Agenda item

Since May 2017 Arun District Council has provided environmental enforcement services through an agency agreement with East Hampshire District Council. Previous reports through the E&LWG have outlined the detail of the service arrangements with recommendations to approve the agreement.

This report provides Members with an update on the agreement and seeks a recommendation to Cabinet for an extension until 14 May 2022.

            The Environmental Services & Strategy Manager advised Members that since 2017 Arun District Council (ADC) had provided environmental enforcement services through an agency agreement with East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) and that the report was seeking a recommendation to Cabinet to extend the agreement for a further 2 years from 15 May 2020 to 14 May 2022.

            He went on to advise that throughout the one-year trail agreed in May 2017, the delegation of enforcement powers given to EHDC to enable their officers to undertake littering enforcement across the district with a focus on Town Centres was an immediate success and subsequently extended in December 2017 for further two-year period up until 15 May 2020. He also drew Members attention to the fact that neighbouring authority Chichester District Council also commenced the scheme in November 2017 with EHDC.

            The Cleansing Services Manager drew Members attention to the current statistics section of the report (2.0), he advised that the contract was efficient, that EH Commercial Services Ltd are recognised as a good performer given their 100% prosecution rate and highlighted that they are also recognised by the courts as the lead for best practice for Single Justice Procedure. He further highlighted the work the officers complete regarding education for under 18’s, vulnerable adults and non-UK residents where tickets could have been issued and that they have been shortlisted for an award in the Public Service category at the 2020 LGC awards.

            The Environmental Services & Strategy Manager confirmed that in extending the agreement for a further two-years, EHDC had offered a share on any income beyond the point at which operating costs are covered. This money would then be ringfenced for reinvestment in targeted additional enforcement and educational patrols against dog fouling, breaches of dog controls and other littering offences.

            Members took part in a full debate and asked a number of questions of which have been summarised below;

§  A request to see some benchmarking in future reports for comparison purposes was made

§  Confirmation of the cost of the agreement was sought, this was confirmed as zero cost to ADC

§  Overflowing bins at fast food outlets was a concern highlighted, it was advised to Members that ADC do have a Street Scene Enforcement Officer who they should report incidents like this to and a visit to the premises would be made, however this was confirmed as a separate service to the EHDC agreement

§  Concerns regarding dog fouling were also raised and addressed

§  A question was raised at how much income this agreement could approximately bring in, it was confirmed that it was expected to be approximately £12,000 and this would be ringfenced for use within the programme as explained previously

            The Working Group

                        RECOMMEND to Cabinet – That

1)    the agency agreement with East Hampshire District Council is extended for a further two years from 15 May 2020 until 14 May 2022.

2)    the charging model of the agreement is amended, as outlined in the report. This is in order to provide Arun District Council with greater flexibility and options for additional targeted enforcement activities.