Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Operations Manager – Community Engagement and Enforcement, outlining 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 to be targeting in the upcoming period. 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 for the upcoming period:

 

Continuing Priorities (with amendments shown in italics):

 

i.     Early morning, daytime and weekend patrols for dog fouling at the following locations:

·        Ravensworth Gardens play areas

·        Mill Road Cemetery

·        Seymour Street / Cromwell Road area

 

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

 

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

 

The Committee discussed the following issues:

 

1)    The inclusion of Ekin Road and Jack Warren Green in priority ii, as environmental crime continued in the area

 

2)    Progress with the shrubbery on the Newmarket Road retail park.  The retail park undertook regular litter-picks, and following an approach to Wickes, litter bins had been installed in the area.  Officers could visit or send a reminder letter if litter continued to be a problem

 

3)    Litter bins

a.   it was suggested that bins be installed on Glisson Road, outside Bodyworks; the Operations Manager undertook to speak to the Operations Team about the suitability of this site

Action: W Young

b.   it was remarked that on the St Matthews / East Road estate, fly-tipping was occurring particularly (but not only) where previously installed bins had been removed

 

4)    Rubbish within the fence around the electricity sub-station in Mercers Row; the Operations Manager undertook to speak to UK Power Networks, which had responsibility for the substation   Action: W Young

 

5)    Graffiti still appearing in the Elizabeth Way underpass.  The Operations Manager reported that work was continuing; work on concentrated areas was being undertaken in a streamlined way, with the aim of completing the job in 2017, to a standard that would not require repeated work

 

6)    The numbers of trolleys appearing on verges, for example in Ditton Fields

 

7)    The reported increase in derelict cycles.  The Operations Manager said that the rise could be the result of seasonal variation; any unclaimed bikes were donated to the OWL Trust.  Members asked what the plans were for dealing with abandoned Ofo bikes once the scheme started in Cambridge.  Members said that the City Council was working with the County Council to address the challenges posed by the scheme, which was due to start a small trial by the end of April.  The biggest challenge was the lack of space in the city centre; if the City Council found bikes causing an obstruction, they would be removed to the Mill Road depot.  No relevant legislation existed applying to this type of scheme.

 

The Operations Manager added that she had been talking to the Ranger Service about abandoned bikes and the issues of accessibility that they would cause.  There would be a charge for hire firms to retrieve bikes.

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to approve the continuation of the three previous priorities for action above, with the addition of Ekin Road and Jack Warren Green in priority ii.

 

The Chair thanked the Operations Manager for her team’s impressive work.