Highways & Neighbourhoods Cabinet Member – Minutes – 17 February 2012

59  DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – Cllr N Sherwood and Cllr Ogg declared a personal interest in item 3 (Minute 62 refers).

60  (58) HIGHWAYS LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN PROGRAMME UPDATE – The Director of Infrastructure Services submitted a report to advise on the progress made in delivering the Local Transport Plan programme and confirm the recent announcement in relation to an additional grant fund contribution for Integrated Transport.

The Transport capital expenditure was secured through the Local TransportPlan (LTP) process and an LTP submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) was required.  The plan set out transport priorities for the council, which would see the current year as the start of the third generation of these plans and covered a 15-year projection submission.

It was explained that as part of the LTP submission, the plan set out the programme of themes and the expected outcomes that the council aimed to achieve within a three-year Delivery Plan.

The report detailed that there were two funding streams within the LTP award which covered Integrated Transport and Highway Maintenance. The current years allocations were:

  • Integrated Transport £ 993,000
  • Highway Maintenance £ 4,423,000

The key priorities were identified as the condition of the highway and footway networks.

Resolved – That the progress of the delivery of the programme be noted.

61  (59) TRANSFER OF BAYSGARTH BOWLING GREEN – The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report seeking approval to transfer the running of Baysgarth Park Bowling Green from North Lincolnshire Council to Baysgarth Bowling Club.

The report outlined that the Park was gifted to the local authority in 1930 subject to various covenants.  The Cabinet Member was advised that the bowling green was situated within Baysgarth Park and was maintained to a set standard by Neighbourhood Services, Baysgarth Bowling Club had however submitted a request to takeover the running of this facility to try and enhance the condition of the facility.

It was explained that the transfer would provide an opportunity for Baysgarth Bowling Club to run the bowling green as they saw fit, and also make use of any funding and extra help that may be made available to enhance the condition of the facility.

Resolved – That the formal negotiations for the transfer of the Baysgarth Bowling Green to Baysgarth Bowling Club to continue with the object of transferring ownership/lease of the facility be approved.

62  (60)  LANDLORD ACCREDITATION SCHEME – The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report seeking approval to create a two tier landlord accreditation scheme which would incorporate both landlord and property accreditation.

It was explained that the council operated a landlord accreditation scheme with 28 accredited landlords who collectively managed 794 properties.  The majority of landlords only had one or two properties and it was these landlords that were often unaware of their legal responsibilities and failed to meet their statutory obligations and needed the greatest support.

Landlord accreditation required that all of the landlord’s properties must meet the standards of the scheme and the landlord must meet a certain standard of management.  The proposal was to apply the scheme to properties receiving bond payments to ensure a prescribed set of standards for those properties and reduce the overall number of visits necessary.

It was considered that the amended scheme would allow greater support for those landlords with only one or two properties.

Resolved – That the accredited landlord scheme be amended and improved to become a two tier scheme with property accreditation as the basic (entry) level, and an optional second tier of full landlord accreditation.

63  (61)  HOUSING ENFORCEMENT POLICY 2012 – The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report seeking approval of the final version of the Housing Enforcement Policy.

A draft version of the Housing Enforcement Policy 2012 was approved by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Neighbourhoods in October 2011, and following approval, both internal and external consultation took place through meetings and use of the Council’s website and email systems.

Resolved – That the new Housing Enforcement Policy 2012, appended to the report, be adopted.

64  (62)  CONTROLLED WASTE REGULATIONS 2011 – The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report to advise on proposed changes to the legislative framework that underpinned the collection and disposal of waste by the council.

The Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 (CWR) provided statutory definitions of household, commercial and Industrial waste for the benefit of local authorities and the effective discharge of their legal duty with regard to the collection and disposal of these waste streams.

A review of the CWR had been completed by HM Government in response to criticism that the original regulations unfairly insulated certain organisations from the full cost of handling their waste. The CWR were considered to be a barrier to more sustainable waste management and restricted the ability of local authorities to make funding decisions based on local priorities.

Appended to the report was a matrix, which outlined the proposed changes made to the regulations and recommended the action to be taken.  The major amendments included a change in definition of waste generated by specified types of premises and the ability of the council to levy charges for the disposal of waste collected.

It was explained that the council now had the discretion to recover, in full, disposal costs incurred.

Resolved – (a)  That the proposed changes to the Controlled Waste Regulations be noted, (b) that subject to the enactment of the Regulations, the amendments to the existing charging regime, detailed in Appendix to the report, be agreed, and (c) that the agreed changes be reflected in revised fees and charges to be implemented on 1 April 2012.

The following items contain exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

65  (63)  REQUEST TO REVOKE A CLOSING ORDER –  The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report seeking approval to lift a Closing Order which was made under the provisions of the Housing Act 1985.

Under the provisions of the Housing Act 1985 where a premises was found to be unfit for human habitation there were a number of courses of action which could be taken including the making of a Closing Order.  The Housing Act 1985 (as amended) had  been revoked and replaced with the Housing Act 2004, however, orders made under the old legislation remained in force until they were formally revoked, which required cabinet member approval.

Resolved – That the Closing Order on the property detailed within the report be revoked.

Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.