AT A MEETING of the ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on Thursday 16 March 2006.

PRESENT:

Also in attendance: Councillors J. K. Glen and T. G. Knight.

85. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A. S. Carew,

A Edwards, Keith House, R. C. McIntosh and Seán D.T. Woodward.

86. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate declare their interest, and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

87. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2006 were confirmed by the Committee and signed by the Chairman.

Arising thereon:

Minute 82 - Response to the Consultation Paper on Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing

The Director of Environment advised Members that there had been a change in the definition of brownfield sites and the County Council's concern had been included in the response on the consultation paper.

88. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

Members paid tribute to two officers from the Environment Department on their retirement from the service.

Dave Wootton, the Head of Finance for the Environment Department, had been with the Department for 12 years since returning from the private sector. He had been very involved in helping to shape the organisation during the Local Government Reorganisation in 1997 and the merging of the County Surveyor and Planning Departments. More recently he had been Treasurer for POLIS.

Bob Lisney O.B.E. , Assistant Director (Natural Resources), was retiring after 31 years service. Bob was one the country's leading visionaries and influences on waste and resource management. In 1989 he joined the County Surveyor's Department to manage business support functions and was also given responsibility for waste management. His approach to waste management had influenced Government waste management polices and guidance to local authorities. He had been an instigator and Chairman of the National Waste Awareness Initiative and a Chairman of the Resource Recovery Forum and also a key advisor to the Local Government Association. He had worked to embed sustainable development within the County Council including the signing of the Aalborg Commitments and had recently acted as advisor on the review of the National Waste Strategy. In 2000 he was made Municipal Engineer of the Year and awarded an O.B.E for his personal contribution to sustainable waste management.

Both officers were warmly thanked for their work on behalf of the County Council and the Committee wished them both a long and happy retirement.

89. MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

No questions to the Executive Member for Environment : North Hampshire

and Spatial Strategy and the Executive Member for Environment :

South Hampshire and Resource Management had been received.

90. REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING 2005/06

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 7 in

the Minute Book) providing a further update on the budget monitoring

position for the Environment services for the 2005/06 financial year, covering

the budgets for highways and transportation, planning and development and

waste management, to be considered by the Executive Member for

Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management at his meeting on

21 March 2006.

The County Treasurer and Director of Environment advised that due to bad weather, expenditure on highways winter maintenance salting and snow clearance was expected to exceed the budget allowance by approximately £500,000 and this would impact on budgets for the next four years. The overspend would be met from central balances and not affect the cash outturn in the current year. Underspending on School Crossing patrols, staff vacancies and management and support services of £77,000 would be used to bring forward pre-surface dressing patching from the 2006/07 budget.

During the course of discussions Members raised a number of concerns (inter alia):

- the monitoring of the standard of work carried out by contactors

- how the County Council assessed whether charges were competitive

- recruiting procedures for school crossing patrols

- the County Council's policy in defending highway damage claims.

RESOLVED:

That the actions that are being taken to manage the expenditure within the

approved funding allocation be endorsed.

91. 2005/06 AND 2006/07 ENVIRONMENT CAPITAL PROGRAMME -

MONITORING AND DETAILS OF PROGRAMMES

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 7 in

the Minute Book) on the progress with delivery of the 2005/06

Environment Capital Programme and the amendments to the proposed 2006/07

programme, to be considered by the Executive Member for Environment :

South Hampshire and Resource Management at his meeting on 21 March 2006.

In response to a question raised about the County Council's intentions for the

Fareham Station site, the Director of Environment advised Members that the

Minister for Transport had recently clarified the Government's position about

the availability of financial support to support an alternative to the proposed

Light Rapid Transit scheme for Fareham and Gosport. The County Council

would endeavour to protect the proposed route of the transport scheme while

alternatives were examined and officers were currently working with the

district councils in this respect.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, Members offered comments on the

2005/06 and 2006/07 Environment Capital Programme, which were noted by

the Executive Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource

Management.

92. HAMPSHIRE MINERALS AND WASTE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

FRAMEWORK - CORE STRATEGY

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 9 in

the Minute Book) setting out the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local

Development Framework Core Strategy, to be considered by the Cabinet at its

meeting on 20 March 2006.

The Director of Environment expanded on the report and answered Members' detailed questions.

In response to a concern about whether the need to maintain a constant supply of waste for incineration reduced recycling levels, Members were informed that a proportion of the waste stream would never be suitable for recycling. It was noted that countries with higher incineration rates also had higher recycling figures. Members queried whether, in light of the electricity produced, the vehicles used to collect the waste for incineration should be electrically powered.

Members supported the environmental benefits achieved through enclosure of aggregate recycling plants but were advised that this may not be financially viable and the transport impacts may be significant. They agreed with the view that accepting some of London's untreated waste for landfilling would be inconsistent with Hampshire's strategy.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, that the comments offered by the

Members on the Hampshire and Minerals Waste Local Development

Framework - Core Strategy, should be taken into account by the Cabinet at its

meeting on 20 March 2006.

93. IDENTIFYING FUTURE MINERALS AND WASTE SITES

The Committee received and noted a briefing note of the Director of

Environment (Item 10 in the Minute Book) on the need for new minerals and

waste sites to meet the requirements of the `core' Strategy, the methodology

proposed and the factors for evaluation which will be used to assess and

consider the proposed sites

94. PROJECT INTEGRA ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN 2006-11 AND

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO PROJECT INTEGRA

CONSTITUTION; PROJECT INTEGRA JOINT MUNICIPAL

WASTE STRATEGY

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 11 in the Minute Book) concerning Project Integra matters, to be considered by the Executive Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management at his meeting on 21 March 2006 and the Cabinet at its meeting on 20 March 2006. These comprised the Project Integra Business Plan 2006-11; the amendment to the PI Constitution; and the draft PI Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

Members noted that the amendment to the PI Constitution would ensure that the County Council's responsibilities as lead Waste Disposal Authority were better reflected within the Partnership.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee considered the issues regarding the Project Integra

Business Plan 2006-11, the constitutional changes and the Joint Municipal

Waste Management Strategy and offered comments which it believed that the

Executive Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource

Management and the Cabinet should take into account in making its

decisions.

95. REVIEW OF HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORT SERVICE DELIVERY

ARRANGEMENTS (AREA HEADQUARTERS REVIEW)

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 12 in the Minute Book) examining how the highways and transport functions in the Environment Department should be distributed between headquarters and area offices, to best deliver integrated services at a local level, taking account of efficiency and effectiveness considerations, to be considered by the Executive Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management and the Executive Member for Environment : North Hampshire and Spatial Strategy at their meeting on 21 March 2006. The new structure would aim to achieve minimum savings of £250,000. It was noted that the map accompanying the report incorrectly showed the boundaries of southern Test Valley: the boundaries would be along district boundaries.

Members discussed the options of having a three or four area structure and appropriate boundaries but were unable to reach a conclusion as to the advice that the Committee should give to the Executive.

96. PLENARY MEETING ON SOUTH EAST PLAN UPDATE

The Committee received an oral report of the Director of Environment

updating Members on the outcome of the Plenary Meeting of the Regional

Assembly on the South East Plan.

RESOLVED:

That the oral update on the outcome of the Plenary Meeting on the South East

Plan be noted.

97. ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE -

FORWARD PLAN

The Committee received and noted a report of the Chief Executive and

Director of Environment (Item 13 in the Minute Book) setting out issues for

future consideration.

It was noted that the report on Discretionary Service Areas - Service

Improvement Review would be brought to the May meeting and not April as

listed. The report on the Award of Framework Contract : Project Integra

would be submitted the Buildings Land and Procurement Panel. because it

covered procurement matters.