Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy John Owen-Ward, Sheriff & Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley, Henrika Priest, and Deputy James Thomson.

There were none.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 18 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the last meeting held on 18 November 2014 be agreed.

Matters Arising

42^nd City of London Thames Fishery Research Experiment

The Chairman reminded Members that the Thames Fishery Research Experiment would take place on Saturday 10 October 2015. She added that the date of the annual river trip would be circulated soon once finalised.

London Wide Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Service

The Assistant Director of Street Cleansing advised Members that the Service consisted of 31 London Boroughs.

Louise Frances from Mapping for a Change, University College London, to be heard.

The Committee received a presentation by Louise Francis from Mapping for Change regarding air quality in the Barbican. Members were advised that the report titled ‘Science in the City – Monitoring air quality in the Barbican’, which was tabled at the meeting, had been produced following a consultation meeting with Barbican residents held in October 2014.

RECEIVED.

To note the list of Outstanding Actions.

The Committee received the list of Outstanding Actions:

Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) visit

Members were advised that they would be given a second opportunity to visit to Veolia MRF on either Friday 27 February or Monday 2 March 2015, depending on which date was more popular. The Town Clerk would contact Members to arrange in due course.

Public Conveniences

Members referred back to the Service Based Review savings programme relating to Public Conveniences agreed at the last meeting. Members noted that there was a recent campaign by residents of the Bishopsgate Ward who aimed to keep the Public Conveniences in the area open. One Member added that a local business owner had recently complained to him about public urination in the area whilst the Public Conveniences were closed.

Members suggested that savings regarding the provision of Public Conveniences should be considered again. Mark Wheatley proposed that that Town Clerk should investigate the possibility that Public Conveniences be funded through City’s Cash as it was a non-statutory provision. This proposal was seconded by Deputy Stanley Ginsburg so the Committee proceeded to a vote on the matter.

It was RESOLVED that the Town Clerk investigate the possibility of providing a non-statutory service of Public Conveniences through City’s Cash funding.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces that provided an update on progress against the elements of the Open Spaces Business Plan 2014-17 relating to the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium. Members were advised that performance had been good against key indicators and good progress had been made in delivering key projects, such as The Shoot project to deliver additional burial space.

The Superintendent of the Cemetery and Crematorium advised that there had been some problems experienced with cremator maintenance due to issues with the planning of maintenance work and relationships between the main and subcontractors. Members were advised that these were resolved through a series of meetings with the contractor, Mitie, in October 2014. In response to a Member’s question, the Superintendent added that the contract with Mitie was due for review in 2017.

In response to a Members’ questions, the Superintendent advised that the burial and cremation rates in the seven local boroughs served by the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium had shifted toward cremation in recent years.

RESOLVED – That the progress report be noted.

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection that provided an update for Members on progress against the key performance indicators and objectives outlined in the 2014/15 Business Plan of the Port Health and Public Protection Division of the Department of Markets and Consumer Protection for Period 2 (August to November 2014).

RESOLVED – That the progress report be noted.

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection that sought approval of the increase to be applied to the Schedule of Charges in respect of services provided at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) for 2015/16.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    The Schedule of Charges to be adopted and applied at the HARC, with effect from 1 April 2015 or as soon as it is practicable thereafter, be approved;

b)    The proposed Byelaws contained in Appendix A.1 to the report be approved; and

c)    It be recommended to the Court of Common Council that the Byelaws me made and that the Comptroller and City Solicitor be instructed to seal the Byelaws accordingly.

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection that provided Members with an update on the use of the City of London (Various Powers) Act 2013.

The Committee congratulated officers for their successes in the seizure of ice cream vans and nut seller carts.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment that provided Members with an update on the progress made relevant to this Committee during August to November 2014 against the 2014/17 Department of the Built Environment Business Plan.

RESOLVED – That the progress report be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment that provided Members with an update on the success of the two campaigns regarding smoking and gum related litter run by the Cleansing Service in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy in September and October 2014.

The Assistant Director of Street Cleansing advised that the Greater London Authority and other London Boroughs wished to expand on similar campaigns across London. He added that several more campaigns would take place keep awareness of gum and smoking related litter raised.

In response to a Member’s question, the Assistant Director advised that officers would visit Prudent Passage, EC2 to remove smoking related litter.

RESOLVED – That the success of the two campaigns run by the Cleansing Service in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy in September and October 2014, be noted.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding the practicality of implementing any separate waste collection for paper, plastic, metals, and glass.

The Director of Transportation and Public Realm advised that the attached Eunomia Waste Regulations Compliance review report provided the advice that the City of London Corporation’s current efforts to encourage waste prevention, reuse and recycling were compliant with the current Waste Regulations 2011 (Amended 2012). He added that contamination was now at an acceptable level but the recycling rate had dropped.

In response to a Member’s question, the Assistant Director of Street Cleansing advised that the list of items that could be included in dry mixed recycling (DMR) depended on which recycling facility was used, as different materials were processed at different facilities. Members were also informed that officers were on the verge of signing an agreement to process the City’s DMR using the Veolia Materials Recovery Facility in Southwark; once this was in place officers would send information to all residents advising them of the materials they could recycle and how to access the services offered.

In response to a Member’s question, the Director advised that he would contact the Estate Office staff on Middlesex Street, E1 to ensure that the failure of their entrance gates was not affecting local businesses’ waste management arrangements.

RESOLVED – That the recommendation that any separate collection for paper, plastic, metals and glass is currently not economically practicable, be approved.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment that outlined the performance of the Domestic Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Contractor for the third full year of the contract and the first full year of the contract following the purchase of Enterprise Managed Services by Amey plc.

Members congratulated officers for achieving the best standard of cleanliness in London and an excellent national performance since October 2013.

RESOLVED – That the performance of the Domestic Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Contractor be noted.

There were none.

Any items of business that the Chairman may decide are urgent.

The Chairman advised Members of the Committee that the receipts for Taxis within the City of London now displayed adverts for various air quality campaigns on the back.

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100a(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item No.                                             Paragraph No.

17 – 19                                                           3

20                                                                    7

21 – 22                                                           3

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the last meeting held on 18 November 2014 be agreed.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces that sought approval to the 2015/16 fees and charges for the range of services provided at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding the extended lawn burial space in an area of the City of London Cemetery, known as The Shoot.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection regarding Operation Broadway.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding the current position with Renew Your Streets’ on-street recycling units.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment that sought approval to the proposed 2015/16 charges for Street Cleansing, Waste Collection and Public Conveniences.

There were none.

There was none.