Members
received the following updates and explanation of the impact of
Covid-19 on front line services from Tony Gribbin, Neighbourhood
Services Area Manager:
Grounds Maintenance
- Staff in all sections
had continued to deliver high profile services despite the
continued challenges of COVID and revised working practices had
been necessary.
- Covid continued to be
challenging and processes and procedures continued to be reviewed
to deliver services as before lockdown.
- Assisted bulky waste
collections was currently being reviewed with a view to reinstating
the service.
Bereavement services
(SE)
- Cremation service
numbers per day had declined to near normal
numbers.
- Burial service
numbers hadn’t fluctuated too much from previous
years.
-
Grass
Cutting
- Grass cutting
remained on target to achieve the required number of cuts in all
areas but was weather dependent.
- There had been some
challenging periods this year due to near perfect growing
conditions, with a spell of very warm then wet conditions. Teams
had recovered well and standards on target.
- Teams were currently
on cut 10 in Bedlington, cut 15 in Seaton Valley and cut 11 in
Cramlington.
-
Street
Sweeping
- Usual areas were
being worked on but leaf hotspots would be started in a couple of
months.
- Any issues should be
brought to the team’s attention.
Winter
Works
- Winter works
schedules were being collated and a number of walkabouts had been
taken to help this process.
- Routine annual
maintenance commitments would continue but early requests from
members were welcomed on areas members considered required
attention over the winter.
Weed
Trial
- The glyphosate
alternative weed trial was coming to an end shortly, it was planned
to apply one more treatment of the alternatives and record the
results. A report on the results of the trial would be
produced around November and shared with
members.
- It had been
particularly challenging this season and the second treatments
across areas had commenced.
Waste
Services
- Other than a few
minor vehicle breakdowns, staffing shortages and covid
restrictions, Residual, Recycling and Garden waste collection
services were all operating well.
- The collection rounds
and resources in the south east were being reviewed due to the
current housing developments. Teams would continue to review
existing collection rounds in order to cope with ongoing housing
growth as well as continued growth in take up of the garden waste
service.
- Bottle recycling
facilities continued to be well used and additional collections
were being targeted in those areas showing high
usage.
- Demand for bulky
waste collections remained high, extra slots had been
created.
- Domestic waste
tonnages remained higher than pre-lockdown, operational adjustments
had been made to cope with the demand, but the situation remained a
significant challenge for the service.
Members asked a number of
questions including:
- Was there a facility
for removing leaves from grassed areas in front of houses,
particularly social housing ?
- Could the bottle
banks at Seaton Sluice car park be re-sited elsewhere to relieve
pressure as the car park was one of the smallest and busiest in the
village ?
- Missed edging in 4
estates in Cramlington, when would they be scheduled to be cut
again?
- Thanks were conveyed
to officers for cutting hedges in Netherton and footpaths in
Hazelmere, Bedlington. There was further overhanging hedges
and it was queried whether this was school’s responsibility,
who was responsible for the upkeep of land at the back of
Lanchester Green and the roundabout at
Broadoaks; spraying of weeds; the excavation of family graves and
distress to families.
- Was the area of verge
next to the Keel Row, part of the pilot area?
Mr Gribbin responded as
follows:
- There was no
mechanical means for the removal of leaves, but if leaves had
fallen whilst grass cutting was being undertaken, the leaves would
be macerated at the same time.
- The locations for
bottle banks were quite difficult, but the request would be taken
back to the depot in that area.
- Edging was carried
out every 3 –4 years, this would be investigated and reported
back.
- Staff were
prioritised to undertake weed spraying, work had been started, but
was not yet complete due to staff not being available through Covid
and sickness.
- If a grave was
being dug at the end of a row, excavated soil would be put on
grassed areas, if the grave was in the middle, matting would be put
down with a barrier and the area cleaned. The logistics of
excavating and moving soil depended on whether it was a double or
triple grave and the team was respectful and realised how upsetting
this could be to families.
- The verge next to the
Keel Row had wild flowers and was not sure whether it was part of
the pilot area or left to grow naturally. Mr Gribbin would
report back on this.
Mick Carle, Highway Services
Area Manager gave a brief update on the following:
All Highways Inspectors and
maintenance crews continued to work tirelessly inspecting, fixing
potholes, making repairs and making safe category one defects
across the south east.
The gully emptier was fully
deployed dealing with reported issues and cyclic
maintenance.
Larger tarmac patching had been
carried out in the following locations:
- Dorchester Court, New
Hartley
- Mill Lane, Seghill
(Junction of A189)
- Front Street,
Cramlington
- Grenville Court,
Cramlington
Planned works had been
identified and programmed for footway and cycleway patching to be
carried out September/October and would continue to maintain
carriageway patching following that.
Drainage
improvements:
- Burnside,
Bedlington
- Nether Riggs,
Bedlington
- Manor Walks cycleway,
Cramlington
Highway Inspectors had
identified problem areas and those would be programmed/completed in
the coming weeks pending meetings with traffic
management.
Winter
maintenance:
- Preparation was being
carried out for the 21/22 winter season
- Rock salt was being
delivered across the county after a large delivery into the Port of
Blyth. Working hard with ICL to ensure there was a consistent
level of deliveries to reach 36,000 tonnes for the start of the
season on 1 November 2021.
- The installation and
route verifying for the roll out of Exactrak Automated Gritting was being finalised,
this would give a consistent approach to treatment of the gritting
network, increased resilience in drivers and routes and the ability
to seamlessly move resources where required to any issues. It
would also give a high level of activity reporting which would
defend any litigation.
- Delivery of 9 new
state of the art Mercedes Econ gritters in the next few months as
part of ongoing fleet replacement programme.
Members asked a number of
questions including:
- Cycle and footpaths
in Northburn and complaints about
markings
- 30 mph on Choppington
Road has not happened; the road between Broadoaks roundabout and
Netherton, people exiting estate have a problem, was there
any update on the school crossing at Netherton Lane and also
lack of direction signage to St Bede’s
School
- A surety issue with a
Bellway regarding a pelican crossing at the back of Manor Walks
which required sign off by Bernicia.
Mr Carle responded as
follows:
- A number of
complaints had been received about the marking on cycle paths, this
was being looked into, there were some areas which required to be
refreshed and delineated.
- The issue regarding
lack of signage had been passed to colleagues and this would be
chased up personally and the Head Teacher St Bede’s would be
contacted. The other 3 issues would be passed on to the
relevant departments.
- The developer who was
responsible for that area would be contacted.
(Councillors B Flux and P
Scott left the meeting at 4.57 pm).
RESOLVED that the information be noted and issues set out in the
bullet points above be followed up.