Community Policy and Review Panel - Thursday, 16th November, 2017 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Farnborough

Contact: Panel Administrator: Marion Young  Email:  marion.young@rushmoor.gov.uk Tel: 01252 398827

Items
No. Item

11.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 138 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 14th September, 2017 (copy attached).

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14th September, 2017 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

12.

Local Air Quality and Health pdf icon PDF 210 KB

To consider a Briefing Note from Richard Ward, Environment and Airport Monitoring Officer, on Local Air Quality and Health.

Minutes:

The Panel welcomed Colin Alborough, Environmental Health Manager, and Richard Ward, Environment and Airport Monitoring Officer, who introduced a Briefing Note on Local Air Quality and Health and gave a presentation on Air Quality in Rushmoor.  The following issues were addressed:

 

·         Definition of air pollution

·         Air quality in Rushmoor

-   Historical background

-   Current issues

-   Links between air quality and health

-   Rushmoor Borough Council’s responsibilities

§  Monitoring

§  Regulatory framework

·         New UK NO2 Plan

-   Current work programmes / feasibility studies

 

The Panel noted that the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process placed an obligation on local authorities to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas, and to determine whether air quality objectives were being achieved.  For Rushmoor, the main pollutant of concern was nitrogen dioxide (NO2), with the current focus being emissions from road traffic along the Blackwater Valley Relief Road (A331). 

 

The Panel was advised that a Government-funded feasibility study was being undertaken jointly by RBC, Guildford and Surrey Heath, as well as Hampshire and Surrey County Councils, to investigate measures to improve the air quality along the A331 in as short a time as possible.  The Panel noted that local monitoring of NO2 indicated that air quality would be within the new acceptable limits by 2023 without any further preventative measures being implemented.

 

The Panel NOTED the presentation and requested an update at a meeting in early 2018.

13.

Hampshire County Council - Medium Term Financial Strategy and Transformation to 2019 Savings Proposals pdf icon PDF 717 KB

To consider a Report setting out HCC’s transformation programme and identifying potential impacts on areas of service covered by the remit of the Panel. 

 

As background, Panel members may wish to review the papers submitted to the HCC Council meeting on 2nd November, 2017, on ‘Medium Term Financial Strategy and Transformation to 2019 Savings Proposals’.  These can be found here (agenda item 10).

Minutes:

The Panel welcomed Qamer Yasin, Head of Environmental Health and Housing, and Peter Amies, Head of Community and Environmental Services, who introduced Report No. EHH1733 and gave a presentation setting out the elements of Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) Transformation Programme 2019, which could have future impacts on areas of service covered by the remit of the Community Policy and Review Panel.  The Panel noted the need for HCC to make savings and efficiencies of around £140 million by 2019/20 in response to the grant reduction from Central Government.

 

The Report and presentation covered the following areas:

 

·         Background and context

·         Detailed savings proposals

·         Issues within the Panel’s remit:

-   Dial a Ride

-   Community transport eg minibuses for community groups

-   Disabled Facilities Grant

-   Housing, health and wellbeing

-   Social inclusion i.e. housing options

-   Grant funding to voluntary agencies

 

During the discussion, the Panel was advised that a number of meetings had already taken place with HCC representatives to explore options and to encourage collaborative working to achieve the proposed savings.  It was noted that, in some areas, RBC Officers were still awaiting further details from HCC. 

 

The Panel NOTED the Report and presentation and ENDORSED the proposal to invite representatives from Hampshire County Council to attend a future meeting of the Panel.

14.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 186 KB

To note the Community Policy and Review Panel’s updated work programme for 2017/18 (copy attached).

Minutes:

The Panel noted the updated work programme for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.