To receive a verbal update from the Area Managers from Technical Services and Neighbourhood Services in attendance about any key recent, ongoing and/or future planned Local Services work for the attention of members of the Local Area Council, who will also then have the opportunity to raise issues with the Area Managers.
The Area Managers have principal responsibility for highway services and environmental services, such as refuse collection, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, within the geographic boundaries of the Local Area Council.
Minutes:
Members received the following updates from the Area Managers from Neighbourhood Services and Technical Services:
Neighbourhood Services:
· Following another challenging year, teams had emptied bins, kept streets clean and continued the recovery work following Storm Arwen, over the festive period. Immediately after the storm, they had assisted with clearing the road network, before moving to parks, cemeteries and other public open areas with high footfall. Plantations and urban woodlands would be cleared in due course and everyone was thanked for their patience as it would take time before a full recovery was made.
· Essential services had not been disrupted by Covid although 3 staff were currently absent in the west area with 20 members of staff across the county in Neighbourhood Services. Messages regarding good hand cleanliness, use of face coverings and social distancing were emphasised to ensure that front line services were not affected.
· Approximately 250 additional properties had been added to the kerbside glass recycling trial in Hexham from 14 January 2022. Extra collections continued at bring sites.
· There had been some missed waste collections from higher ground the previous week due to wintry road conditions.
· Normal grounds maintenance and street cleansing work had resumed following the storm. Requests for areas requiring hedges and shrubs to be trimmed or leaves cleared should be emailed to officers.
· Additional sweepers had been deployed to help remove the large volume of detritus generated by the storm.
· The process to recruit seasonal summer staff had commenced.
He placed on record his thanks and appreciation for the huge efforts by the front-line teams over a continuing difficult period. This was supported by the Chair and members of the Local Area Council.
Responses to issues raised by Councillors included:
· Alerts regarding missed bins were placed on the Council’s website and circulated via social media channels. It was agreed that ward members would also be sent an email notification. In the majority of cases, residents were advised to present their bins for collection the following day, unless the weather and road conditions meant that this would not be possible and alternative advice provided.
· Arrangements were made with developers regarding the collection of bins on new and partly constructed sites depending on the size of the development, number of houses in occupation and access. He would discuss a site in Corbridge with Councillor Oliver the following day.
· It was likely that landowners were making their own arrangements regarding fallen trees which would be difficult for the Council to ascertain and therefore removal of logs by individuals was not queried.
· Some locations required frequent checks to ensure that gulleys and drains were not blocked by leaves and other detritus.
Councillor Riddle, Portfolio Holder for Local Services reported that it had been necessary to bring forward waste collection for 40,000 households due to the days on which Christmas Day and Boxing Day had fallen in 2021. The communication messages had worked well with only a small number of missed bins.
The following issues were also raised by Councillors:
· It was suggested that a framework be established regarding fallen trees including contact information for the various departments involved to make it easier for residents who needed to make insurance claims.
· There was concern regarding drainage around the new High school site in Hexham.
· The staff were thanked for their prompt response to install physical barriers to prevent access under fallen trees resting on electricity cables after Storm Arwen. It had been surprising and worrying that drivers had ignored the road closure signs, given the precarious and potentially dangerous situation.
Technical Services:
· The number of actionable defects had reduced following highways inspections which were up to date in the Tynedale area. Actionable defects were being repaired within the specified timeframe.
· The gully wagon had returned to its normal rota following Storm Arwen clean-up work. Significant work had been required to clear the hierarchy of roads including the A68. Damage had been caused to gulleys with upended trees and root balls. Work continued on U and C classified roads with extra staff resources and equipment, including gulley wagons, street sweepers and tree teams. It was anticipated that a further 6 weeks would be required to complete the full clear up operation.
· A dedicated drainage gang continued to work renewing gully pots, cross drains, ditching etc.
· 24 of 28 highway investment schemes in the Local Transport Plan had been completed to date and an update was given on the status of outstanding schemes.
· Flags to Flex work was due to start within the next 4 – 6 weeks.
· 100,000 metres2 of permanent surfacing had been completed within the current financial year to date.
· A summary of Members’ schemes completed within the previous month was provided. Road markings would be renewed in the summer when durability would be longer lasting.
· They were now halfway through the winter services period; there had been a few marginal condition forecasts to deal with and a couple of snow events on the highest parts of the network.
· Operations were covid compliant with revised risk assessments and operational procedures. Managers and supervisors conducted winter services activities in the main remotely using the web-based software systems.
· Salt heaps and grit bins were replenished regularly by dedicated teams when requests were received by the area office.
· The staff had been incredibly busy with the winter services rota, storm clean up and the general day to day work.
The Chair, on behalf of all Tynedale members, thanked the Local Services staff for their hard work, particularly in inclement weather.
The following issues were discussed:
· Use of stronger, thicker paving flags and strategic placement of bollards were to be installed to stop vehicles cracking new paving when replaced in the summer holidays at Hencotes by St Cuthbert’s Close.
· The design was to be amended and finalised for the Fellhouse/Woolfhills junction.
· Reports of inadequate repairs to the road network by utilities to be given to the Streetworks Team to enable inspection and the relevant contractor charged for repairs.
· Requests for the spray width of gritting to be widened, to include adjacent paths as well as roads, to be emailed with precise locations e.g. Aydon.
· Investment was required in underground pipe infrastructure given the number of gas and water leaks which impacted on highways programmes, Kevin Mavin, Network Co-ordinator, was thanked for the invaluable assistance he provided.
Updates were to be obtained for Councillor Cessford (Priestland) and Morphet (gulley wagon) following the meeting.
RESOLVED that the updates be noted.