Councillor Jefferies (Leader), Cabinet Member for Environment, Economic Development and Directional Leadership answered members questions on his annual report Environment, Sport, and Leisure.

The following points were raised:

·       Member asked whether small food bins will be affected by changing legislation.

o   Food waste trial will continue.

·       Member asked whether the £52,000 which was allocated to 16 Active Thurrock projects had been spent in its entirety or if it is planned spend. Member also asked where the money had been spent.

o   The money has been spent on the 16 Active Thurrock projects.

o   ACTION: Leader informed the committee he will provide a full list of locations

·       Members asked questions and for clarity on bin collection schedules.

o   Brown bins (garden waste) collection will continue after Christmas in January fortnightly.

o   Blue bins (recycling) collection will continue fortnightly, looking to increase collections around Christmas time.

·       Member asked when the waste strategy will be ready to be presented to the committee.

o   Waste strategy will be ready for next committee meeting in January 2024

·       Members asked whether the waste education campaign in primary schools would be increased or if there were any further initiatives.

o   ACTION: to find out if there are any more plans or initiatives for further waste education campaign programmes in primary schools

o   ACTION: Paul Southall, will include in the waste strategy how the local authority engages with other stakeholders and schools.

·       Members acknowledged the hard work of enforcement officers who deal with fly tipping and asked if there was a strategy to increase capture of fly tippers.

o   Leader appealed that members of the public report fly tipping.

·       Member asked if there was any statistical difference in fly tipping between the East and West of the borough.

o   Michael Dineen stated, there is no differential across the borough, and would target hotspots when they come up.

·       Members asked if there was an increase in attendance at events organised by the active parks team when compared to previous years.

o   ACTION: To find attendance figures of events active park team has organised.

·       Member asked if the cleaner team would continue to provide services (pavements, cubs and brick walls) biannually.

o   Yes, it will continue. There was an unsuccessful trial, but it has since been reverted back.

·       Member gave praise to improvements of park and new football goals.

·       Members asked why the new food waste vehicles couldn’t be utilised as originally envisioned and why 21 vehicles were bought instead of 1 for test purposes.

o   The side pod of vehicle was too high when lifted. Health and safety also deemed them unsafe for refuge crews to use.

o   Leader - The people responsible for the purchase of 21 vehicles are no longer in the employment of the local authority.

o   Paul Southall added that only 10 vehicles had the side pod which was deemed unusable.

·       Member said in relation to high level of contamination in recycling from flats in the borough, that it takes a long time for recycling bins to be changed round.

o   ACTION: Paul Southall, will investigate how recycling bins are managed at flats.

·       Member asked if there was any update on providing bigger communal bins for flats instead of individual bins.

o   ACTION: Paul Southall, will investigate

·       Member asked how much money was lost regarding the 21 vehicles bought if they are unusable and of if any checks and balances have been put in place to stop scenarios like this re-occurring.

o   Vehicles are not completely useless only food pod isn’t being used.

o   Processes are being put in place to ensure that this scenario doesn't happen again.

·       Members wanted more information on Operation Collie (cleaning alleyways) and which alleyways were cleared. They wondered if these types of partnerships would continue with the Section 114 notice in place. Members also asked if there was going to be a plan setting out who owns what alleyway.

o   Leader – we are abandoning silo working.

o   ACTION: Leader stated he will find out information on what alleyways were cleared

·       Member requested to come back in January with regards to Alleyways

o   ACTION: Paul Southall, will come back with coordination plan for clearing of alleyways

·       Member asked if anything could be done about bins blocking pavement access.

o   Michael Dineen, the local authority does not currently have the power to issue a fine/tickets. Presently the local authority would like to encourage and engage with those residents.

·       Member gave praise for playground inspection and maintenance and asked how we maintain play equipment.

o   Leader - All play equipment is inspected regularly.

o   Paul Southall – Frequency of inspections is fortnightly, and repairs are actioned quickly.

·       Members gave praise for work on war memorials and landscaping work taking place across the borough.

·       Member asked if refuge workers could return bins to their original setting to ensure driveways and path access especially for disabled people is clear.

o   Paul Southall will remind refuge workers to return bins to the original setting.

At 19:43pm, Councillor Jefferies (Leader), Cabinet Member for Environment,

Economic Development and Directional Leadership left the meeting.