Agenda item

To consider the current position in respect of enviro-crimes and the actions being taken to tackle the issues. 

79.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Interim Head of Community Services, circulated at Pages No. 24-30, which gave an update on the progress that had been made in respect of tackling enviro-crimes and the position regarding the recruitment of an Environmental Warden to work across the borough, in partnership with Town and Parish Councils, to reduce enviro-crime.  Members were asked to consider the report.

79.2           The Interim Head of Community Services advised that, in July 2016, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered a report detailing the Council’s approach to addressing the increased level of enviro-crime across the Borough.  It was noted that responsibility for enviro-crime sat with the Council’s Environmental Health team and Ubico cleared fly-tips on the Council’s behalf.  Since the last report there had been notable activity and progress in dealing with enviro-crimes and some of the recent achievements were set out at Page No. 26, Paragraph 2.1 of the report.  Particular attention was drawn to the successful prosecution of a householder whose waste had been fly-tipped by a contractor who was not a registered waste carrier.  In addition, One Legal was considering several investigation files in connection with separate fly-tipping offences.  Fly-tipping warning signs had been erected within Sandhurst, where this had been a particular problem, and a joint project was also being carried out with the Police in that area.  Members were informed that an application had been made to use two of the community safety partnership cameras to gather evidence to tackle fly-tipping in Sandhurst and Coriander Drive, Churchdown where a multi-agency project involving the Council, Severn Vale and the Police had also been initiated.  Officers were working with an anti-fraud specialist at Cheltenham Borough Council on techniques for gathering evidence from information that was found within fly-tips and how to trace it back to the perpetrator.  The Interim Head of Community Services also pointed out that there was a multi-agency review across the county in respect of the approach to abandoned vehicles. 

79.3           In order to build on this success, further options were being explored and these were referenced at Page No. 27, Paragraph 3.1, of the report.  This included: further joint working with the Police; visits to other local authorities which had successfully reduced serious fly-tipping incidents to share knowledge; additional training for officers in the Environmental Health team in terms of serving fixed penalty notices and carrying out investigations; pooling resources across the Gloucestershire authorities to tackle fly-tipping; the potential adoption of provisions to introduce a Fixed Penalty Policy; and increased use of fixed penalty notices.  Members were informed that this was very much a work in progress; the new Head of Community Services would be taking up his role at the end of February and he would be looking to build on recent activity and develop a project plan which could be brought back to the Committee in future.

79.4           A Member questioned what progress had been made with One Legal in terms of its consideration of fly-tipping files with a view to taking further action.  The Interim Head of Community Services indicated that it was his understanding that this was nearing completion.  Another Member sought clarification as to what would be covered in the enviro-crime training plan which was being introduced for Officers in 2017/18 and, whilst assurance was provided that all Environmental Health Officers were qualified for their roles, Members were informed that some lacked experience of enforcement situations and did not always have the necessary skills to diffuse confrontation; it was this more specialist training which would be included within the plan.  With regard to the reduction in fly-tipping in Sandhurst, a Member queried whether the problem had simply moved to another area.  The Interim Head of Community Services confirmed that this was the most likely scenario.  Publicity arising from prosecutions and having visible officers in the field tended to be the best deterrents and generally led to a reduction in fly-tipping in one particular area.  The Member noted that officers planned to visit other local authorities and she questioned which ones had successfully reduced fly-tipping.  Members were informed that the Forest of Dean District Council had done a lot of work in the terms of reducing fly-tipping and it was hoped that intelligence could be shared to bring the main offenders to task.  In response to a query as to whether cameras were being used for fly-tipping, Members were advised that community safety cameras were currently being used around Sandhurst and Coriander Drive.  There were very strict regulations on the use of cameras for covert surveillance and care needed to be taken to accord with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.  Cameras had been purchased by the Environmental Health department for the purpose of combatting enviro-crime and, whilst they were not currently being used, it was intended to bring them into operation; however, given the amount of time and resources associated with reviewing the footage, it was important that they were utilised to the best effect.  With regard to the table of estimated officer investigation costs for April to December 2016, a Member sought further information in respect of abandoned vehicle removal, storage and disposal.  The Interim Head of Community Services indicated that he did not have the detailed information to hand but he would be happy to provide a response following the meeting.

79.5           With regard to the Environmental Warden, a Member questioned when this post was likely to come forward.  The Interim Head of Community Services explained that the Executive Committee had considered a report in respect of the potential recruitment of an Environmental Warden at its meeting in November 2016; it was intended that the post would be funded by participating Town and Parish Councils.  A meeting had been held in December, which was attended by representatives from several Town and Parish Councils, and a number of questions had been generated which Officers were still working through, for example, whether a vehicle would be provided, whether certain powers had been adopted by the Council etc.  The Human Resources team had evaluated the job description and was in the process of determining a pay grade for the position.  It was to be borne in mind that the Environmental Health Manager, who had been spearheading the development of this post, had left the authority in December and it had been picked up via the seconded Environmental Health Manager, Yvonne Hope; Members would be given a firm date once all of the issues had been worked through.  A Member noted that 11 Town and Parish Councils had expressed an interest in funding the post and he questioned whether they had committed this money within their precepts.  The Interim Head of Community Services confirmed that the amount each Town and Parish Council contributed would depend on how much time they wanted the Environmental Warden to spend in their area; this had been factored into their precepts.  Another Member queried whether additional Town and Parish Councils would be able to contribute towards the position at a later date and Members were advised that they would need to wait until an appropriate point in the contract – which was expected to run for between one and three years – in order to prevent disruption to the service being provided to the Town and Parish Councils that had signed up originally.  If the role was successful, there may be potential to recruit an additional Warden.  Clarification was provided that it would not be feasible for another Town or Parish Council to join at this point in time. 

79.6           Whilst they welcomed the progress that had been made, several Members were of the view that it would be more beneficial if the information within the report was presented as an action plan, with targets and timescales for delivery together with outputs.  It was felt that the happy and sad faces used in the performance management report would allow Members to see more easily what was being achieved.  The Interim Head of Community Services undertook to ensure that the next report was amended accordingly.  The Chief Executive reiterated that the new Head of Service would not be in post until the end of the month and it would be unrealistic to expect that significant progress would be made by the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee; he suggested that three months would be a more reasonable timescale and Members agreed that the next report would therefore be brought to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2 May 2017.

79.7           It was subsequently

RESOLVED          1. That the current position be NOTED in respect of:

i)          enviro-crimes, particularly fly-tipping, and the actions being taken by the Environmental Health section to tackle the issues; and,

ii)        the recruitment of an Environmental Warden.

2. That an update report be brought to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2 May 2017 and that the information within the report be presented as an action plan, with targets and timescales for delivery together with outputs.