Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

No declarations were made.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the meeting held on the 1^st March 2023 were agreed as an accurate record.

The Panel considered a report by The Senior Environmental Protection Officer, which outlined the Contaminated Land Strategy and Hardship Policy.

During discussion, the principal points were noted:

·         Members queried whether there was a list of specific sites within North Northampton, which were designated as contaminated land.

·         Members queried whether owners of houses built upon potentially contaminated land had been informed.

In response, The Senior Environmental Protection Officer clarified that:

·         The report did not include a list of specific contaminated sites, since this information was commercially confidential. Nevertheless, each sovereign council had identified potentially contaminated sites, which had been prioritised for inspection.

·         Prior to 2000, contaminated land regulations were not in place therefore, a number of houses were built on land that had not been investigated - these areas had been identified as potentially contaminated. Since 2000 almost all sites had been investigated and remediated.

RESOLVED that: The report be noted.

The Panel considered a report by The Team Leader for Environmental Protection, which outlined the proposed North Northamptonshire Public Spaces Protection Order 2023, regarding dog control.

During discussion, the principal points were noted:

·         Whilst recognising that dog enforcement was necessary in some areas, one member emphasised the importance of exercise for dogs and suggested that ‘inclusion’ should also be promoted.

·         Members queried whether PSPOs were effective if they were not enforced, since only six fixed penalty notices had been issues since 2021.

·         Members suggested that installation of extra waste bins would encourage dog owners to clean up their pets’ waste.

In response, The Team Leader for Environmental Protection clarified that:

·         Patrols in areas with PSPOs were frequent and although fixed penalty notices were not always issued, advice and warnings were given to offenders. Enforcement would also be restructured across multiple teams within different directorates.

RESOLVED that: The report be noted.

The Panel considered a report by The Head of Economy and Strategy, which outlined Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy for North Northamptonshire.

During discussion, the principal points were noted:

·         One member expressed concern that on-street chargers could take space away from pedestrians areas and suggested that they be placed within islands on roads. The member also advocated for the use of cable protectors on pavements to prevent trip hazards.

·         Members queried whether lamp post charging would be free to use and if not, how it would be billed.

In response, The Head of Economy and Strategy clarified that:

·         The space constraints of on-street charging would be considered. Operators offered solutions such as flush-charging, to avoid permanently installed structures on pavements. 

·         It was presumed that users would pay for lamp post charging.

RESOLVED that: The report be noted.

The Panel considered a report by The Head of Strategic Transport, which outlined the Kettering Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) public consultation.

During discussion, the principal points were noted:

·         Members supported that consultation and suggested that public engagement would be key in promoting the LCWIP.

·         One member posited that additional areas for bikes to be locked up/stored were required.

·         Members expressed concern regarding the maintenance of bike paths, since certain routes were hindered by overgrown grass and hedges.

In response, The Head of Strategic Transport clarified that:

·         The government process for LCWIPs was very urban-focused however the Local Authority would also seek to implement cycling infrastructure within the Ise Greenway. Active Travel England were also expected to release guidance around this.

RESOLVED that: The report be noted.

The Democratic Services Officer presented the EAP Sustainable Communities Forward Plan and clarified that the agenda of the next meeting would include the following items:

·         Woodland Management Update

·         Local Nature Recovery Strategy Engagement

·         Carbon Management Pan Q1 Update

RESOLVED that: The report be noted.

It was noted that the next meeting of the EAP Sustainable Communities would be held virtually, via Zoom, on Wednesday 14^th June 2023 at 9:30am.