Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods setting out services to be added to the Locality Team’s portfolio and included in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for 2012/2013 and consulting on updated priorities East Outer Area Committee would like to see addressed in the new SLA

(report attached)

Executive Function

  East Outer Area Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods providing information about services that are to be added to the Locality Team’s portfolio and therefore included in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for 2012/12 and consulting on updated priorities the Area Committee would like to see addressed in the new SLA which will be presented for approval at the June meeting cycle

  RESOLVED -  

  i)   To note the comments now made

  ii)  To note the addition of further services to the delegation as approved by Executive Board on 10^th February 2012

iii)  To agree the development of the new SLA for 2012/13 to be

brought to East Outer Area Committee in the June meeting cycle for approval, based on the newly delegated elements, additional delivery capacity, responses to Olympic and Queen’s Jubilee events and refreshed Elected Member and Area Committee local priorities

  East Outer Area Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods setting out services to be added to the Locality Team’s portfolio and included in the SLA for 2012/13.  The report also sought to consult on updated priorities the Area Committee wished to see addressed in the new SLA

  Tom Smith – Locality Manager South and Outer East Leeds presented the report and outlined the new services to be delegated, these being:

·  Gully cleaning

·  Graffiti removal

·  Needle removal

·  Ginnel clearance

·  Dog Wardens

Members were informed that specific commitments relating to a

number of issues, including cleansing/maintenance of priority ginnels; litter bin replacement; cleaning of arterial routes and enforcement would form part of the new SLA, together with specific events, ie the Olympic Torch relay and the event at Temple Newsam and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee events, including street parties

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the need for the service to be provided equitably across the four wards comprising East Outer Area Committee

·  the number of prosecutions secured in 2011 for dog fouling and some confusion over which bins dog owners should use to dispose of waste safely

·  fly tipping, particularly of tyres in the Garforth and Swillington Ward and how this problem had been addressed

·  the success of the first SLA and that thanks should be given to the staff who had embraced the changes and worked hard to deliver the service

·  the event at Temple Newsam to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Leeds and the need to work with Parks and Countryside staff to clear up quickly after what was expected to be a well-attended event

·  the possibility of using mobile CCTV in well-known fly tipping hot spots

Tom Smith responded to the points raised and provided the following

information:

·  that the number of prosecutions for dog fouling in 2011 was small and that specific details could be provided in a future report.  However, there was now greater emphasis on enforcement action with more people being trained to take witness statements and a referral plan being implemented for PCSOs to report incidents.  The threshold for fixed penalty notices was also being reviewed as was the possibility, in serious cases, of prosecuting immediately rather than using the warning mechanism of fixed penalty notices

·  that work was needed to better inform people that black bins could be used to dispose of dog waste as well as the specific bins provided

·  that the problems of fly tipping of tyres in Garforth had abated and that firms had been targeted directly by Environmental Services about this matter and that the second SLA provided for targeting of zero tolerance enforcement, both geographical and issue based

·  that mobile CCTV equipment although expensive, was available albeit on a limited basis but that if Members were of the view this was necessary to address persistent problems of fly tipping, this could be considered

RESOLVED -  

i)  To note the report and the comments now made

ii)  To note the addition of further services to the delegation as approved by Executive Board on 10^th February 2012

iii)  To agree the development of the new SLA for 2012/2013 to be brought to the June cycle meeting for approval based on the newly delegated elements, additional delivery capacity, responses to Olympic and Queen’s Jubilee events and refreshed Elected Member and Area Committee local priorites

During the discussions, Councillor Lyons declared a personal interest

through being a Friend of Temple Newsam

At this point, Councillor Wakefield, who had to leave the meeting

early, paid tribute to Councillor Parker who was chairing his last East Outer Area Committee meeting before he stepped down as an Elected Member