Minute
North Lanarkshire Council · 3 May 2023
Back to Environment and Climate Change Committee — 3 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE - 3 MAY 2023 36 3 May 2023 at 2 pm. A Meeting of the ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor Loughran, Convener; Councillor McPhilemy, Vice-Convener; Councillors Carragher, Duffy, Fotheringham, Goldie, D. Johnston, Leckie, Masterton, McBride, McDade, McKay, Mitchell, Reddin, Roarty, Smith, Thomas, Williams, Wilson and Woods. ALSO PRESENT In accordance with Standing Order 64(A) Councillors Bustard, Watson and Hughes attended as substitutes for Councillors M. McCulloch, Nolan and A. Stubbs respectively. CHAIR Councillor Loughran (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE The Chief Officer (Community Operations); Chief Officer (Place); Infrastructure and Transportation Manager, and Democratic Services Manager. APOLOGIES Councillors M. McCulloch, Nolan and A. Stubbs, DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC. (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000 1. Councillors Goldie and Smith, by virtue of being appointed by the Council to, respectively, Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Joint Committee and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, each declared an interest in respect of paragraph 5 – Oversight Report – Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme 2021/22 – and both left the meeting during consideration of this matter. ENVIRONMENT PATHWAY 2. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) reminding the Committee that the original Environment Strategy had brought together strategies, policies and plans relating to North Lanarkshire's environment and that this had been approved at the former Environment and Transportation Committee in May 2019; (2) indicating that the reconfiguration of the Environment Strategy into an Environment Pathway aligned all related environmental strategies, policies and plans under the one strategic approach with the aim that these are not implemented in isolation but take account of common environmental factors locally, in order to maximise development and opportunities and to collectively protect, enhance and promote North Lanarkshire's environment, and (3) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, a copy of the Environment Pathway document. Decided: (1) that the contents of the Environment Pathway be approved, and
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ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE - 3 MAY 2023 37 (2) that the Environment Pathway document be published on the Council's website. AMEY PUBLIC SERVICES LLP: OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE MONITORING REPORT FOR 1 OCTOBER 2022 TO 31 MARCH 2023, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 3. There was a submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) (1) outlining Amey Public Services Limited Liability Partnership performance against its business objectives and Council priorities for the period October 2022 to March 2023 and its financial performance to March 2023; (2) detailing a number of service delivery highlights over the period, and (3) attaching, as Appendices to the report, documents relating to (i) performance indicators and outcomes; (ii) financial performance as at 31 December 2022; (iii) overall financial standing as at 31 December 2022, and (iv) the approved budget – 2023. Decided: (1) that Amey Public Services LLP's operational performance up to 31 March 2023, along with service delivery highlights over the past six months, be acknowledged, and (2) that Amey Public Services LLP's financial performance as at 31 December 2022 be acknowledged. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK - LATEST PERFORMANCE RESULTS FOR COMMUNITY OPERATIONS 4. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) (1) providing the Committee with an update on the latest results of the strategic performance indicators used by Community Operations to inform service delivery and underpin operational decisions, and (2) attached, as an Appendix to the report, a high level performance overview as at March 2023. Decided: that the high level performance overview presented in Appendix 1 to the report, and the supporting data contained within a linked Excel spreadsheet, be noted. Prior to consideration of the following item of business, Councillors Goldie and Smith, by virtue of being appointed by the Council to, respectively, Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Joint Committee and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, had each declared an interest and both left the meeting during its consideration. OVERSIGHT REPORT - STRATHCLYDE PARTNERSHIP FOR TRANSPORT AND STRATHCLYDE CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL SCHEME 2021/22 5. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) providing an overview of performance in 2021/22 by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (SCTS); (2) reminding the Committee that SPT is the regional transport partnership for the west of Scotland and has a statutory duty to develop a transport strategy for its region and that SCTS oversees the operation of the concessionary fare scheme for public transport within the SPT area and is responsible for determining the criteria, and the routes which are eligible, for concessionary fares; (3) advising that the Council appoints Elected Members to serve on the Boards of both of these bodies and is therefore required to maintain oversight of performance to ensure compliance with "Following the Public Pound" obligations; (4) explaining that the former Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs) and External Bodies Monitoring Committee, at its initial meeting in May 2016, had considered the reporting frequency and had determined that annual reporting was appropriate and proportionate, given the wider governance arrangements that exist and the likely level of risk to the Council, and
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ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE - 3 MAY 2023 38 (5) summarising, in the Appendices to the report, the 2021/22 performance for SPT and SCTS, together with oversight arrangements in place which confirm that both organisations operate satisfactory governance and scrutiny processes. Decided: (1) that the governance and scrutiny arrangements currently in place within SPT and SCTS be noted, and (2) that the performance during 2021/22 for both organisations be noted. CALL TO ENDORSE A PROPOSED BAN ON SINGLE USE DISPOSABLE VAPES 6. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Community Operations) (1) explaining that the Scottish Government has commissioned a review of the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes following growing concern around the environmental consequences of these being discarded irresponsibly and leading to a rise in the impact of littering; (2) explaining that the products are plastic waste and contain lithium batteries which pose risks in terms of corrosive and flammable substances; (3) intimating that in response to the review, the Scottish Government is to consider evidence and expert advice and, thereafter, come forward with policy options, which could include a potential ban on single use vapes; (4) outlining the concerns of the Council's Trading Standards Service regarding deliberate marketing and promotion of single use vapes to a new, young generation of non-smokers, with bright colours, novelty flavours and positioning of products next to sweets and confectionary; (5) reporting that the sale of vapes is covered by age restricted legislation and the Council's Trading Standards Service had recently carried out test purchasing operations and had been disappointed in the number of shops found to have sold tobacco or vapes to young people under the age of 18; (6) recognising that, although it is recognised that vaping products have a role to play in overall smoking cessation, the use of disposable versions of this product have, on balance, an overall negative impact; (7) recommending that the Council supports the position of Ash Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and other local authorities in supporting a ban on the sale of disposable vapes in Scotland, and (8) advising that, should this position be agreed by the Committee, it is proposed that the Chief Officer (Community Operations) would write to the Scottish Government outlining this position and the rationale behind it. Councillor Loughran, seconded by Councillor McPhilemy, moved that the recommendations contained within the report be approved. Councillor Wilson, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved, as an Amendment, that Committee:- (1) notes that the UK Government open the public call for evidence on 11 April 2023 in relation to youth vaping including “the impact of vapes on the environment in particular disposal vapes” and that this investigation is seeking contributions from across the UK; (2) further notes that the Scottish Government has commissioned a review on the “Environmental Impacts and Management of Single-Use Vapes” and Zero Waste Scotland is leading on this exercise; (3) agrees that the Council will await the outcome of the UK Government and Scottish Government reviews before forming their position on single-use disposal vapes and that a further report will be brought to Committee once both investigations have concluded and recommendations are published, and (4) as such, agree that no action will be taken by the Council on single-use disposal vapes at the present time. Thereon, in terms of Standing Order 39, the vote was taken by calling the Roll.
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ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE - 3 MAY 2023 39 On the Roll being called:- 3 Members voted for the Amendment as follows:- Councillors Leckie, Watson and Wilson. 19 Members voted for the Motion as follows:- Councillors Bustard, Carragher, Duffy, Fotheringham, Hughes, Goldie, D. Johnston, Loughran Masterton, McBride, McDade, McKay, McPhilemy, Mitchell, Reddin, Smith, Thomas, Williams and Woods. Accordingly, the Motion was carried. Decided: (1) that the proposed ban on the sale of single use vapes be supported and endorsed, and (2) that the Chief Officer (Community Operations) write to the Scottish Government calling for the immediate introduction of a complete prohibition on the supply of single use disposable vapes. CONTRACTS AWARDED BELOW COMMITTEE APPROVED THRESHOLD 7. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) notifying the Committee of the contracts awarded between 1 January and 31 March 2023 with a value below the financial threshold requiring Committee approval. Decided: that the contracts awarded below Committee approval threshold between 1 January and 31 March 2023, as per the process contained within the Council's General Contract Standing Orders, be noted.