Agenda item

To give consideration to a report which sets out a suggested approach to the Sub-committee’s work planning together with an initial information base to assist members to develop the Sub-committee’s work programme for 2023-24.

The Sub-committee will also receive a presentation which sets out an overview of the remit of the Green Sub-committee and an outline of some of the policy areas covered in the report.

Consideration was given to a report which set out a suggested approach for the Sub-committee to develop its work programme for the 2023-24 Municipal Year following the recent review of the Authority’s scrutiny arrangements. 

The report also detailed the remit of the Sub-committee which had been agreed at the Annual Council meeting held on 18 May 2023 (Minute C12/23 refers) and detailed the officer and member support available to the Sub-committee to help develop and deliver its work programme.

To assist the Sub-committee in identifying the topics to include in its work programme a presentation was given which set out the key priorities and the key challenges of the Environment Directorate and the Business and Economic Development Directorate in relation to the areas under the remit of the Sub-committee.

In relation to the challenges faced by the Environment Directorate reference was made to:

·       The operational delivery of food waste collections and the need for further Government guidance;

·       Issues surrounding the electrification of the larger fleet vehicles;

·       Additional demand for services due to a growing borough;

·       The impact of adverse weather conditions;

·       The changes in relation to waste and the consistency of collections and the need for further guidance from the Government;

·       The renewal of the Waste Contracts;

·       Biodiversity and net gain;

·       Inflation and changes to energy prices;

·       Carbon Net Zero 2030; and

·       The expiry of the Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative (PFI)

In relation to Transport and Highways reference was made to:

·       The delivery of strategic local plan sites;

·       Supporting regeneration objectives;

·       The move to the Mayoral Combined Authority and the refresh of the North East Transport Plan;

·       The funding challenges associated with the maintenance of the highway assets;

·       Active Travel;

·       Partnership working in relation to public transport and the regional bus partnership;

·       Infrastructure in relation to Electric Vehicles; and

·       The expiry of the Technical Partnership.

During the meeting members made reference to a number of potential topics for consideration in the Sub-committee’s work programme.  These included:

·       New ways of dealing with graffiti;

·       Improvements to the weedkilling service;

·       The use of technology to speed up the delivery of services to residents; and

·       Influencing large corporations to reduce the waste that they produce and/or to provide local recycling facilities.

The Chair suggested that as there were several members of the Sub-committee not present at the meeting and that he wanted everyone to have the opportunity of contributing to the Sub-committee’s work programme he would contact those members to invite suggested topics before the Sub-committee’s work programme was developed prior to the next meeting.   

It was agreed that:

(1)  The information provided in relation to scrutiny work planning and the good practice guidance provided by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny be noted;

(2)   The Link Cabinet Members and lead Senior Leadership Team officers’ active support of the work and information needs of the Sub-committee in the coming year, including the provision of information to support the Sub-committee’s work planning at regular intervals during the year be noted;

(3)  The Cabinet Member and Senior Officer’s suggestions in relation to current and up-coming policy matters which could be included in the Sub-committee’s work programme be noted;

(4)  Work programming be included as a standard agenda item at future meetings of the Sub-committee to allow the work programme to flex as necessary to respond to matters emerging during the year;

(5)  The Chair be authorised to consult with members to develop the topics for inclusion in the Sub-committee’s work programme prior to the next meeting and to agree the two topics which would form the Sub-committee’s work programme for 2023-24.