Agenda item

This report sets out progress made within the areas covered by the Portfolio Holder for Business Management Councillor Turpin which fall within the remit of this Committee.

Discussion:

Members received an overview of progress on the areas within the terms of

reference of this Committee covered by Councillor Turpin, Portfolio Holder for Business Management as set out below:

·    Community Officers

·    Emergency Planning

·    Registration

·    Bereavement.

Councillor Turpin paid tribute to the various teams within his Portfolio, in particular the Community Wardens and his praise was supported by Members of the Committee.

Councillor Turpin responded to Members’ questions as follows:

·         Spring Clean Campaign - In response to questions, the Portfolio Holder advised that the recent Spring Clean had been very successful attracting more participants than in 2018 and the event was still ongoing. Should residents wish to undertake more regular litter picks, this could be arranged via the Community Warden Team and Ward Councillors. The Portfolio Holder acknowledged the benefits of using social media to promote community events such as the annual Spring Clean.

·         Preparations for Brexit including information on the Council’s website  - A Member referred to Emergency Planning and sought information as to what plans had been put in place to respond to Brexit. In addition, he asked whether the Council had utilised any of the £210,000 allocated to all local authorities by the Government to prepare for Brexit and if so, what this money had been spent on.

In response, the Portfolio Holder advised that the Council was actively involved in Kent Resilience Forum Groups and he referred to paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9 of his report which provided more detail. He stated that much work was going on behind the scenes in preparation for Brexit but Medway had not established a standalone Forum.

The Portfolio Holder advised that he was unable to provide information as to the use of the £210,000 funding and the Chairman suggested that this information be provided to Members via a briefing note

Another Member referred to the availability of basic Brexit information and weblinks on a number of local authority websites and asked whether Medway would be prepared to consider including similar information on its website. In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that if such information was easily available, he would raise this with the Leader and officers.

·         Community Wardens - Welfare – A Member referred to the difficult job undertaken by the Community Wardens which often bought them into conflict and asked what welfare measures were put in place to support these officers. In response, the Portfolio Holder outlined work being undertaken to encourage citizenship so that members of the public could provide help and support to the wardens in their day to day activities. The Assistant Director Front Line Services reassured the Committee that the Council takes the welfare of all staff seriously and that staff undergo regular 1:1’s and Performance Review sessions along with regular team meetings and away days. In addition, staff were able to access Care First and Occupational Health if they required additional support.

·         Surface water flooding – A Member asked for a Briefing Note providing an update on the flooding incident in Luton.

·         Crematorium  - In response to a question, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that all works at Medway Crematorium had now been completed and the mercury abatement project was in place.

·         Dog walking in parks – In response to concerns as to irresponsible behaviour of dog walkers when letting their dogs loose in parks, the Portfolio Holder drew attention to the Council’s Canine Code and agreed that this could benefit from further promotion.

·    Flytipping– Although flytipping was not within his portfolio, in response to a question about flytipping, the recent decision to reduce the bulky waste charge and whether such decision correlated to the level of flytipping in Medway, the Portfolio Holder advised that a substantial level of flytipped rubbish was not bulky waste.

Decision:

The Committee:

a)            thanked the Portfolio Holder for attending the meeting and answering questions.

b)            requested that a briefing note be supplied on the expenditure of the £210,000 Brexit related funding allocated to the Council by the Government.

c)            noted that the Portfolio Holder has offered to discuss with the Leader of the Council and officers, the inclusion of information on the Council’s website signposting people to relevant Brexit weblinks

d)            requested that all Luton and Wayfield Ward Councillors be provided with an update as to the current position concerning the area of Luton which was subject of a flood in 2018.