Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Councillor Gareth Griffith

Consider the Head of Highways and Municipals report

A report was submitted by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Municipal, providing an update on the street enforcement trial and reporting that the Service would submit a further recommendation on the way forward in an attempt to improve the provision for the purposes of ensuring the cleanliness and appearance of Gwynedd's streets. 

Following a request from the Scrutiny Committee for the Service to consider possible options to change the public's behaviour that would lead to an improvement in the quality of the local environment and the cleanliness of streets, feedback was provided on three possible options and the steps taken by the Service in an attempt to move forward.

During the ensuing discussion, the following points were highlighted by individual Members:

·         issuing penalties in urban areas was much easier than issuing penalties in the countryside 

·         that there was a need to hold campaigns to raise awareness and educate

·         beach rubbish - creating enforcement areas

·         consider installing hidden cameras in communal bin sites

The Cabinet Member noted that he accepted the observations regarding the problems of issuing penalties in the countryside and he reiterated the importance of educating children on a primary level by highlighting respect towards their environment. 

In response to a comment regarding the fact that some refuse collection workers were rushing and untidy, it was highlighted that the Service was looking to introduce new refuse collection arrangements with a 37 hour shift pattern and having one team responsible for the same weekly routes. It was expected that the workers would have more ownership of the route, as well as an improved understanding of residents' needs.   Discussions with the Unions would be held before Christmas with the intention of introducing the arrangements in Dwyfor in February 2019, in Meirionnydd in July 2019 and in Arfon in February 2020.  It was agreed to submit a report / update on the impact in October 2019.

In response to a question regarding how the Service would monitor the use of cameras by maritime staff, it was reported that everything would be copied into the back office system so that every situation could be monitored when the cameras would be on.  It was reiterated that guidelines were being prepared and an implementation policy was in the pipeline.  It was also noted that the cameras gave officers more confidence to issue a penalty.

In response to a question regarding the service's plans for the next six months, it was noted that discussions were being held about work that could be done jointly with other authorities. It was reiterated, since various authorities in the north had wound up their contracts with external companies, that regional meetings had been held to consider how to deliver this type of service, share resources and raise awareness. It was noted that every authority did not agree with a single procedure, but that the majority favoured an in-house provision. It was explained that some already had plans to submit to Cabinet.  Collaborating across the North would improve consistency in the context of fines.

In response to an observation regarding various acts in England and Wales relating to throwing rubbish out of a car window, it was noted that England had an arrangement noting that the vehicle's owner would be penalised, however in Wales, the person throwing the rubbish had to be identified. It was reiterated that Wales had commenced the process of introducing something similar to England but that this had been put to one side for the time being.

The officers were thanked for their hard work and for the good partnership they had with the public. The good work being done with recycling arrangements was acknowledged and the wish to see an improvement in refuse disposal and the quality of the local environment was reiterated.

            RESOLVED to accept the information.

            A request was made for progress reports on,

·         the use of authorised maritime staff cameras and

·         the impact of changes to the recycling arrangements.