Issue - meetings

Joint Report of the Environmental Health & Licensing Team Leader and Environmental Health Officer

The Committee gave consideration to the report (as set out at pages 10 - 13) which asked it to note the work undertaken by the Environmental Health Section during the second quarter of 2018/19.

Having been briefed on the same, the Committee asked that its concern be placed on record regarding the impact on service delivery and existing workload pressures as a result personnel shortages presently affecting the Environmental Health and Licensing Sections. Whilst the reasons behind this were acknowledged, and it was reported that every effort was being made to uphold business continuity, Members requested that a staffing update in relation to both functions be provided to the next Committee meeting as part of the all-encompassing service review report.

The Committee was advised that that a full and up-to-date financial appraisal in respect of the Pest Control Service, that was to include a year-on-year analysis identifying any service trends, was to be brought to a subsequent meeting of the Service Delivery Committee so that an informed view could then be taken as to its commercial viability in terms of any significant capacity to generate additional income or to breakeven in the future, taking into account seasonal variations in demand.

The Committee was advised that the review and tendering of the new stray dog service contract, that was to include a more pro-active enforcement element in respect of dog-fouling under the recently enacted Public Space Protection Order, continued to be a work in progress and Members would be kept informed. It was envisaged that the contract would awarded and in place by December 2018. An undertaking by Officers was also given to Members to in future provide full follow-up details to reported enforcement matters, particularly in relation to abandoned vehicles, including the signposting of actions to be taken by other relevant agencies.

By affirmation of the meeting, it was

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The contents of the report be noted by Members.