Previous reference: Minute 20 (2017/18)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “O”) updates Members on future changes to Street Cleansing, Parks, Environmental Enforcement and Warden Services.  The report also provides an update on performance and information on current and planned initiatives and the merger of the Parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

Recommended –

1.    That the information contained in Document “O” be noted and welcomed.

2.    That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to present a further report, in 2019, outlining a new operational model for the service based on constituency working.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee/ Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Damian Fisher - 01274 437146 / Louise Williams – 01274 431066)

Resolved –

1.    That the information contained in Document “O” be noted.

2.    That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to present a further report, in February 2019, which presents options for a new operational model, including details of staff changes, for the service.

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee/ Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Damian Fisher - 01274 437146 / Louise Williams – 01274 431066

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “O”) updated Members on future changes to Street Cleansing, Parks, Environmental Enforcement and Warden Services.  The report also provided an update on performance and information on current and planned initiatives and the merger of the Parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

Document “O” reminded Members of the Street Cleansing Services requirement to deliver a 25% reduction in its budget for the year 2019/20.  The removal of £1m from the budget meant there had to be significant redesign of how the service was operated.  It was also intended to merge Street Cleansing with the Parks Service to ensure greater efficiency between the two services.

The transformation covered three distinct changes:

·      ‘Lift & shift’ merger of Parks and Landscapes operation to Neighbourhood Services and a joined management structure for Street Cleansing and Parks

·      Separation of Council Wardens into two distinct roles – civil enforcement and community engagement/environmental enforcement

·      Reduction of Street Cleansing resources. Specifically  the loss of 25 frontline staff and 5 mechanical sweepers

Negotiations were being conducted with the trade unions regarding assimilation of staff into the new structure. It was intended that the frontline parks staff would move into Neighbourhoods in April 2019. Whilst new operational arrangements in Street Cleansing were bedded in Area Coordinators would need to assess the parks operation in detail and how both operations could link together in the future. This was estimated to take a year including assessments of all current operations, roles, synergies, responsibilities, locations and any joined up working.

Document “O” reported changes to the Warden Services and whilst numbers would remain the same two different types of wardens would be created.  The wardens would be known as Council Wardens and Neighbourhood Wardens.  Their distinct roles, with Council Wardens acting as Civil Enforcement Officers and Neighbourhood Wardens focusing on environmental education and enforcement based in area teams, was explained in detail.

Operational changes to Street Cleansing within the district were reported and would create 23 new gateway routes that would cover busy gateway and arterial routes.  It was estimated that those prescribed routes would last two to three hours and require crews to start earlier at 6.00am.  Upon completion of those routes crews would be deployed in their constituency areas.  Due to the reduction in staff numbers it was felt that maintaining consistent ward based teams was not seen as viable. 

Following a very detailed presentation Members raised a number of issues including:-

·         An increase in re-active wardens was welcomed.

·         It was not felt that concentrating on street cleansing routes was always the best method.

·         The Keighley constituency contained three substantial centres and this should be taken account with regard to operational changes to the street cleansing routes.

A Member referred to data contained in Document “O” which suggested that less tonnage was being collected from fly tipping.  He questioned if that was because less rubbish was actually tipped.  In response it was explained that the data he referred to was a record  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33