Issue - meetings

The Head of Environmental Services and Leisure submitted a report setting out the current performance of the Council’s two main environmental management term contracts as well as other environmental management initiatives that had been undertaken. 

The Head provided a summary of the report and highlighted a number of key issues.He referred in particular, to an increase in fly tipping and abandoned vehicles.   Members were advised that the low steel price meant that vehicles were no longer being sold for scrap. However, abandoned vehicles in East Herts remain very low.

Councillor Mrs R Cheswright commented on the availability of future dates for the collection of electrical equipment.  Councillor H Drake emphasised that information leaflets were working, but there needed to be more focus on informing residents how to reduce the amount of residual waste in black bins.  She referred to the significant cost of landfill compared to compost and recycling.

Councillor S Reed was advised that it fell to East Herts Council to enforce dog control under new legislation as the Police did not have the resources to be of assistance.  Signs had been changed across the District to reflect the changes in legislation.  The Head explained that it was too early to see how the Council’s new measures were impacting on dog fouling but anecdotally, from telephone calls received, residents were reacting favourably to the publicity and communities were putting pressure on irresponsible dog owners to change their attitude and behaviour.

In response to a comment from Councillor G Cutting, the Head advised that it was the County Council’s role to pay for waste disposal and East Herts was only responsible for waste collection.  Members were advised that an application for an ‘energy from waste’ plant in Hoddesdon would be submitted in September or October 2016.

The Committee noted the current performance of the Council’s main environmental management term contract and endorsed the management initiatives that had been undertaken.

RESOLVED – that the current performance of the Council’s main environmental management term contract be noted and the management initiatives be endorsed.