Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director for Environment, concerning the approval of the high-level Business Plan for the Environment Department for 2025-30.

A Member of the Committee raised the need to emphasise references to residents and how the high-level Business Plan would benefit residents, noting the resident reset initiative from the Chairman of Policy & Resources.

It was queried why e-bikes were not referenced in the Business Plan. The response was that e-bikes sat within the remit of the Planning and Transportation Committee, and the Committee were assured that they were referenced in that Committee’s Business Plan. Later, the Committee raised the need to reference working together and the links with other Committee’s for the business plan to succeed. It was agreed to reword the Business Plan to emphasise the links between the Committees.

On Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI), including social mobility, the Executive Director for Environment was working on an emerging piece of work with the Equalities Director, to consider the broad benefits of EDI and social mobility. This included finding ways to articulate this in terms of the Committee’s remit, and what it meant for the services overseen by the Committee.

Following a query on Walbrook Wharf, the Committee heard that several options with different funding options were being considered, and a report would be received by the Committee later in 2025, following the completion of the soft market testing. The Committee were reassured that officers would not recommend an option that could not be funded.

RESOLVED – That Members:

• Note the factors taken into consideration in compiling the Environment Department’s high-level Business Plan 2025-30; and
• Approve, subject to incorporation of any changes sought by this Committee, the elements of the departmental high-level Business Plan 2025-30 which fall within the remit of the Port Health and Environmental Services Committee.