Agenda item

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.

Mick Carle, Neighbourhood Services Manager, provided the following information: 

• All Highways Inspectors and maintenance crews continued to work inspecting, fixing carriageway defects, making repairs, and making safe category one defects across the South East area.  

• Gully emptier was fully deployed dealing with reported issues and cyclic maintenance. 

 Larger Tarmac Patching had been carried out in the following locations; 

• A192 Red Lion, Bedlington 
• Seghill First School 

Drainage Improvements: 

The area teams were continuously looking and programming future planned works both patching and drainage improvements. 

• Underpass at Cramlington 

LTP - Carriageway Resurfacing 

LTP Carriageway Resurfacing schemes were being programmed and all affected members would be notified in advance. 

Winter Maintenance 

Since the cold snap during the early to midpart of December winter had quietened down. There was still have half of the Winter season ahead. These were often the harshest few months. They were currently working with suppliers to carry out a mid-season salt restock of 10,000 Tonnes. This restock with the existing 6000 Tonne strategic store at Powburn should give the service more than sufficient levels to see it out till the end of the winter season.? 

During the last period of bad weather, over 11 days in December, the Winter Services Team had worked 20 hours during a 24 hour period, travelling over 41,420 miles of road network. 

In response to members comments, Mr Carle responded as follows:- 

• A dual pump system was being used for the underpass as one pump was damaged and the other broken.  A  new pump was being sourced from a local supplier as the current supplier had let them down. 

• The team was thanked for the gritting of roads in Bedlington, and a small stockpile of salt was requested for the Hartlands estate where many residents were elderly.  Mr Carle to pass on information to Councillor Taylor. 
• Details of sinkages at Eldson Drive and Denholm Drive would be passed on to the  Maintenance Engineer. 
• White lines on roads were carried out in spring.  Details to be passed to Mr Carle. 
• The chevron signs for the Free Wood in Bedlington would be chased up with Traffic Management. 
• More investment was being looked at to clear gullies at schools. 

• Speed issues on the B1331 would be passed to Integrated Transport. 
• A make-do repair would be carried out to some potholes and a repair done within 14-28 days. 
• Streetworks was responsible for permits and Development Control decided when the work was to be carried out. 

Tony Gribbin, Local Services Area Manager provided the following information: 

Refuse crews had worked across the entire Christmas period, including bank holiday Tuesday and their efforts had been recognised and praised. 

Waste Service 

• Refuse collection service worked well over the Christmas period. 
• Very few resident complaints of reports of missed bins. 
• Incorrect collection dates had been published in the Northumberland News publication and staff worked with Comms and staff from other parts of the organisation to leaflet drop to affected households. 
• Refuse staff collected approximately 700 tonnes of residual waste between Christmas and New Year, about 15% increase on the previous collection. 

• Grounds Maintenance 

• Currently in the winter works programme 
• Progress had been impacted by teams deployed to winter gritting services in support of highways and deployment to the leaflet drop. 
• Please submit any work requests regarding hedges and shrubs as soon as possible. 

• Leaf clearance close to being completed.  Any areas that require further leaf clearance to contact the team. 
• The recruitment process of seasonal staff would start soon. 

Street Cleansing  

• Business as usual 

Glass Trial Update 

• The trial had continued as per last update in November and was well received. 

Food Trial Update 

• The weekly trial started w/c 21 November for 10 months. 

• There were approximately 4,800 properties in the trial areas. 
• The trial was being operated from the Morpeth depot to the following areas Morpeth, (Loansdean and Lancaster Park), Bedlington, Pegswood, Hebron, Longhirst and Ulgham. 
• A report on the findings of the trial would be provided for members at the end of the trial period. 

Bereavement Services 

• No current issues and staff were coping with current service demand. 

In response to members’ questions, Mr Gribbin responded as follows: 

• Parking on grass verges would be looked in to 
• There was no spare capacity in the waste service in the south east and a review was ongoing due to the current housing developments across the LAC area and areas in the south east. 
• Mr Gribbin had received the email regarding the ivy on the pavilion at Alexandra Park and inspected the building.  He had passed this to NCC Assets Team as it was their responsibility. 
• In relation to waterlogged area adjacent to Ann Welfare / Cramlington FC pitches, Mr Gribbin had met with Adrian Farer (CJFC) and walked the area that was waterlogged.  This had been raised this with colleagues in Countryside.  However, some areas waterlogged were / are areas that NCC were not responsible for however, he would endeavour to identify what, if anything, could be done.   

The Chair conveyed his thanks to Mr Gribbin and his team, this was echoed by Members.