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:
A Review of the Impact of Brining Public Realm In House
Minutes:
98.1 The Director for Operations introduced the Information Bulletin to the Committee outlining before Members the request for the item to come before Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee during the review of the Housing Revenue Account (2023/24) in January 2023, the insourcing of the Public Realm service from ID Verde, and whether this insourcing was deemed good value for money.
98.2 Councillor Dawson and Councillor Barrett raised issues with the lack of attendance from the appropriate Cabinet Members to answer questions on the item.
98.3 Councillor Caston questioned about vehicle depreciation costs and if vehicles were depreciated to zero or to a point where they could then be sold off. The Finance Business Partner responded that vehicles were depreciated to a zero value.
98.4 Councillor Barrett questioned about the standards of maintenance for areas covered by the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The Director for Operations responded that there was historic under investing for assets covered by the HRA in direct comparison to those covered by the General Fund and that insourcing the Public Realm service would allow for a higher standard of maintenance to be carried out.
98.5 Councillor Welham questioned if there had been a reduction in general service in comparison to that carried out by ID Verde, the inclusion of any additional services as recommended by the Committee in 2020, and whether the data being collected was detailed enough for more accurate recharging. The Director for Operations responded that there had been no reduction to the general service as a result of insourcing, that additional services, such as tree surgery, did not have dedicated teams working to deliver them, and that more accurate mapping data was currently being sourced to conduct more accurate recharging.
98.6 Councillor Grandon queried about plans for grass cuttings and the different schemes for different types of recreational areas. The Director for Operations responded that grass cutting rounds were currently being reviewed and that the mapping data currently being collected would assist in identifying different areas and creating an appropriate schedule.
98.7 Councillor Caston questioned about the possibility of acquiring assets that are used non-frequently that could be shared between multiple local authorities alongside the possibility of privately contracting out assets when they are not in use by the Councils. The Director for Operations responded that there was scope for both possibilities to be explored.
98.8 Councillor Barrett queried about road sweeping and the strategy for dealing with roads that are not designated on main routes. The Director for Operations responded that the focus in this area was currently on staff and vehicle resourcing, that roads were swept three times as often now in comparison to work undertaken under the old ID Verde contract, and that improvements would be made to co-ordination, integration, and publishing of networks and routes for public viewing.
98.9 Councillor Lindsay questioned about the 23,123m2 of grassland now being managed as meadow, what the target was for the total amount of land that would be converted to meadow, and whether there was a communications plan to support the drive to improve biodiversity in our Districts. The Director for Operations responded that a biodiversity action plan was currently being created by the Public Realm team, that signage near meadow areas was being put up, and that there was not a formal goal for the amount of grassland being converted to meadow but that more areas were being looked into.
98.10 Councillor Carter queried about the mix of vegetation used in meadow growing and raised issues regarding accessibility of these areas for those with disabilities when certain species of plant were being grown. The Director for Operations responded that bringing the Public Realm service in house allowed for more control over the work being conducted to turn grasslands into meadow and that attention would be given to the species being grown to ensure spaces are accessible to all.
98.11 Councillor Barrett questioned if the road sweepers would be operating 5 days a week and if there was liaison between other local authorities regarding maintenance of villages and wards that are located on the boundaries of neighbouring districts. The Director for Operations responded that road sweepers would be operating 5 days a week and that there was some communication between Suffolk counties regarding maintenance but little between Babergh and Essex based authorities which would be rectified.
98.12 Councillor Welham queried if workshops could be set up between the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, and Parish Councils to communicate the changes to Public Realm and the decisions being undertaken to make improvements to grasslands and increasing biodiversity. The Director for Operations responded that there would be opportunities to improve the communications plan and strengthen the relationship between the District and Parish Councils which would be explored.
98.13 Councillor Grandon raised the need for having different strategies to deal with different types of green areas and requested that a commitment be made to not cut down mature trees in the Districts. The Director for Operations responded that cutting mature trees is not work that would be undertaken and that prevention measures to stop mature trees deteriorating extensively which could result in them being cut down was currently being explored.
98.14 The Information Bulletin was noted.
Supporting documents: