Agenda item

Items Called-In/Referred From Scrutiny

(i) Western Road Scrutiny Working Group report

 

Report of the Economic and Environmental Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee.

 

(ii) Frecheville WW2 Memorial Trees Petition

 

At its meeting held on 27 July 2017, the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee received a petition regarding Freceville World War 2 Memorial Trees. It was resolved to refer the petition to Cabinet for consideration.

Decision:

6.1

The Policy and Improvement Officer submitted a report of the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee outlining the findings of the Task and Finish Group in respect of the Western Road First World War Memorial and submitting recommendations to Cabinet.

 

 

6.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

 

 

 

(a)

thanks the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee for its work in relation to the Western Road First World War Memorial;

 

 

 

 

(b)

notes the Western Road First World War Memorial Report that is attached as Appendix A to the report;

 

 

 

 

(c)

notes that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene provided a verbal response to the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee’s September 2017 meeting;

 

 

 

 

(d)

agrees that a written report on progress on actions in response to the recommendations be provided to the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee for October 2017;

 

 

 

 

(e)

agrees that the Scrutiny Task and Finish Working Group report be shared with all members of Council, as requested by the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee; and

 

 

 

 

(f)

commissions Amey to carry out outline design work to identify solutions to retain as many highway trees on memorial streets as soon as possible to sufficient detail to enable an estimate of the additional funding needed to be provided to Cabinet.

 

 

 

6.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

6.3.1

For expediency the Scrutiny Committee requested an initial response to their recommendations for September 2017, and the Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene is invited to provide a verbal update at Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee meeting on 13th September 2017.

 

 

6.3.2

In order to make it clear to the Scrutiny Committee what actions the Council is committing to, the Committee requests a formal written response report to its Western Road First World War Memorial Scrutiny Working Group Report by October 2017, within the Streets Ahead core investment period.

 

 

6.3.3

The Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee would like to share the report with all members of Council as appropriate course of action, to close the circle on the referring of the petition to the Committee from Full Council.

 

 

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

6.4.1

An alternative option in relation to the recommendations would be to do nothing with the Task Group Report.  However, given the time and effort spent by the Task Group and contributions to the work from residents and interested parties, and the expectations raised by the resolution of full Council in January 2017, this is not deemed a viable option.

 

 

6.4.2

An alternative option in relation to the recommendations would be to respond to the Committee’s report over a much longer timescale. However, the Scrutiny Committee would welcome a fast response to its recommendations. The Committee believes an initial reporting to its September 2017 and a formal report to its October 2017 meetings strikes an appropriate balance between speed and allowing sufficient time for Cabinet Members and officers to consider the recommendations in the Western Road First World War Memorial Scrutiny Task and Finish Working Group’s report, accommodating as far as possible the timeline of the Streets Ahead core investment period.

 

 

6.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

6.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

6.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

Laraine Manley, Executive Director, Place

 

 

6.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Economic and Environmental Wellbeing

 

Minutes:

6.1

Western Road Scrutiny Working Group Report

 

 

6.1.1

The Policy and Improvement Officer submitted a report of the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee outlining the findings of the Task and Finish Group in respect of the Western Road First World War Memorial and submitting recommendations to Cabinet.

 

 

6.1.2

Councillor Lodge thanked the Scrutiny Committee for the work they had done. He had carefully considered the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee, and had also taken into account the professional and objective analysis of the Council officers, which had been available on the Council’s website for some time, and had concluded that these trees on the City’s War Memorial streets deserved a final and further review before the Council made a final decision. Therefore, whilst he accepted the analysis of officers in relation to what was possible and could be funded within the contract, he had asked officers and Amey to review the options and additional costs of solutions that sat outside the PFI contract and to report back in due course. No felling, apart from any dangerous trees, would take place on these War Memorial streets until the further work was concluded.

 

 

6.1.3

Councillor Lodge stated that Officers had confirmed that two of the trees for replacement on Western Road were in a dangerous condition and therefore posed a threat to public safety. He added that these trees would have to be replaced and the public would expect the tree protestors to allow this important work to take place without hindrance.

 

 

6.1.4

Whilst Councillor Lodge was sure that this request for further work was the right approach, he needed to be honest with the residents by highlighting a number of issues that would be pertinent to any final decisions. For example, the funded engineering solutions within the PFI contract had been exhausted on all these trees, so any further options would require additional funding, which was potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds, and this could not be assumed to be available from the Council. Residents on these streets would need to be consulted about some of the alternatives to tree replacement.

 

 

6.1.5

In conclusion, Councillor Lodge stated that he had asked officers to assess further options, including the costs and impacts on residents. He hoped that the additional work would give assurance that the Council understood that these War Memorial trees were different from others in the City.

 

 

6.1.6

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

 

 

 

(a)

thanks the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee for its work in relation to the Western Road First World War Memorial;

 

 

 

 

(b)

notes the Western Road First World War Memorial Report that is attached as Appendix A to the report;

 

 

 

 

(c)

notes that the Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene provided a verbal response to the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee’s September 2017 meeting;

 

 

 

 

(d)

agrees that a written report on progress on actions in response to the recommendations be provided to the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee for October 2017;

 

 

 

 

(e)

agrees that the Scrutiny Task and Finish Working Group report be shared with all members of Council, as requested by the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee; and

 

 

 

 

(f)

commissionsAmey to carry out outline design work to identify solutions to retain as many highway trees on memorial streets as soon as possible to sufficient detail to enable an estimate of the additional funding needed to be provided to Cabinet.

 

 

 

6.1.7

Reasons for Decision

 

 

6.1.7.1

For expediency the Scrutiny Committee requested an initial response to their recommendations for September 2017, and the Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene provided a verbal update at the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee meeting on 13th September 2017.

 

 

6.1.7.2

In order to make it clear to the Scrutiny Committee what actions the Council is committing to, the Committee requests a formal written response report to its Western Road First World War Memorial Scrutiny Working Group Report by October 2017, within the Streets Ahead core investment period.

 

 

6.1.7.3

The Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee would like to share the report with all members of Council as an appropriate course of action, to close the circle on the referring of the petition to the Committee from Full Council.

 

 

6.1.8

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

6.1.8.1

An alternative option in relation to the recommendations would be to do nothing with the Task Group Report.  However, given the time and effort spent by the Task Group and contributions to the work from residents and interested parties, and the expectations raised by the resolution of full Council in January 2017, this is not deemed a viable option.

 

 

6.1.8.2

An alternative option in relation to the recommendations would be to respond to the Committee’s report over a much longer timescale. However, the Scrutiny Committee would welcome a fast response to its recommendations. The Committee believes an initial reporting to its September 2017 and a formal report to its October 2017 meetings strikes an appropriate balance between speed and allowing sufficient time for Cabinet Members and officers to consider the recommendations in the Western Road First World War Memorial Scrutiny Task and Finish Working Group’s report, accommodating as far as possible the timeline of the Streets Ahead core investment period.

 

 

6.2

Frecheville WW2 Memorial Trees Petition

 

 

6.2.1

Cabinet considered a petition, containing 637 signatures, referred from the Environmental and Economic Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee meeting held on 27 July 2017, requesting that the Council did not remove the trees planned for removal on Heathfield Road.

 

 

6.2.2

Mr Hinchcliffe and Mr Wallis attended the meeting to speak on the issue. They commented that, if the trees needed to be removed, they should all be replaced. They would expect the trees to be maintained and asked if the Council would allow the community to raise money to maintain them?

 

 

6.2.3

Councillor Bryan Lodge commented that he was aware of the history of the trees and why they were planted. An interpretation board had been erected to recognise this. It had been recognised that the trees needed to be replanted. A proposal had been to replace all 19 trees with an additional one to recognise those who had died serving the country.

 

 

6.2.4

Councillor Lodge added that this proposal had the support of local community groups. However, this had been in abeyance due to the Court injunction regarding the felling of trees. The proposal had been amended to now only replace the trees that were diseased. Although Councillor Lodge would like to replace all the trees that he believed needed to be replanted this was not possible. If the community wished to see all the trees replaced the Council could look at what was possible.

 

 

6.2.5

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene would continue to liaise with the petitioners as to future plans for the trees.

 

Supporting documents: