Decision details

Actions taken by the environmental departments, reporting on private/public realm data and priority setting.

The Committee received a report from the Enforcement Officer, Nick Kester.

 

The report outlined an overview of City Council Refuse and Environment and Streets and Open Spaces service activity relating to the geographical area served by the East Area Committee. The report identified the reactive and proactive service actions undertaken in the previous quarter, including the requested priority targets, and reported back on the recommended issues and associated actions. It also included key officer contacts for the reporting of waste and refuse and public realm issues.

 

The following were suggestions for Members on what action could be considered for priority within the East Area.

 

  i.        Early morning, daytime and weekend patrols for dog fouling Mill Road Cemetery.

  ii.       Enforcement patrols to tackle environmental crime at Thorpe Way estate and St Matthews Street area

   iii.     Enforcement patrols to tackle fly tipping, litter, side waste and trade waste along in the Petersfield area of Mill Road

 

The Committee discussed the following issues:

 

 i.     Welcomed the increased number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN’s) issued for littering over the reporting period.

    i.          Requested that the column providing the Informal Action / Written Actions were set out in a clearer format. The figure provided related to the footnote and not the total number of actions undertaken which was misleading.

  ii.          Congratulated the team of volunteers and recycling champions on their dedication and hard work. 

 

Members of the public raised the following issues:

 

     i.        Enquired if a dog bin could be installed at the back of Lichfield Community Hall.

    ii.        Suggested that the house number and road name be put on wheelie bins to identify the property it belonged to.

  iii.        Recommended that the universities’ and lettings agents’ introduced a welcome pack to advise of the dates and times of bin collections; how the bins were sorted and what enforcement could be taken if compliance had not been met. 

 

In response to Members’ questions the Enforcement Officer and the Executive Councillor for Environmental Services and City Centre said the following:

i.             The needles removed in Cherry Hinton Road were all from the one property.

ii.             The money from FPN’s was allocated to educational projects.

iii.             Would obtain further information from the Environmental Health Team on the increase in investigations on Private Sector Housing Standards.

iv.             A breakdown of noise complaints in this reporting period had been attached to the updated action sheet and would be included in all future Environmental Reports.

v.             Leaving wheelie bins on footpaths had changed from a criminal offence to a civil offence which was now a laborious procedure for the Council to enforce.

vi.             The refuse teams should put the bins back from the location they had been collected from.

vii.             A future campaign regarding wheelie bins being left out on the pavements was being explored by Cambridge City Officers and an update would be given at the next meeting by the Executive Councillor for Environmental Services and City Centre (ACTION)

viii.             The recycling facility at the Sainsbury Site on Coldhams Lane was now operated directly by the superstore and therefore they would determine what items would be accepted for recycling.

ix.             Items such as batteries could be attached to the outside of the blue bin if placed in a bag.

x.             The City Council held an annual electrical recycling event.

xi.             Ekin Road and the surrounding area was part of a weekly enforcement patrol.

xii.             Promoted the Cambridge Community Scrapstore held on Wednesday’s at Barnwell Business Park, 4.00pm -7.00pm.

xiii.             A map to show the location of litter, dog and recycling bins was available on Cambridge City’s website. This information could be viewed at the link below:

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/litter-and-dog-bins-map

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to prioritise for action as amended:

i.        Early morning, daytime and weekend patrols for dog fouling on Mill Road Cemetery.

ii.       Early morning, daytime and weekend patrols for dog fouling on Brooks Road & Sedgwick Street.

iii.      Enforcement patrols to tackle environmental crime at Thorpe Way estate and St Matthews Street area

iv.      Enforcement patrols to tackle fly tipping, litter, side waste         and trade waste along in the Petersfield area of Mill Road