Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury, B69 3DB

Contact: Democratic Services 

Items
No. Item

10/21

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Rollins.

11/21

Declarations of Interest

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declartions of interest made at the meeting.  

12/21

Minutes pdf icon PDF 298 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd July 2021 as a correct record.

Minutes:

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd July 2021 are confirmed as a correct record.

13/21

Additional Items of Business

To determine whether there are any additional items of business to be considered as a  matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no additional items of business to consider.

 

 

14/21

Sandwell's Air Quality Action Plan - Progress Report pdf icon PDF 379 KB

To receive an update on the progress of Sandwell’s Air Quality Action Plan.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 9/21 (of the meeting held on 25th March 2021), the Board received an update on the implementation of Sandwell’s Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP).

 

Following the adoption of the Plan by the Council and its acceptance by DEFRA’s Local Air Quality Management team, several actions had taken place since the last report to the Board:

 

        Monitoring and reporting

        Specific projects

        Promotional activities

        Briefing for elected members.

 

Monitoring and Reporting

 

Particular air pollutants were regularly monitored to assess levels of pollution across Sandwell and to prioritise pollutants which had been identified to have the highest risk of breaching the air quality objectives. Various aspects of the monitoring programme had been completed over the last six months, including the continuous monitoring of nitrogen dioxide levels using diffusion tubes and a full dataset was being achieved, and the renewal and modernisation of equipment at four permanent air monitoring stations to allow for accurate and reliable monitoring of pollution levels.

 

Additionally, low cost air quality monitors (Zephyrs), which were capable of monitoring various types of air pollution, had been purchased to enable air quality projects to take place at specific locations. Currently, 13 of the planned 21 monitors were in location, eight were located next to faith centres, two monitors had been located at potential air pollution hotspots in Smethwick and another in Wednesbury, and one monitor had also been co-located next to a permanent monitoring station site for calibration purposes. Air pollution monitoring data from across Sandwell was published in an Annual Status Report (ASR) which is submitted to DEFRA.

 

Specific Projects

 

·      There were plans in place to declare the whole of Sandwell as a Smoke Control Area (SCA).  SCAs were designed to reduce the emission of smoke from chimneys by requiring the use of either authorised fuel or by using DEFRA “exempt appliances”, for example certain burners and stoves. 

·      The Council had been awarded Air Quality Grant funding by DEFRA to pursue a project designed to improve and increase awareness of air quality issues by engaging with faith leaders and their communities. The two-year project involved eight faith centres in year one and another eight centres in year two. Engagement with faith centres had been successful, and air quality monitoring units and display equipment had been located at each centre. Creation of the bespoke web-based dashboard to report air quality data in real-time on the display equipment was almost complete. Ongoing support would be provided to each centre to ensure that they receive adequate help and advice and that interest in the project was maintained through the year.

·      Work was being undertaken with the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to address emissions from fleet vehicles and business mileage.

·      The most effective ways to influence and improve low and ultra-low emission vehicle use in Sandwell’s taxi fleet were being explored.  A survey was being devised by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to gauge opinions about electric vehicles (EV) from taxi and private hire drivers.

·      The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14/21

15/21

West Bromwich E-Scooter Trial pdf icon PDF 291 KB

To consider a report on the proposed running of the E-Scooter Trial.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Further to Minute No. 102/20 of the Cabinet (meeting held on 18 November 2020) the Board considered a report on the current e-Scooter Trial taking place in West Bromwich. 

 

West Bromwich was chosen as the location for the trial based on its high footfall; low speed roads (due to West Bromwich’s 20mph zone); transport links (in particular West Midlands Metro and West Bromwich Bus Station); day time population (estimated pre-Covid at approximately 13,600) and size (just over one square mile). 50 Voi scooters were operational in the trial zone.

 

The trial had been extended to March 2022, which would allow the Council to assess the operation of e-scooters in a fully open town centre environment, as opposed to what had primarily been a partially open down centre due to lockdown.

 

The speed limit and operating hours had been increased, which brought the West Bromwich trial into line with regional and national trails, which would improve the quality of the data collected from the trial. 

 

Scooters were one of the new forms of transport emerging as technology, cost effective manufacturing and batteries improved.  In a wider initiative to promote walking and cycling as part of a green and healthy recovery from COVID 19, the Secretary of State for Transport had announced the acceleration of twelve-month E-Scooter trials planned for 2021.

 

Scooter parking would continue to be ‘dockless’. Apart from defined ‘no park zones’, users would be able to leave their scooters wherever their trip ended as long as it followed parking standards. Parking docks or incentivised parking zones (IPZs) may be installed by Voi based on where trips naturally began and ended within the extended the trial zone.

 

Users were be able to book and pay for the E-Scooters using Voi’s smartphone app. Users would pay a basic rate of 20p per minute, or £12 per hour.

 

Since the trial began in December 2019, the West Bromwich trial zone had seen:

 

        85,591km travelled.

        1,614 total users.

        0.7 average rides per vehicle per day.

        0 Serious injuries (self reported, broken bones etc.).

        4 slight injuries (self reported, falling off scooter, bruises, cuts).

        Average of 5 reports of pavement riding per week.

 

Following comments and questions from members of the Board, the following responses were made, and issues highlighted:-

 

        Use of illegal e-scooters continued and the majority of serious accidents, including the recently reported death in Wolverhampton, had occurred due to illegal and inappropriate use.

        Users were required to register a driving licence to use e-scooters as part of the trial.

        Voi’s model of e-scooter included a GPS tracking device which recorded where the e-Scooter was located - if a scooter was to leave the trial zone or enter a ‘no ride zone’ as reported by GPS, the engine would cut out.

        The trial would enable officers to identify issues and gather sufficient data to report back to the Department for Transport and allow Sandwell to have a say in discussions around potential  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15/21

16/21

Update on Waste Services and the Cleanliness of the Borough Review

Standing item to consider the update on Waste Services and the Cleanliness of the Borough Review.

Minutes:

It was reported that data was currently being collated for members prior to the first meeting of the working group taking place.

 

The Chair highlighted the efforts of the frontline staff during the pandemic and emphasised that the inquiry would focus on the wider management and performance of the contract.

 

The working group currently included Councillors Abrahams, Jalil, Kaur, Moore and C Padda. Councillors Millar and S Gill also indicated that they would like to participate in the review.

 

17/21

Scrutiny Action Tracker pdf icon PDF 196 KB

Standing item to consider any actions arising from the Scrutiny Action Tracker.

Minutes:

The Board noted progress on previous actions and recommendations.

 

18/21

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 313 KB

Standing item to consider the work programme of the Board.

Minutes:

The Board noted its work programme for 2021/22.

 

In reference to Minute No. 24/21 (above), items would be added on the following:_

 

·      Proposals in relation to the successful funding bid for the installation of electric vehicle charging points across the borough.

·      Fleet management plan and proposals to replace its fleet with electric vehicles

 

19/21

Cabinet Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 618 KB

Standing item to consider the scrutiny of items on the Cabinet Forward Plan.

Minutes:

The Board noted the Cabinet forward plan for the period September 2021 to January 2022.

 

20/21

Exclusion of the Public and Press

That the public and press be excluded from the rest of the meeting. This is to avoid the possible disclosure of exempt information under Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, relating to the financial and business affairs of any person, including the authority holding that information.

Minutes:

Resolved that the public and press be excluded from the rest of the meeting to avoid the possible disclosure of exempt information under Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, relating to the financial and business affairs of any person, including the authority holding that information.

 

21/21

Towns Fund Programme Update

To receive a report outlining the Full Business Case for the Digital Den project.

Minutes:

The Board received a report and outline of the current position on the Towns Fund Programme.