Issue - decisions

The Committee received a report from the Operations Manager – Community Engagement and Enforcement.

The report outlined overview of City Council Refuse and Environment and Streets and Open Spaces service activity relating to the geographical area served by the South Area Committee.  The report identifies the reactive and proactive service actions undertaken in the previous year, including the requested priority targets and reports back on the recommended issues and associated actions to be targeted in the following period.  It also includes 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 South Area for the quarter of June to August 2016:

The Committee discussed the following issues:

       i.          Litter in the Station Road area.

     ii.          Verge Parking in Hills Road.

In response to Members’ questions the Operations Manager – Community Engagement and Enforcement said the following:

       i.          Substance abuse and illegal parking in Porson Road/Barrow Road was outside the remit of the enforcement team, and any such issues should be reported to the Police. The Streets and Open Spaces team could pick up litter and respond to any reports of used needles.

ACTION POINT: Operations Manager to organise litter removal in:

·       Barrow Road.

·       Station Road.

     ii.          Dog Wardens were on a rota so they covered different times of the day in different areas over time.

   iii.          Ward walkabouts were organised at the request of residents. Councillors, Officers and residents could be invited to attend.

ACTION POINT: Councillor Ashton to contact the Operations Manager regarding a ward walkabout in the Colville Road area.

   iv.          Equivalent work to ‘ward blitzes’ would be undertaken in future through mini-blitzes. The Operations Team were working out how to do this and proposals would be reported back to South Area Committee in future.

    v.          Undertook to liaise with the grass cutter who mows in Mowbray Road and ask the operator to remove rubbish before cutting the grass instead of mowing over it.

   vi.          City Rangers offered help to people who wanted assistance in cutting their hedges. If a hedge became overgrown, Rangers would post a card through the owner’s door asking for it to be cut back.  If no action was taken, details would be reported to the County Council Highways Authority who had enforcement powers, which the City Council did not have. Residents could report overgrown hedges to the City Council via Rangers and the Customer Service Centre.

In response to questions from members of the public Councillor Taylor responded:

         i.          The Highways Authority were responsible for removing vegetation that obscured traffic lights (eg in Brooklands Road and Hills Road).

       ii.          The County Council were launching a volunteer scheme that could undertake community work such as litter picking. Councillor Taylor would ask County Officers to liaise with the Operations Manager and interested groups such as the Friends of Cherry Hinton Hall.

The Operations Manager added that details about the Volunteer Co-ordinator were set out in her report. The City Council could supply equipment and collect rubbish to assist community work.

Following discussion, Members unanimously resolved to approve priorities for action as above.