Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all present to the meeting and read out the Evacuation Procedure.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting of the Economic Development, Environment and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 21 April 2021 were taken as read and approved as a correct record.

The Director of Environment and Community Services and the Director of Regeneration and Culture will be in attendance to provide an overview of their services areas.

Recommendation: Panel notes the information provided.

The Directors of Environment and Community Services and Regeneration and Culture were in attendance to provide an overview of their service areas.

Regeneration and Culture covered four main areas, however only three related to this Panel’s remit as follows:

• Economic Growth: Economic Development and Infrastructure Planning.
• Capital Projects: Housing, Capital Schemes and Design Services.
• Planning: the Local Plan, Development Control and Building Control.

The Director provided a comprehensive update on the service area’s current workload which included the following projects:

•        Conversion of Captain Cook Square to a leisure destination.

•        Development of Middlehaven for urban living and commercial use.

•        Development of Boho X.

•        Restoration of the Old Town Hall and Captain Cook Pub.

•        Delivering land remediation through the Brownfield Housing Fund.

•        Developing two Levelling Up Fund bids.

•        Delivering the Future High Streets Fund programme.

•        Delivering the Town’s Fund programme.

•        Delivering 450 new homes across the town.

•        Preparing Nunthorpe Grange and Newham Hall for sale.

•        Developing infrastructure plan with Nunthorpe Parish Council.

•        Development of new community facilities at Southlands and Nunthorpe.

•        Improving the area around the rail station.

•        Delivery of Heritage Action Zone improvements in Exchange Square. 

•        Developing the next Local Plan.

•        Improving Linthorpe Road.

Responding to questions the Director provided further information in relation to Masterplans and the details of the timetable for approval of the latest Local Plan. 

The Director of Environment and Community Services’ presentation included updates on the following areas of work being undertaken by the service:

Environment

• The Council’s Green Strategy: Update, aims and objectives.
• Tree Planting Plan
• Micro Forests.
• Wildflower Areas.
• Lower Ormesby Nature Reserve.

Highways Maintenance

• Bridges and structures.
• A66.
• Roads and footpaths.
• Other highway infrastructure

Community Safety.

• Community Safety Partnership.
• Neighbourhood Safety Wardens (including Environmental Wardens).
• AIM
• CCTV.
• Community Cohesion.

Locality Working.

Libraries and Hubs.

North East Migration Partnership.

The Director answered Members’ questions in relation to funding for grass verge repairs, grass cutting, prosecutions for fly tipping and tree maintenance.

The Chair thanked the Officers for their attendance.

AGREED that the information provided was received and noted.

The Democratic Services Officer presented a report, the purpose of which was to assist Members of the Panel to consider and agree its work programme for the 2021-2022 Municipal Year.

A list of topical issues and the suggestions received in respect of the Scrutiny Panel's remit were contained in the submitted report. It was suggested that the Scrutiny Panel should select one topic for full review along with several short topics and updates.

In addition there were two reviews from the previous years to be completed as follows: Middlesbrough Regeneration Post Covid-19, and Recycling and Waste Management/Waste Disposal Facility.

The Director of Environment and Community was in attendance at the meeting and provided additional information as requested by Panel Members.

Members discussed the information provided by Officers at the meeting, the topics suggested in the report and suggestions received from members of the public and the service areas.

Following discussion, Panel Members agreed the following topics for review:

Main Topic:

1.           The Green Strategy and the Council’s plans for increasing bio diversity in  

             Middlesbrough

Short Reviews/Updates:

2.         Regeneration of Captain Cook Shopping Centre and House of Fraser

3.         Fly tipping and bulky waste collection service

4.         Empty/derelict commercial properties

5.         Bus Services

6.         New Waste Disposal Facility

7.         Broadband Infrastructure

AGREED as follows that:

1. The information provided was received and noted.

2.     The topics listed at 1 to 7 above, would be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Board for approval.

A proposed schedule of meeting dates for the Economic Development, Environment and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel for the 2021-2022 Municipal Year was submitted for the Panel's consideration.

AGREED that the proposed meeting dates for 2021-2022 were approved.

Verbal update from Councillor Hubbard

Councillor Hubbard provided an update on the actions agreed by Executive from the Panel’s Final Report on Pest Control.

NOTED

The date and time of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday 21 July 2021 at 10.30 am.

NOTED

None.