The Information Bulletin is a document that is made available to the public with the published agenda papers. It can include update information requested by the Committee as well as information that a service considers should be made known to the Committee.
This Information Bulletin contains updates on the following subjects:
1. Public Realm – Land Adoption Policy
2. Public Realm Insourcing Update
Minutes:
85.1 The Assistant Director – Environment and Commercial Partnerships introduced the information bulletin on the Land Adoption Policy to the Committee alongside the Corporate Manager for Strategic property.
85.2 Councillor Paul Ekpenyong asked what were the requirements for developers taking on responsibilities of maintaining land and how was this monitored to ensure the agreements and works were being undertaken as agreed.
85.3 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Property responded that this would be monitored through the planning process and where Section 106 Agreements had been made and that if agreements were not being adhered to then it could be reported to the Council’s Planning Enforcement Team.
85.4 Councillor Mary McLaren asked whether there was a map to view the open spaces and whether Parish Councils and District Councillors would be asked to participate in providing information.
84.5 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Property responded that the Councils online mapping software was being updated to include open spaces and that key stakeholders would be asked to provide information.
84.6 Councillor Mary McLaren queried who was responsible for the maintenance of roadside verges and how this would affect the planning committees and their decision-making process.
84.7 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Property responded that the responsibility of the roadside verges was a mixture of the County Council and the District Council, and that a policy document was being created to support the decision-making process.
84.8 Councillor Sarah Mansel queried whether the mapping software would show only Council owned land, and that Public open space was discussed at the Council’s Planning Committees, and how were Planning Enforcement getting involved.
84.9 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Property responded that the mapping software would show planning uses as well as Council owned land, and that this was a joined-up piece of work being involved in the Local Plan.
84.10 The Chair, Councillor Keith Welham asked whether issues such as open space and Section 106 Agreements included time limited management arrangements as they could lead to many issues including the use of verges and questions being raised over their ownership and use.
84.11 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Property responded that the review was intended to capture points such as those and identify what needed to be managed.
85.12 – Insourcing Public Realm Project Information Bulletin
85.13 Councillors Simon Barrett and Kathryn Grandon outlined their concerns with the current provision of service, management structure, and queried the possibility of flexibility in the future for undertaking public realm works.
85.14 The Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial partnerships responded to Members questions that there was 1 operational manager under the current Babergh contract with the remainder of the team being operational workers, that the current service being provided was unacceptable to the Council, that informal 1 to1 meetings with staff would begin shortly to communicate the standard required as well as the cultural change joining the Councils insourced team.
85.15 Councillor Paul Ekpenyong commented that Mid Suffolk would not want to see a dilution of its own services’ effectiveness from the insourcing of the Babergh contract.
85.16 Councillor Sian Dawson queried the data within the Information Bulletin and whether enough information had been provided.
85.17 The Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships clarified that this update did not include the full data of the changes as this had previously been presented to the Committee and this was an update to Members.
85.18 Councillor James Caston questioned how the Council would be procuring services as well as the Councils environmental impact on futureproofing the service.
85.19 The Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships responded that the Commissioning and procurement process would be conducted by the Councils in house team and that they would be looking to use electric vehicles where possible. The Assistant Director added that all hand tools used by the Public Realm Team were now electric or used alternatives to fossil fuels, and that journeys were planned to minimise vehicle movements.
85.20 Councillor Kathryn Grandon raised concerns regarding the changeover of staff and what would be done to mitigate staff shortages.
85.21 In response to the question the Assistant Director for Environment and Commercial Partnerships outlined that this had been considered and had been identified on the Council’s risk register, and that the terms being offered by the Council were superior to the current operators, that agencies had been informed that extra operators could be needed at short notice as well as possibly using the Kickstart programme for staff which supported people on Universal Credit.
85.22 Councillor Kathryn Grandon commented that any new operators would need to be trained to a high standard and that Members would like to see the organisational structure of the service.
85.23 The information Bulletins were noted by the Committee.
Supporting documents: