Decision details

The Leader of the Council submitted a report that provided a summary of the 2010/11 Service Plan actions that were relevant to the remit of the Environment Scrutiny Committee.  Members were referred to service plan actions that had been achieved, as well as details of actions that required a revised completion date.

Members were invited to ask questions of Officers in respect of the report now submitted.

Councillor J Wing referred to town maintenance and graffiti that had been cleaned up in Hertford following the success of Community Service Orders.  He stated that problems of graffiti and fly posting had been controlled in Ware but there had been an explosion of both problems in Ware throughout 2011.

The Head of Environmental Services stated that there was reference later in the agenda to how the Authority worked with other bodies in getting things rectified across the District.  Members were reminded of the work of the Environmental Quality Task and Finish Group in shaping how East Herts Council worked with partners.

Members were advised of useful feedback that had been received in relation to the Community Payback Scheme.  The Head of Environmental Services stressed that East Herts Council was not responsible for removing all instances of graffiti but the Authority would remove graffiti from street furniture and public buildings. 

The Committee was advised that for other instances of graffiti, the Authority aimed to work with partners, residents and businesses to arrange for its removal from private property. 

He stated that, when the Authority did get involved in removing it directly, this was normally undertaken by its contractors.  The Community Payback scheme was, however, a good way of involving offenders in maintenance activities in the public realm.

The Committee was reminded that the removal of graffiti from private property without the owners permission posed the risk if litigation and claims for damage. The Council did offer a service to businesses and residents to remove it from private property at a cost, so long as the right to make a claim was waived.

Councillor G McAndrew commented on Southern Country Park and sought clarification on how the residents’ survey information had been obtained.  The Head of Environmental Services explained that the Council’s main residents’ survey was conducted every 2 years.

He summarised how the surveys for these specific sites were conducted and explained they were based on questionnaires completed by people who had attended community events in the parks or responded to a local survey in the case of Vantorts.

The Chairman congratulated Officers on the high level of satisfaction with East Herts parks and playgrounds which had come out of the recent questionnaires and survey.

RESOLVED – that (A) the summary of achievements against the 2010/11 Service Plan actions be received; and

(B)   the Service Plan Actions that required revised completion dates be noted.