Agenda and draft minutes

The Committee noted that Councillor Devontay Okure had replaced Councillor Sam Gardiner as a member of the Committee.

Councillor Devontay Okure  -  personal reasons

None

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 July 2024

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meetings held on 11 July 2024 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair, subject to the correction of the spelling of Councillor David Mellen’s name under Item 10 – Declarations of Interests.

Report of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Strategic Regeneration, Transport and Communications, Colin Parr, Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services, Mark Bradbury, Contracts and Compliance Manager, and Lyndsey Morrison, Highways Programme Lead, presented a report highlighting the outcomes of the first phase of the Streets for People (SfP) project, and the learning that will be used to inform the delivery of the upcoming second phase. The following points were raised:

a)  The first SfP project started in 2022, combining national Levelling Up grants and Local Transport Plan (LTP) funds totalling £11.5 million into a two-year programme to improve local neighbourhoods. The funding was divided across all city wards based on their latest population and deprivation statistics. Following a process of citywide engagement with residents, potential projects were put forward by local people and then prioritised by the ward councillors under three key themes: highway maintenance, traffic management and road safety, and clean and green.

b)  The range of local projects carried out as part of the SfP developed footways and roads, created five urban greening areas with more trees and improved waste management. They also contributed to the delivery of a range of strategic objectives and local outcomes as set out in the Strategic Council Plan. A strong communications approach was taken to ensure that people knew what projects were being done in their area, and residents were contacted to inform them of the start of upcoming works. Feedback was also sought after the works were completed and a ‘lessons learned’ process was carried out to inform how the delivery of future SfP projects could be improved.

c)  The SfP projects were completed on time and within budget, to achieve the intended outcomes. Work was coordinated with any other related improvements or maintenance planned in the area, to ensure efficient delivery. Care was taken to ensure that spaces were properly tidied up after works were completed, and appropriate future maintenance plans were put in place.

d)  As a result of the first SfP project, a further £5.85 million has been secured from the Goverenment’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) for investment during 2024/25 as part of a second SfP programme. Engagement has resumed in all wards to plan the most needed projects to be carried out across the next year from September 2024 – and discussions are underway with the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (CCA) on how the delivery of SfP schemes might continue in the future.

The Committee raised the following points in discussion:

e)  The Committee asked how it would be ensured that the new trees and urban greening areas were maintained effectively. It was explained that the Council’s Landscapes, Parks and Gardens teams would manage the new greened areas, but the Green team would also engage closely with residents on achieving effective local ownership of and care for community assets. The types of planting carried out were both low maintenance and drought-tolerant. A targeted approach is in place for future planned tree maintenance work. However, viable and sustainable ongoing management and maintenance does need to be considered carefully as part of the planning for new tree planting and urban greening projects.

f)  The Committee asked how SfP activity was coordinated with both other Council teams and wider partners (such as utilities providers) to ensure that newly completed works were not then immediately dug up for other reasons. It was reported that the SfP project team engages as closely as possible with all partners to ensure that it is not necessary for new work to be dug up for other purposes for at least two years. However, sometimes there is a need for unplanned-for work to be carried out and this will be managed on a case-by-case basis.

g)  The Committee asked how residents in places with only street parking were supported when SfP works were carried out – particularly where street parking restrictions were in place across the wider area. It was set out that parking practicalities for residents would be considered as part of planning the delivery of SfP work, and that the Council’s Parking Enforcement teams would be engaged with as part of the process.

h)  The Committee asked whether it would be possible to fund a third phase of SfP, and how the funding weighting to more deprived areas was calculated. It was explained that any further phases of SfP would be funded through the devolved CCA. However, the Council has a proven delivery model in place and the SfP project has attracted interest from other partners within the CCA, so it will be possible to put a strong funding case forward. There will be a significant focus within the CCA on developing effective connectivity between communities across the whole region. Local deprivation is calculated to an established model in consultation with the Planning Policy team, with a portion of the overall funding then allocated across the most deprived areas as additional investment.

i)  The Committee asked how road potholes could be addressed as part of the SfP programme. It was reported that, generally, best practice is for potholes to be filled as part of wider planned capital work – rather than being filled with temporary patches, which deteriorate rapidly. Pothole repairs are approached in the context of risk, so potholes in cycle lanes are prioritised due to the particular danger that they can pose to cyclists. Addressing potholes effectively is a national issue, but it needs to be balanced against ensuring investment in other important neighbourhood improvements.

j)  The Committee asked how effective street sweeping was being delivered, and how the new bins installed as part of SfP would be emptied regularly where specialist equipment was required to do this. It was set out that a review will be carried out to ensure that there is the right distribution of low loaders in place so that the larger public litter bins can be emptied effectively. Some wards purchased a street sweeper as part of a SfP scheme, and sweepers are distributed across the city.

k)  The Committee asked what learning had arisen from the first phase of the SfP programme, and how this could be applied to the delivery of other projects across the Council. It was explained that the project team had engaged closely with all involved teams across the Council. A full log of lessons learned has been produced for the SfP programme, which forms part of the resources available to all other Council teams for planning the delivery of future projects.

l)  The Committee considered that, ultimately, the SfP represented a very positive programme of investment in local neighbourhoods, with projects planned and delivered through effective consultation and engagement with ward councillors and residents. It noted that, where existing public litter bins being changes as part of a SfP project were still serviceable, they could be relocated to replace other poor-quality bins elsewhere. The Committee also noted that care should be taken to ensure that the statistics in relation to deprivation were kept up to date, as levels of deprivation in city communities would change over time.

The Chair thanked the Leader of the Council, the Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services, the Contracts and Compliance Manager, and the Highways Programme Lead for attending the meeting to present the report and answer the Committee’s questions.

Resolved:

1)  To request that further information is provided on:

a)  how it will be ensured that the appropriate low loaders are available for emptying the larger new bins that require them;

b)  the number and locations of the new trees planted as part of the Streets for People schemes;

c)  the number and distribution of the additional street sweepers required; and

d)  how Section 58 Notice costs are passed back to the appropriate utilities provider.

Report of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer

The Chair presented the Committee’s current Work Programme for the 2024/25 municipal year. The following points were discussed:

a)  The Committee discussed what approaches could be taken to develop effective engagement with the wider public in the context of the business on its work programme, as part of informing the Committee’s scrutiny of issues at its meetings.

b)  The Committee noted that work was underway to plan items concerning the reviews of both the city’s libraries and community centres. The work to deliver biodiversity targets and a Child Friendly City were also raised as potential topics for future scrutiny.

c)  It was proposed that the Committee should hold an additional meeting on 18 September 2024 to ratify the recommendations of its Review Group regarding the Heat Network Options, as these would need to be included as part of the report being taken to the Executive Board for resolution at its meeting on 22 October, ahead of the Committee’s next meeting on 6 November.

Resolved to hold an additional meeting of the Committee on Wednesday 18 September 2024 at 1:30pm.

To note.

The Chair presented the latest responses received in relation to the recommendations made by the Committee to the Council’s Executive.

The Committee noted the Recommendation Tracker.