Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mary McCartney and Mel Hobson. Councillor Chris Pearson was in attendance as a substitute for Councillor Hobson.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already entered in their Register of Interests.

Councillors should leave the meeting and take no part in the consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests. Having made the declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring Officer.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Policy Review Committee held on 16 January 2018.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2018. Members asked that under minute item 13 – Executive Hire Working Group Update, the spelling of ‘discreet’ be checked in relation to vehicle licences.

RESOLVED: 

To approve the minutes of the Policy Review Committee held on 16 January 2018 for signing by the Chair, subject to Officers checking the spelling of ‘discreet’ in relation to vehicle licences at minute item 13.

The Chair had no address for the Committee.

To consider and comment on the Draft Tree Management Policy.

The Committee received a report from the Contracts Team Leader and the Commissioning and Procurement Team Leader, and were asked to consider and comment on the Draft Tree Management Policy in order to inform the consultation draft of the policy prior to a period of formal public consultation.

The Committee noted that Selby District Council had a statutory responsibility for the management and maintenance of trees on Council owned land. The Council intended to formalise and publicise the policy and approach to managing trees, which would allow the Council to more efficiently manage the trees on Council owned land. It would also enable a consistent approach to managing the range of enquiries and requests for works that were received, and ensure that risks were managed effectively to ensure public safety.

Members asked if there were plans available that showed which areas of trees the Council or Parish Councils were responsible for; the Contracts Team Leader confirmed that there were plans for those areas maintained under the Environmental Services contract, and that these could be circulated to Members as required.

The maintenance of the deciduous trees on Hambleton Hough was also queried by the Committee; it was noted that management of the site was through a separate agreement with the Wildlife Habitat Protection Trust and that further information would need to be requested from the Communities Team. Members also requested clarification on tree ownership and responsibilities if a site was jointly owned by the Council and the Local Health Authority.

Officers confirmed that they would insert a sentence in the policy around privately owned trees affecting Council property and that in such an instance, the private owner of the tree should be contacted to deal with the issue. The Committee also noted that there was no responsibility for the Council to clear up leaf or  blossom fall from Council owned trees if they fell on private property. However, if naturally occurring tree behaviour like blossom or leaf fall occurred on  adopted highways, this would be dealt with via routine cleansing.

The Committee expressed its support for Officers exploring access to funds and projects, such as community orchards, to increase the number of trees in the District.

Members asked Officers to explain what publicity would be taking place to advertise the policy when it came into effect; it was confirmed that publicity would be carried out via the internet, social media, press releases, local or tenant newsletters and via Parish Councils. A web page was also being developed on the Council’s website that would hold all relevant information relating to trees and their management that the public or Officers might find useful.

The disposal of green waste resulting from tree felling or trimming was discussed by the Committee. Officers were asked to look into the potential market for the purchase of felled tree logs for fuel or firewood, although the small numbers may make this unsustainable. Historically, any felled tree was cut up and left for local residents to take away.

Officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To consider the current Policy Review Committee Work Programme for 2017/18 and to start to plan for the following 2018/19 year. Copies of the current Work Programme and the draft 2018/19 Work Programme are included for information.

The Committee considered the current 2017/18 Work Programme and the draft 2018/19 Work Programme. Members asked that the Annual Report of 2017/18 be added for consideration at the next meeting of the Committee on 17 April 2018.

The Committee were asked to send any further suggestions for Work programme items for 2018/19 to the Chairman and Democratic Services Officer.

RESOLVED:

i)       To note the Committee’s Work Programme for the remainder of the 2017/18 year, and the proposed plan for the 2018/19 year.

ii)     To include the Policy Review Committee’s Annual Report on both the 2017/18 and 2018/19 Work Programmes for consideration in April 2018 and April 2019 respectively.

iii)    To ask Committee Members to suggest topics they would wish to see on the 2018/19 Work Programme, and to send these to the Chair and Democratic Services Officer.