Agenda item

To invite the Executive Member for Health and Culture (Councillor T Grogan) to give a review of matters within his portfolio. Requested by the Chair of the Committee in October 2021.

The Chair welcomed the Executive Member for Health and Culture to the meeting. The Executive Member gave an overview of the recent work within his portfolio, which included the following matters:

·           Contract succession for waste management and collection; Selby District Council was currently the only authority in North Yorkshire that outsourced waste collection; a cross-party group would be meeting soon to discuss the contract.

·           Hydro-treated vegetable oil was being trialled as fuel within the waste management operation.

·           The covert camera to detect fly tipping had not yet been installed, but once permission had been granted and a location identified, it would be sited.

·           The number of Covid-19 infections in the district was reducing steadily.

·           With regards to gypsies and travellers, there were differences as to the speed of action that could be taken following their incursions onto public and private land. A pitch currently being dealt with was in Monk Fryston.

·           The Executive Member informed the Committee that he was a member on the Culture and Visitor Economy Board, who were doing a lot of work to encourage members of the public from surrounding areas to visit the Selby district.

·           Artist Dr Katayoun Dowlatshahi had been commissioned to create new public artwork as part of the Transforming Cities Fund, inspired by the ideas of students from Selby College. Examples of the students’ coursework was currently on display in Selby Abbey.

Members of the Committee welcomed the use of the covert camera to tackle fly tipping and suggested that more were required; the siting of the cameras was important, which the Executive Member agreed with, and as a result he would be asking Officers to contact Bradford Council for best practice, as they had over 50.

The Committee asked a number of further questions on various issues including illegal gypsy and traveller camps, the development of arts and culture in the district, jobs, health and wellbeing, covert camera usage, flytipping and environmental crime.

The Executive Member acknowledged the concerns around gypsy and traveller encampments and was working with Officers to deal with the current illegal camp on the A63.

With regards to art and culture there would be a focus on projects and use of grants not just in the district’s towns but also in villages and smaller communities; there were upcoming meetings with Officers to discuss this work as well as a plan for jobs.

Members noted that there was close working by Officers with NYCC on health and wellbeing in local communities, including a link to outreach work with villages in the area.

The Executive Member was unsure as to the future arrangements for waste collection in the district after LGR as discussions and plans were still in their early stages; when he knew more, he would let Members know.

The Committee felt that fly tipping and environmental crimes were not taken seriously enough by the police and justice system, and as such, were not dealt with appropriately. More needed to be done to prosecute it, part of which would be involving the police to a greater extent, with ANPR units used more widely.

The Chair thanked the Executive Member for attending the meeting.

RESOLVED:

                        The Committee noted the update.