Agenda and minutes

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting that took place on 12 March 2020, be approved.

None.

Councillor Laithe Jajeh declared a Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect to Item 10, procurement of the highways term maintenance contract.   He stated that he was an employee of Conway.  He confirmed that this would not have any impact on his ability to consider and determine the item.

None.

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Councillor Alan Schneiderman – Green recovery in Barnet

Councillor Alan Schneiderman was invited by the Chairman to introduce the item. Councillor Schneiderman gave a summary of the issue and requested that the Committee support his item.  He requested that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee to consider this matter in great depth.

During the debate the Interim Director for Environment, Mr Mee stated that he supported the submission of a report.   Councillor Zinkin suggested that this matter be included in the Social Distancing and Public Realm report that is due to be reported at the next meeting on 09 September 2020.  This was unanimously agreed by the Committee and therefore:

Resolved:

-          That the Environment Committee noted the Members Item

-          That the Environment Committee agreed that the matter be included in the Social Distancing and Public Realm report at the next meeting.

Councillor Jo Cooper – Supporting our high streets and town centres

Councillor Cooper was invited by the Chairman to introduce the item and therefore she gave a summary of the issue and requested that the Committee support the item.  In doing so she mentioned the difficulties that businesses had encounter during Covid-19.

The Interim Director for Environment Mr Mee provided the committee with a verbal update and in doing so outlined information in regards to licensing fees.  He said that licence fees would be reduced to help local business. 

Resolved:

-          That the Environment Committee noted the Members Item

-          That the Environment Committee agreed that the licence fees be reduced and noted that an update be provided to the Committee when possible.

Geoff Cooke - 20mph Zones

Councillor Cooke was invited by the Chairman to introduce the item and therefore he gave a summary of the issue and requested that the Committee support the item.    He also requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting. 

The chairman said that the current policy was reviewed on a site by site basis and noted that that there was no current plan to amend the policy.

During the debate Councillor Zinkin stated that 20mph zone are tricky to enforce.  He noted that the Environment Committee was due to receive the Traffic, Parking and CPZ strategic policy review report that there suggested that the Interim Director for Environment., Mr Mee include a section on 20 mph zones, include what has been achieved, the impact and how this matter could be taken forward.       

Councillor Alan Schneiderman said that he supported Councillor Cooke’s items and requested that there should be a change in the policy to make it easier for 20mph zones to be implemented.   Councillor Cooper noted a scheme in Cromer Road and requested an update.    Mr Mee said that he would arrange for an update to be provided directly to Councillor Cooper. 

Councillor Byers noted that there was a Government review on the data around 20 mph zones in 2018 and therefore he suggested that any future report should include a reference  to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The report was introduced by the Interim Executive Director for Environment, Mr Geoff Mee. He therefore provided a summary of the report.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to consider the report and raise questions to the Interim Director for Environment Committee.

Councillor Laithe Jajeh gave praise to the Interim Director of Environment, Mr Mee, his management team and to all Officers for all their hard work during  Covid-19.   This was supported by the Committee.

Having considered the report the committee:

Resolved:

That the Environment Committee noted the Covid 19 related decisions made by Officers following the Urgency Committee on 27 April 2020 as set out in Appendix A and B.

The report was introduced by the Interim Executive Director for Environment, Mr Geoff Mee. He therefore provided a summary of the report.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to consider the report and raise questions to the Interim Director for Environment Committee.

Having considered the report the committee unanimously:

Resolved:

-          That the Environment Committee noted the progress with the implementation of Phase one procurement of the DfT Street Manager Solution.

-          That the Environment Committee noted the outcome of the procurement options analysis and agreed to the commencement of the Phase two procurement exercise to progress the replacement of the entire Exor Asset Management System using the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) G-Cloud 11 Framework.

-          That the Environment Committee noted the outcome of the procurement will be subject to contract award in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules, being delegated to the Interim Executive Director for Environment, in consultation with the Chairman of the Environment Committee.

-          The Environment Committee noted that a report will be submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee in order to outline the additional budget requirement and therefore seek approval to enter into a contract with the preferred supplier.

The report was introduced by the Interim Executive Director for Environment, Mr Geoff Mee. He therefore provided a summary of the report.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to consider the report and raise questions to the Interim Director for Environment Committee.

During the debate Councillor Cooke noted that he wished to vote against recommendation two.

Having consider the report the Committee then Chairman moved to the vote and therefore requested Members voted on recommendation 1:

Having considered the report the committee:

Resolved

1.    That the Environment Committee approves the selected objectives for the Flood Risk Management Plans Cycle Two, 2021 enabling the Interim Executive Director for Environment to proceed with the drafting of measures corresponding to each of the chosen objectives.

The vote was unanimous:

The Chairman then moved to vote on recommendation 2:

2.    That the Environment Committee delegates authority to the Interim Executive Director for Environment to approve the measures corresponding to the objectives defined in this report in consultation with the Environment Committee Chairman.

The Vote recorded was:

6 – For

4 – Against

The report was introduced by the Interim Executive Director for Environment, Mr Geoff Mee. He provided a full outlined of the report and requested that the Committee give consideration to the report and the recommendations: 

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to consider the report and raise questions to the Interim Director for Environment Committee.

Having considered the report the committee unanimously:

Resolved:

1.    That the Environment Committee noted the outcome of the options assessment and the recommendation to progressing an extension of the current contract.

2.    That the Environment Committee approved the contract extension and provides authority for the Interim Director for Environment to enter into a formal commercial settlement with the current Highways Term Maintenance Contractor to settle all outstanding claims before extending the current contract.

3.    That the Environment Committee delegated authority to the Interim Executive Director for Environment to finalise the terms of the contract extension and to enter into the contract extension.

4.      That the Environment Committee noted that there may be an additional budget requirement over and above what was agreed when the contract was originally let to account for an additional two and half years of throughput. Therefore, a report may need to be brought to Policy & Resources Committee which has responsibility for amendments to the revenue budget (Financial Regulations Section 2.4.3) and additions to the capital budget (Financial Regulations Section 2.4.5).

5.    The Environment Committee noted the exempt information.

Councillor Peter Zinkin made a verbal correction on some of the items listed, this was noted.    He added that the Committee had also agreed that 20mph be added to Traffic, Parking and CPZ strategic policy review and the Social Distancing and Public Realm to include a review of Green Barnet.   

Councillor Cooper noted that ‘Council’ had agreed to consider a policy on fly tipping, including better education, communication and enforcement.  It was noted that this be included to be added to the work programme.  Councillor Cooke requested that a Members Item in his name in January on a policy of Penalty charges for littering and fly tipping.   Mr Mee said it would be suitable to merge both request’s in a future Enforcement report. 

Councillor Alan Schneiderman requested that an update on the North West London Authority Heat and Power Project.   The Chairman stated that this could be emailed to members and therefore not be a committee report.   It was suggested that all Members be invited to attend a briefing on the project.

None.