Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNTY HALL, RUTHIN AND BY VIDEO CONFERENCE
Media
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No. | Item |
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APOLOGIES Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Delyth Jones. |
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DECLARATION OF INTERESTS PDF 116 KB Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests in any business identified to be considered at this meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: None. |
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APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR To appoint a Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for 2023/2024 municipal year. Additional documents: Minutes: Nominations for the appointment of Vice Chair were sought from Members. Councillor Karen Edwards was proposed and seconded for the position of Vice Chair. There being no other nominations it was- RESOLVED: that Councillor Karen Edwards be appointed as Vice Chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing Year. |
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URGENT MATTERS AS AGREED BY THE CHAIR Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972. Additional documents: Minutes: No items of an urgent nature had been raised with
the Chair or the Scrutiny Coordinator prior to the commencement of the meeting. |
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To receive the minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 04 May 2023 (copy enclosed). Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the Communities Scrutiny
Committee meeting held on Thursday 4 May 2023 were submitted. Matters Arising- Members questioned if there was a start date
finalised for the Flood Task and Finish Group meeting. The Interim Head of
Service for Highways and Environmental Services informed Members that they were
currently in the process of setting up meetings with Member Area Groups (MAGs)
to seek nominations for their respective areas. RESOLVED: that,
subject to the above, the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 4 May 2023 be
received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings. |
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UPDATE ON THE WASTE SERVICE REMODELLING PROJECT PDF 150 KB To examine in detail the updated Waste Collections Policy. The progress
of the new service roll out - specifically the impending implementation of the
new AHP Service and update to waste service changes for non-standard
households. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Lead Member for Environment and
Transport introduced the Waste Remodelling update to Members. The new Waste
Collection Service had been in planning for a number of
years and was being introduced to enable Denbighshire to reach the new
statutory target of recycling 70% of household waste set by Welsh Government.
It was vitally important that the new service was introduced to contribute to
tackling climate change. It is anticipated that construction of the
new waste depot in Denbigh will be complete by the end of Autumn 2023, with the
new Waste Service being rolled out from March 2024 (subject to receiving the
necessary licence from Natural Resources Wales to enable legal operation from
the depot). There were also financial benefits to the new Waste Service being
rolled out due the cost of
collecting recycling from blue bins under the current service significantly
increasing. The Corporate Director: Economy and
Environment stated that the report (previously circulated) provided Members
with the opportunity to scrutinise the updated Waste Collections Policy. In
addition, it provided updates regarding the roll out of the new Absorbent
Hygiene Products (AHP) service and the changes
for non-standard households. The report also included details of the
current Waste Service and the new Waste Service. Members were advised that: · The
new Waste Service had an anticipated roll out date from March 2024. However,
this was subject to receiving the necessary licence from Natural Resources
Wales to enable legal operation from the depot. · From
Autumn 2023 the new AHP Service would be rolled out to a targeted pilot area
covering the LL16/ LL17 postcodes. The areas would capture around 1000
subscribers, providing a mix of rural, town and urban areas prior to the whole
County roll out when the main service change took place in 2024. ·
Denbighshire had several households on a `non-standard
service` i.e. either a communal or sack service. This
was due to vehicle access issues and the properties container storage spaces
being limited. The non-standard households in Denbighshire were being reviewed.
· The
new Waste Service Model agenda item would be returning to the Communities
Scrutiny Committee in October 2023 to discuss further details of the main
service roll out. Members had previously received detailed explanations on the new Waste
Service, the roll out and the new services incorporated within it, therefore
the Corporate Director opened the discussion to Members in agreement with the
Chair. The Chair thanked the Corporate Director: Economy and Environment for
their update and questions were welcomed from Committee Members. Members asked whether Officers were
engaging with Town, City and Community Councils to demonstrate how the new
trolley boxes would work. It was felt that this would aid the understanding of
residents when the new service was rolled out. The Waste and Recycling Manager
informed Members that the new Waste Service agenda item had been scheduled to
go to all MAG meetings then further discussions would be held with the Project
Team. The Corporate Director informed members that they would work on the
detail of engaging with Town, City and Community Councils and inform Members in
due course. Members queried the rules and regulations of the new Waste Service and
questioned whether fixed penalty enforcement would be used if residents did not
comply. Members also asked how many penalty notices were issued under the
existing Waste Service Model. The Waste and Recycling Manager informed Members
that there were very few penalty notices distributed under the current service.
There was a focus on behavioural change rather than fixed fines. At this juncture, the Chair paused the meeting to allow the Project Manager: Strategic Planning to ... view the full minutes text for item 6. |
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SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME PDF 151 KB To consider a report by the Scrutiny Coordinator (copy enclosed) seeking a review of the committee’s forward work programme and updating members on relevant issues. Additional documents:
Minutes: The
Scrutiny Coordinator guided members through the Communities Scrutiny Committee
Forward Work Programme report (previously circulated). The next meeting was scheduled for 7 September
2023, proposed for that meeting were two agenda items.
I.
Engagement with Care Forum Wales, an
opportunity to discuss the report before it is presented to Cabinet in November
and
II.
The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation
Assessment review. Appendix 2 contained a copy of the Member
Proposal Form. Members were encouraged to complete the form with any items they
thought merited consideration. Appendix 3 to the report was the Cabinet’s
Forward Work Programme should the Committee like to scrutinise forthcoming
issues. Appendix 4 to the report was a list of
Committee representatives on the various Service Challenge Groups. Following
the standing down from Communities Scrutiny Committee of Councillor Pauline
Edwards a new representative was required for the Planning, Public Protections
and Countryside Services Service Challenge. Councillor Jon Harland had previously expressed an interest in that
Service Challenge Group and was subsequently proposed, seconded and appointed
the Communities Scrutiny Committee’s representative. RESOLVED: that- (i)
Councillor Jon Harland be appointed as the
Communities
Scrutiny Committees representative on the Planning, Public Protection and
Countryside Service Challenge Group and- (ii)
The forward work programme be received and
noted. |
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FEEDBACK FROM COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES To receive any updates from Committee representatives on various Council Boards and Groups Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor
Karen Edwards was thanked for attending a recent meeting of Public Protection
and Countryside Services at short notice. Councillor
Edwards informed Members that the Service Challenge Groups were very
informative. The meetings gave Members the opportunity to have thorough
conversations with officers and Head of Services and questions could be asked
and answered. The
action notes from the meeting would be circulated to those in attendance and it
was agreed that the new representative for the Service Challenge Group would
feedback to the Committee at the next meeting. Councillor
James Elson informed Members that there was a meeting for the Capital Scrutiny Group
on the 7 June 2023 and they will request the minutes from the meeting and
feedback to Members at the next meeting in September. The Corporate Director informed Members
that there had been two Service Challenge Groups held so far and it was
pleasing to hear that Members were finding them beneficial. Meeting concluded
at 10:50am |