Councillors and committees

Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2DN

Contact: Richard Plummer 

Items
No. Item

1/18

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

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    Minutes:

    Apologies were received from Lesley Steeds and Bill Chapman.

     

    There were no substitutions.

2/18

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 29 NOVEMBER 2017 pdf icon PDF 983 KB

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    To agree the minutes of the previous meeting as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

    Minutes:

    The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

3/18

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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    All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter:

          I.        Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or

        II.        Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting

     

    NOTES:

    ·         Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest

    ·         As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner)

    ·         Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial.

    Minutes:

    There were none.

4/18

QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS pdf icon PDF 83 KB

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    To receive any questions or petitions.

    Notes:

    1.    The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (22 February 2018).

     

    2.    The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (21 February 2018)

     

    3.    The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.

    Minutes:

    There were three questions submitted to the Committee by Cllr Barbara Thomson. These and the responses are attached as ANNEX A.

     

    There were no supplementary questions.

5/18

RESPONSES FROM THE CABINET TO ISSUES REFERRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 155 KB

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    There was a response made by the Cabinet Member for the Environment relating to recommendations made by the Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee regarding Proposals to Change Financial Arrangements for Waste Management in 2018/19 on 28 November 2017. This is attached as Annex A.

     

    There was a response made by the Cabinet Member for the Environment relating to recommendations made by the Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee regarding the proposals of Pay and Conserve - Car Park Charging on the Countryside Estate on 14 December 2017. This response is attached as Annex B.

     

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    The Committee received a response from the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure regarding Proposals to Change Financial Arrangements for Waste Management in 2018/19. The Committee noted the response and made no further comment.

     

    The Committee received a response from the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure regarding Pay and Conserve – Car Park Charging on the Countryside Estate. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure confirmed that officers had looked into the potential for displacement from car park charges and explained that all Members with car parks effected had received this information. It was also noted that the implementation date was projected for June 2018. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure confirmed that one car park in each location would have a cycle rack implemented.

6/18

CONVERTING STREET LIGHTING TO LED pdf icon PDF 172 KB

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    Purpose of report:  To provide an overview of the Council’s plans to reduce energy consumption through converting street lighting to LED and provide Members with the opportunity to inform specific aspects for Officers to explore as the technical solution is developed over coming months.

     

    Minutes:

    Declarations of interest:

    None

    Witnesses:

    Paul Wheadon, Business Improvement & Consultancy Team Manager
    Jason Russell,
    Deputy Director Environment & Infrastructure
    Colin Kemp, Cabinet Member for Highways
    Mike Goodman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure

    Key points raised in the discussion:

    1.    The Cabinet Member for Highways noted that the report put to the Committee was the beginning of the review of options and technology available to produce a sustainable business plan for the conversion to Light Emitting Diode (LED) streetlighting.

    2.    Members questioned whether the service could work to be more proactive with regard to technological advancements relating to streetlighting and whether there was a potential to implement some of the “smart city” technology as an early adopter, noting that other authorities, had implemented some of these technologies. The Cabinet Member for Highways stressed that the service had been considering these options from an early stage, and would work in potential feasibility into any business case proposal, but noted that some of the early adopters received greater levels of funding to implement these changes.

    3.    It was noted by officers and the Cabinet Member that, during the previous refresh of lighting undertaken in 2010, the cost of LED balanced against income saved made it an unviable business case. However, it was noted that the lowering cost of LED, in conjunction with savings required, ensured that a switch to LED had become a viable course of action.

    4.    The Cabinet Member highlighted that the technology was constantly evolving around improvements to streetlighting and that the service felt it was not cost effective to delay with regard to potential innovations while there was an opportunity for savings to be made.

    5.    Members questioned the Public Finance Initiative (PFI) contract currently used by Surrey County Council to replace streetlights and whether this would interfere significantly with the Council being able to seek a competitive tender. Officers acknowledged these concerns but highlighted that there was significant value to the authority to this arrangement. Officers did note that the service could not go through a traditional competitive tender, but that the PFI contract allowed for change in the contract by highlighting the changes in a change notice to the contractor detailing requirements which puts the service in a good position to undertake this.

    6.    Members noted that any new proposal needed to be future proofed and forwards compatible for future technology. Officers noted that, as part of this work, they were continuously horizon scanning for new technologies and were being challenged by the Cabinet Member for Highways to find new technologies and recommend potential implementation. It was also noted that officers had held meetings with academics at the University of Surrey to identify some new technologies and how cost effective they could be.

    7.    Members questioned whether the service could look into other aspects of the PFI contract as part of this project and consider amending as part of the proposed change notice, expressing concerns regarding some of the current thresholds for repairs and maintenance of broken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6/18

7/18

RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 133 KB

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    The Board is asked to review and approve the Forward Work Programme and Recommendations Tracker and provide comment as required.

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    Declarations of interest:

    None

    Witnesses:

    None

    Key points raised in the discussion:

     

    1.    Members questioned the work of the Task and Finish Groups of the Committee and requested an update on work undertaken over the last six months. It was suggested that the Select Committee received an update report regarding the work of the Task Groups.

    2.    Members questioned whether there were any updates on the issue of fly tipping and waste. The Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure explained the responsibilities of organisations regarding fly tipping and would work with officers to determine what would form part of a wider waste update to the Committee.

    3.    The Cabinet Member for Highways noted that the Highways Extension contract currently held by Keir was coming to a close in 2021 and suggested that the Committee assisted with forward work relating to this.

    4.    The Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure noted that direction of waste be added to the forward plan of the Committee to determine the direction of travel for the service, including a discussion with current contractors to provide a perspective of the current market.

    5.    The Vice-Chairman suggested that the committee work on the Speed Limit Review and the Electric Vehicle Strategy and an overall service review regarding costs across the Directorate.

     

    Recommendations:

     

    1.    That a wider item is brought to the Select Committee regarding waste strategy, including implications of fly tipping.

    2.    That the Committee consider how it can feed into work relating to the Highways Extension Contract.

    3.    That a Task Group update is brought to the Committee at its next meeting to monitor progress and work undertaken by these groups over the last six months.

     

8/18

DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

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    The next public meeting of the committee will be held 10 May 2018 at County Hall.

    Minutes:

    It was noted that the date of the next meeting was 10 May 2018.