Agenda item

C Thorpe introduced the report.

Cllr Anderson said that they still intend to have a tour for the committee, once Cupid Green is in a better state and it has not been forgotten.

Cllr Timmis offered congratulations on the clothes swap success.   Using page 12 of this report as an example, Cllr Timmis asked if an acronym is used please could you put what the acronym stands for, W.C. is obvious but there are quite a few others which are not.  Going on to talk about the Splash Park, Cllr Timmis wanted to know if the maintenance was something that will happen every year and if so what will the cost be?

C. Thorpe replied that most of the work on the splash park is under warranty and a lot of the work is around changing mastic and doing the grass verges etc. It is not major engineering works, but rather tidying it up.

Cllr Birnie requested that the first time an acronym is used what it means should be put in brackets after it,. He observed that this applies to most officers when writing reports.

Cllr Timmis asked about the wild flower course and whether the idea was to plant up verges along roads with wild flowers.

C. Thorpe explained that they are looking at a number of different ways to manage land and flowers. Roundabouts have got wild flowers which have been well received and a report has been received on plant verges increasing biodiversity. So we may only cut verges twice a year, which will enhance wildlife habitats etc.

Cllr Timmis wanted to know if a tree that is taken out is then replaced

C. Thorpe explained that they do replace the tree where possible, but if the trees were taken down because they were unsafe they may not have been planted in the correct position. He added that we are committed to 1,000 trees being planted over the next year and at present they are identifying suitable land where they can be planted.

Cllr Beauchamp asked how the tree removal list for Councillors was sent as he doesn’t recall seeing it and has been asked questions about trees being replaced so it would be useful.

C. Thorpe replied that it has been circulated to all members but he will resend

Cllr Beauchamp asked about the White Bridge project.

C. Thorpe explained that this was not under his remit.

Cllr Anderson said that he would find out who it falls under and get back to Cllr Birnie.

Cllr Woolner spoke about the teracycle recycling point in the forum and asked if there are any plans to roll it out more widely?

C. Thorpe said that he was as yet, not sure. He does not know how much of a success it has been as the colleague responsible is on holiday at present. 

Cllr Hearn asked what parts of the borough has the education awareness been carried out in?

C. Thorpe replied that it has been done in Hemel Town Centre, the High Streets in both Tring and Berkhamsted and a lot of schools.

Cllr Barrett expressed concerns about weed spraying and road sweeping, judging by the amount of grass and weeds remaining after spray dates. He asked if we audit what the spraying company is doing?

C. Thorpe said that he will come back on frequency and how the contract is monitored.

Cllr Barrett added that in Bovingdon there is little evidence of road sweeping either.

Cllr Birnie suggested it may have been affected by shortage of equipment.

C. Thorpe said that that was only more recently, the small sweepers are past their sell by date and they were taken off the road as they were not cost effective to maintain.

The report was noted.