the Lower Thames Crossing project, National Highways has partnered with Forestry England to plan, plant and manage Hole Farm Community Woodland. This will be a multi purpose woodland by creating:

 • An inspiring place for people to visit and explore; and

• A thriving wildlife habitat and source of sustainable timber.

The new community woodland will include wildlife-rich habitats and species rich grassland, linking to the wider Thames Chase Community Forest. 1,000 trees were planted on site by the local community last year, which are establishing well. A further 70,000 trees are to be planted this winter. To support the community woodland, some development is required including visitor facilities and a car park. This report provides an overview and update on the project.

This item was for information only so no voting was required. 

Fees and charges made by the Council for various services are reviewed on an annual basis by the relevant Committee 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.

Cllr Fulcher amended the recommendation to Agree to the proposed charges for the 2023/24 2024/25 as attached in Appendix A-E F subject to the annual budget setting process.

Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher  SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED that:

Members were requested to:

Agree to the proposed charges for the 2024/25 as attached in Appendix A-F subject to the annual budget setting process.

The Council has a substantial stock of trees within its ownership, and it is essential for a strategy to be adopted by the authority that reflects current best practice. The recent internal audit commissioned by the Council, identified significant concerns raised with the existing strategy and inadequate levels of resources to deliver.

The draft strategy would be an update to the existing policy. The report sought approval for additional resourcing to deliver the draft strategy.

Following a full discussion, Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

Members were requested to:

R1: To approve the updated Council’s draft Tree Strategy

Members are asked to recommend to the Finance, Assets, Investment and Recovery Committee:

R2. To allocate an additional £115,000 over a two-year period to undertake a survey of Council Tree Stock.

A report asked Members to consider and approve the proposed Financial Appraisal for the BBC Net Zero Carbon 2030 Target by the Council and agree the next steps in developing the Council’s response to Climate Change.

The report identified a potential 93% reduction in carbon emissions for the Council corporate, housing, waste fleet and managed services, falling from 1,699tCO2e for the baseline 2018/19 year to 118tCO2e in 2030.

Following a full discussion, Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher SECONDED the recommendation in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED that:

Members are asked to recommend to the Finance, Assets, Investment and Recovery Committee:

R1. To continue procuring green/zero carbon electricity tariff for Council properties.

R2. To allocate an additional £120,000 revenue budget for the purchase of the of green diesel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) for the Council fleet vehicles, currently using mineral diesel.

R3. To allocate £63,178 of capital funding to deliver energy-saving improvement to Council assets as set out in the report.

Currently the Councils operational services do not allocate a specific resource to the clearing of fly-tips reported across the Borough. At present it relies upon resource made available through the allocation of ‘spare’ refuse truck drivers. This only occurs when the refuse truck collection rounds are fully staffed, and the additional drivers are not required to provide cover for annual leave, training or sickness. Therefore, the clearance of fly-tips at present, is undertaken on a sporadic basis governed by the dependency of the availability of staffing resource within the refuse collection service.

Following a full discussion, Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED that:

Members are asked to recommend to the Finance, Assets, Investment and Recovery Committee:

R1. To allocate an additional £70,000 annual revenue budget to recruit two members of staff for a dedicated fly-tip clearance team.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

To ensure that adequate resource are provided to ensure that the Council can respond to clearing fly-tips are in a prompt and timely manner

There were no items of Urgent Business.  The meeting concluded at 8:26pm.