pdfMachine by Broadgun Software - a great PDF writer! - a great PDF creator! - http://www.pdfmachine.com http://www.broadgun.com EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE – 10 MARCH 2005 Present: Councillor L Marmara (Chairman) Councillor B Gillbard (Deputy Town Maor) Councillors Mrs Collins DL and Mrs Wilson Councillors Jarrett, Johnson, Lord and Matthews Also present: Councillor Baldwin 333 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME There being no public present Members moved on to the next item of business at 7.46 p.m. 334 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Councillors Dixon, Mrs Mainstone and Mrs Waddingham. 335 MINUTES RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 13th January 2005, having been previously circulated, be confirmed and signed by the Chairman. 336 MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF PREJUDICIAL AND PERSONAL INTEREST * Councillor Mrs Collins disclosed personal interests in Min. 345 Queen Victoria Hospital Burns Unit, as she is a non-Executive Director of Queen Victoria Hospital Trust and Mins. 338, 340 and 342 as she is a Member of West Sussex County Council. * Councillor Lord disclosed a personal interest in Min. 345 Queen Victoria Hospital Burns Unit, as he is an elected Governor. * Councillor Matthews disclosed a personal interest in Min. 345 Queen Victoria Hospital Burns Unit, as he is a member of the League of Friends of QVH. 337 PRESENTATION FROM IAN BURTON, HEAD OF OUTDOOR BUSINESS (ENVIRONMENT) WITH MID SUSSEX DISTRICT COUNCIL The Chairman was pleased to welcome Ian Burton who had agreed to speak on the recent changes at Mid Sussex District Council specifically in relation to his own extensive sphere of work and then to answer questions. Mr Burton advised of the substantial organisational and service changes implemented at the District Council during the previous year. One of the key benefits of this has been enhanced community engagement and a clearer statement of the Council’s aspirations and visions. There has been enhanced clarity in corporate direction. He was pleased that outdoor facilities had received a high CPA rating and consistently good community feedback. Mr Burton advised that as Head of Outdoor Business (Environment) he is one of eleven Heads of Service. The Corporate Plan provides for better environment, better lives and better services. In his own sphere better environment means 204 maintaining and enhancing the environment, increasing waste recyclables and issues pertaining to town centres redevelopment. This impacts upon other service areas also and one of the thrusts of the change is that services no longer operate in a silo mentality. Better lives means healthy life style, improving community safety, social inclusion – making facilities available to all and reducing fear of crime. There is an emphasis on utilising green spaces for greater public good. Better services are addressed through value for money, quality, enhanced profile and better customer care. His services include car parks, public toilets, highways cleaning, drainage, refuse and contaminated land. He is particularly passionate about landscape and green space and better-managed space between buildings. Mr Burton explained that whilst some of his services have a positive dimension, others have a negative focus. The positives include green spaces, parks, outdoor sports and outdoor events. The negatives relate to the amount of waste that finds its way into the main refuse stream and infill, the low level of recycling (although Mid Sussex District Council remains in the top quartile), the insatiable demand for cars, with resultant pollution, and issues of vandalism and antisocial behaviour that have major budgetary implications. Contaminated land and dog fouling are other negatives. Mr Burton advised that we need to recognise, conserve and manage what we take for granted or we will lose it. There are constant threats to the Sussex countryside. He advised that during the last year his services have been reviewed and Mid Sussex District Council is taking a lead in deciding how issues can be progressed. Savings have been achieved and some of these will be reinvested for environmental improvements. There are ongoing discussions with the town councils regarding this. Issues of landscape, biodiversity and our green heritage are being firmly addressed in action plans. These seek to protect and enhance what Mid Sussex has. There is a trial initiative with six parishes in which best practice experiences will be shared at a conference later in 2005. The District Council is working with the County Council to provide better information about the landscape and biodiversity we have. This includes a mapping of settlements within the District to see how they have developed over time. In relation to the town centres redevelopment Mr Burton emphasised that this needs proper planning and provision for outdoor infrastructure including refurbishment and renewal. In his view Thornfields are first seeking to achieve design of space and infrastructure before tackling buildings issues. He also drew attention to the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment and the work they are developing in increasing the profile of parks. These have generally been underestimated and under-resourced for many years. He commended the Commission’s work in promoting public space as being for everyone. Members then asked a number of questions relating to crime and disorder, business development, social inclusion, recycling and public toilets. He noted the request that one of the Viridor bus road shows should be held in East Grinstead and would discuss this with appropriate officers. He also confirmed that the District Council is seeking to address concerns regarding green waste being included within the main waste stream, a particular issue when the public are having to purchase green sacks for the purpose of disposing of this waste. He stressed that generally waste disposal issues need to be addressed in conjunction with the County Council. Mr Burton also answered concerns about public toilet provision and explained that the District Council is urgently seeking to address this issue in the context of years of neglect. There is a commitment to ensuring continuation of public toilets in East 205 Grinstead Town Centre, although the future configuration is still uncertain. Long term, the objective is to have fewer but better located and higher quality toilets in the town centres. At the end of the questions the Chairman thanked Mr Burton for his informative presentation and the helpful and courteous way he had answered their questions. 338 WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL LOCAL COMMITTEES Committee gave detailed consideration to the Town Clerk’s report and the report considered by the West Sussex County Council Governance Committee on 21st February 2005 that had been attached to the Committee papers as Appendix A. Members welcomed the establishment of locality working through Local Committees, something that they had been advocating for a number of years. They emphasised that for such Committees to be effective they need to be based upon real and effective communities. They had particular reservations as to the inclusion of Slaugham in the Northern Mid Sussex Area Committee as they felt that there was no real sense of community there with East Grinstead and they also questioned whether Ardingly and Balcombe would not be better positioned in Central Mid Sussex rather than in the Northern Area. It was also the view of Members that to be effective the new Area Committees require budgets. Whilst there was recognition that local decisions will be made by West Sussex County Councillors it was important that there is a real sense of partnership within the new locality working framework and that District Councillors and Councillors from town/parish councils have a real sense of belonging and engagement and that they do not feel that they are merely there to make up the numbers. Members felt that West Sussex County Council should look closely at best practice in other counties that are more advanced in locality working. Reference was made particularly to Surrey, which provides small budgets to County Councillors to progress issues that they regard as priority within their Wards. It was felt that this will also, coupled with the engagement of Members from District, Towns and Parishes, be a real demonstration of commitment to the sorts of initiatives now being lauded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, particularly in relation to local leadership and neighbourhood management. Finally, Members felt that the fifth paragraph of the Executive Summary was open to various interpretations. Committee affirmed their commitment to public engagement within the new Area Committees, within a clearly established structural arrangement. RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk be instructed to forward a copy of the above minute to the County Secretary of West Sussex County Council as representing the Town Council’s formal response to their consultation on Local Committees and that it be requested that those views be made known to the County Council at their meeting on 18th March 2005. 339 PUBLIC PAYPHONE IN DE LA WARR ROAD (Min 52 10.6.04) Committee noted with pleasure the decision of BT to retain the public payphone in De La Warr Road (01342 323559) subsequent to the objection of the Town Council in response to the original consultation on BT Payphones proposed removal. 206 Members also noted that this matter would be kept under review. 207 340 WEST SUSSEX TRANSPORT PLAN STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION 2006 – 2016 AND NORTH MID SUSSEX AREA TRANSPORT ISSUES (Mins 269 & 270 13.1.05) The Town Clerk’s report relating to the above consultations was noted. 341 PEOPLE, PLACES AND PROSPERITY – ODPM REPORTS Members gave detailed consideration to the Town Clerk’s report that focused upon the recent strategy documents produced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister helping to inform the overall vision of what Local Government in England should look like in 10 years time and the specific issues that need to be considered.