Agenda item

Report of the Interim Head of Communities.

The Committee gave consideration to the report (at pages 6 - 19) and the agenda update (at pages 1 - 8) as delivered and summarised by the Interim Head of Communities which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

A debate thereon was had by Members who considered the following in turn.

Asbestos Case - Marstown Avenue, South Wigston

The Committee was advised that residents could seek compensation from the perpetrator and the owners of the garages but that this would be a civil claim and that those affected residents had already been given this advice.

It was also advised that the specified date at paragraph 3.1 for failure to undertake works was 9 October 2017 and that an email response had been received from the owner of the garages who was not happy at the Councils’ action.

Members’ were advised that with asbestos there could be no shortcuts and therefore action would continue to be pursued.

Dog Fouling

Members stated that they were still receiving many complaints in relation to dog fouling and believed that a prosecution of persistent offenders would help send out the right message.

By analogy, the Committee was advised that there had only been one prosecution since 2005 within the North West Leicestershire District Council area and that an on-looker’s video evidence on their mobile telephone could be used in any prosecution.

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO’s)

The Committee was advised that the PSPO’s would first need to be considered by full Council for approval before coming into force.

Pest Control

The Committee was advised that the Council had been liaising with a neighbouring authority to undertake some of their work in the area of sewer baiting. As the take up of services was slow since the expansion of the service into the commercial sector, it was agreed that the financials were to be reviewed again at the next meeting.

The Committee was advised that the timeframe relating to the table of pest control requests at paragraph 2.4 were those requests received since the last meeting.

The Committee were advised that the fees and charges were reviewed earlier this year and although the Council’s costs had been significantly raised, they were still competitive against the larger more well known companies and all efforts were being made to make the service more commercially-viable.

Food

The Committee was advised that an inspection for a newly opened food premises would take place as soon as possible but within two month timescale. Once the establishment has been rated, their rating would determine the timing of future inspections: if rated a 5, it would be two-yearly inspections, however, if rate a 1 or 2, it would be six-monthly inspections.

Licensing

With reference to Members citing several news reports recently regarding UBER, the Committee were advised that UBER did not hold an operator’s licence (OL) with this Council as they failed to meet its policy requirements. Drivers who had applied to this Council who had listed UBER as their operator had been rejected. It was said that UBER did however hold an OL with Leicester City Council and Blaby District Council.

The Committee heard that this issue of the same reports going before two different Committees had already been raised with Senior Management Team and required further clarification and liaison with the Senior Democratic Services Officer / Legal Officer. This matter was said to be reported back to the next meeting.

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by Councillor G A Boulter and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

(i)       The contents of the report be noted by Member.

(ii)     The final draft of the Public Space Protection Order be approved.