Present at the meeting
- Councillor D T Molyneux (Cabinet champion)(In the Chair)
- Councillor N D Ash
- Councillor Mrs J S Birch
- Councillor R Clayton
- Councillor G Davies
- Councillor J Haley
- Councillor E N Houlton
- Councillor P Prescott
- Councillor W Rotherham
- Councillor G Wilkes
- Mr J Healen (Co-opted Member)
- Mr D McQueen (Co-opted Member)
12. Welcome to new Member: The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, extended a warm welcome to Councillor E N Houlton, a new Member to the Panel.
13. Apologies for absence: Councillors Mrs J Prescott and W J Wilkes.
14. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 6 June 2007 were approved as a correct record.
15. Transport innovation fund – implications for Wigan: The Panel considered a report, which had been submitted to Cabinet (minute 72 refers), and Regeneration Panel (minute 16 refers), on the implications for the Council of a Greater Manchester bid for the Government’s transport innovation fund (TIF) resources. If successful, this could result in almost £3 billion worth of transport related infrastructure schemes being rolled out across Greater Manchester over the next 10 to 15 years. The expectation was that public transport schemes would be implemented and this would then create the opportunity to introduce a road-user charging scheme for peak time journeys into and out of the regional centre, as part of an integrated transport strategy (Cabinet minute 434 of April 2007 refers).
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
16. Wigan local development framework – adoption of development and protected species supplementary planning document: The Panel considered a report, which had been submitted to Cabinet on 25 January 2007 (minute 331 refers), advising of the adoption of ‘development and protected species’ supplementary planning document following the public consultation exercise.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
17. Travel plans supplementary planning document: recommendation for amendments prior to adoption: The Panel considered a report which had been submitted to Cabinet (minute 44 refers) and Planning Committee (minute 10 refers) on the outcome of the public consultation exercise for the ‘travel plans’ supplementary planning document (SPD) and sustainability appraisal report. The report also sought approval for amendments to the document prior to adoption.
Cabinet and Planning Committee had endorsed the amendments to the SPD and had adopted the revised ‘travel plans’ document as a local development document.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
18. Environmental Services interim service plan 2007/08: The Panel considered a report which had been submitted to the Community Protection Panel (minute 25 refers) and Regeneration Panel (minute 15 refers) advising Members of the Environmental Services Department’s planning arrangements for 2007/08 including actual performance from 2006/07. The plan showed how the Environmental Services department contributed to the overall Council Vision, how it focused on customers, the resources used, key performance measures and tasks and risks managed.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
19. Adoption of streets and highway drains: The Panel considered a report advising Members of the Director of Environmental Services’ approval to the adoption of streets.
A Member asked a question to which the Director of Environmental Services would respond following the meeting.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted and approves the action taken.
20. Seatbelts and mobile telephone misuse whilst driving campaign: The Panel considered a report informing Members of the outcomes of the third road safety enforcement exercise which had been undertaken in partnership with the Council’s road safety officers, Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. The campaign took place on Saturday 9 June 2007 over a six hour period when more than 200 motorists had been stopped. All agencies confirmed that the campaign had again been a success and a good example of positive partnership working.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel (1) notes the report now submitted; and
(2) endorses the partnership approach to enforcement and education in making the roads of Wigan safer for all.
21. 20 mph outside schools – strategy application results: The Panel considered a report which had been submitted to Cabinet (minute 77 refers) informing Members of the result and prioritised list of schools to be treated following the application of the approved 20 mph outside schools strategy.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
22. Questions by Members at Panel meetings :
Councillor G Davies raised the following written question (circulated at the meeting) to which the Director of Environmental Services responded:
‘We have increased our recycling targets from 15% in 2005 to 27% this year which is a brilliant achievement. With future schemes and initiatives on the way, such as:
- further waste education
- expansion of kerbside garden waste collection
- kerbside collection of glass, cans and plastic bottles
are we on target with the resources to have these in place for the Borough by the end of 2009?’
Councillor G Davies also circulated copies of a document on current waste services by the Waste Disposal Manager for information.
Councillor G Wilkes raised questions at the meeting regarding wheelie bins and the possibility of the publication of more information to the public regarding waste collection in the borough, to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Councillor R Clayton raised a question regarding the types of bins to be issued in the future to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the questions raised and the responses submitted.
