Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Waste and Emergency Planning held on 3^rd March, 2014, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to the update provided by the Emergency and Safety Manager.  The update included:-

(a) Business Continuity

-          Commenced exercise scoping with multi-agency partners for exercise Cygnus (national pandemic influenza exercise), in which local contingency plans will be tested;

-          Commenced reviewing arrangements in both Rotherham and Sheffield for excess deaths, with a view to an updated framework being produced and tested as part of exercise Cygnus (as above);

-          Engagement with a number of teams to enrich their business continuity plans (and continued migration to the e-system);

-          Attendance at de-briefers course;

-          Sheffield Pandemic Influenza plan final draft circulated for consultation.

(b) Emergency Planning

-          Recruited a new part-time member of staff to replace an officer who has retired;

-          preparation for the corporate exercise which will take place on Thursday 15th May 2014 at Riverside House;

-          attendance at the de-briefers course, organised by the Local Resilience Forum;

-          carried out a review into the management of Public Safety in Events within the Borough area;

-          planning this Council’s component for the multi-agency response to the planned public demonstration on Saturday 10th May 2014 in Rotherham.

(c) Health, Welfare and Safety

-          carried out an asbestos refurbishment survey at a primary school;

-          undertook an unplanned inspection of a Streetpride Construction Team, carrying out resurfacing work on a pedestrian footpath at Doncaster Road, Thrybergh; during the inspection, all staff on site were adhering to good health and safety practices and the correct personal protective equipment was being worn by everyone; further discussions will take place about the procedures in place for checking for underground services;

-          conducted fire safety training for staff working at a primary school and at a secondary school;

-          a fire alarm test was carried out at a primary school;

-          meetings with managers working in the Highways Section of Streetpride; examining procedures for safe excavation at construction sites;

-          advice to a primary school site manager on the correct use of harnesses, whilst working at height.

Resolved:- That the update be noted and the Emergency and Safety Manager and the be thanked for their contribution.

Further to Minute No. 71 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Waste and Emergency Planning held on 18^th March, 2013, consideration was given to a report presented by the Leisure and Community Services Area Manager, detailing proposed street cleansing methods of operation resulting from the trails undertaken during the past twelve months. The methods detailed were:-

-          scheduled cleansing rounds;

-          district cleansing;

-          use of hotspot team and ‘superblitz’ cleansing;

-          mechanical sweeping.

The report stated that monitoring of the arrangements will be undertaken and, if any necessary modifications are identified, they will be implemented at appropriate times during the year. The changes to the method of operations will be accommodated within the existing Street Cleansing budget.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That proposed street cleansing methods of operation, as detailed in the report now submitted, be approved and implemented.

Further to Minute No. 72 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Waste and Emergency Planning held on 18^th March, 2013, discussion took place on the replacement programme of concrete litter bins, throughout the Borough area.

Further to Minute No. 42 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Waste and Emergency Planning held on 3rd February, 2014 and Minute No. 185 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5th February, 2014, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Waste Strategy Manager, which reviewed the current provision of the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Rotherham and proposed the reduction of opening days to achieve the budgetary savings required for the 2014/2015 financial year.

The report stated that the Council, as a Waste Disposal Authority, has a statutory obligation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for “places to be provided at which persons resident in its area may deposit their household waste and for the disposal of waste so deposited”.  Waste Disposal Authorities have discretion to decide how they fulfill this duty, both in respect of how many Centres are provided, their locations and their opening days and hours.

The management of Rotherham’s HWRCs is arranged through a joint BDR (Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham) contract with FCC Environment Limited.  The contract with FCC Environment Limited sets out that company’s duties in relation to the Council’s network of HWRCs.  In order to change any contractual obligation, a variation to contract has to be agreed with the service provider.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That, with effect from 1t June, 2014, the following reduction of opening days be applied to the Household Waste Recycling Centres listed below:-

(a) Magilla, Common Lane, North Anston - closed on Tuesday each week;

(b) Car Hill, Rotherham – closed on Wednesday each week;

(c) Warren Vale, Rawmarsh – closed on Thursday each week; and

(d) Lidget Lane, Ravenfield – closed on Friday each week.

(3) That a further report about the reduction in the Centres’ opening days be submitted to a meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Waste and Emergency Planning, during January 2015, to determine whether the budget savings can be achieved.

Consideration was given to the update provided by the Waste Strategy Manager, Environment and Development Services. The update included:-

(a) waste is now being delivered to the Sheffield Erf and Salmon Pastures transfer station;

(b) implications of the revised commercial waste collection rounds;

(c) issues concerning the contract for the clinical waste collection service.

Members requested that officers investigate the cleansing arrangements in respect of the Woodlaithes Village, as the adoption of highways within this estate has not yet been completed.

Resolved:- That the update be noted and the Waste Strategy Manager be thanked for his contribution.