Agenda item

C Troy introduced the report and ran through the key performance areas. The highlights of the quarter included enforcement with regards to food establishments. The department has issued three hygiene improvement notices. C Troy highlighted that the issues were to do with the establishment’s management systems, not necessarily their hygiene practices. If they do not have the correct documentation then they cannot prove they are implementing the correct management processes.

C Troy advised members that there was an ongoing situation with Bovingdon airfield in relation to motor vehicles. So far they have received over 200 noise complaints. This has been ongoing for 18 months and the department are working closely with planning.

With regards to air quality, he said that that there is a County Wide strategy and the key aim is to get all the Local Authority’s working together towards common objectives to improve air quality. A key piece of work will be to ensure that there is better links with planning departments across the County to ensure improvements in air quality. The Council’s own air quality action plan was agreed last year but district councils generally have difficulty achieving improvements as transport improvements are down to regional planning policy.

Regulatory Services have also been responsible for Corporate Health and Safety since 2014.

In Private Sector Housing, the department have been able to take over and manage properties with multiple occupancy where tenant’s safety were being put at risk. There is currently a government consultation to extend HMO (house in multiple occupation) licensing to cover more premises and this will require extra resources if it goes ahead. The consultation has finished but there has been no update from the government.

Councillor C Wyatt-Lowe questioned why the Council was subsidising private sector housing.

C Troy said there would be a charge for licensing and there is currently a debate in government about charging for inspections for other aspects of Environmental Health work i.e Food Safety/H&S, at the moment this is not allowed. It is well known that there is a lack of resources in local authorities.

Councillor C Wyatt-Lowe hoped that the Council were fully engaged in the consultation process.

C Troy confirmed they were. He recently attended a national managers meeting at the Chartered Institute to discuss these issues.

Councillor Ashbourn referred to item 5 about air quality and he hoped that the local Action Plan aligned with the Local Plan in order to inform each other.

C Troy said at the moment they are not used in this way. The air quality priorities are isolated and are not fully embedded in Local Plans. There is currently a lack of will from the government to tackle air quality.

J. Doe said that Air Quality issues will feature in the site selection process for the new Dacorum local plan, and the planning department will continue to with Environmental Health to help deliver the Air Quality priorities in the identified AQMAs.

Councillor Matthews said he was aware that Northchurch was one of the three sites for monitoring air quality. Where are the other two?

C Troy said they were on London Road and Lawn Lane. Berkhamsted High Street was the worst area due to the tall building funnelling the air pollution.

Councillor Matthews asked what the determining factor for private sector housing inspections was.

C Troy said number of floors and occupants.

Councillor E Collins asked what the Corporate Alcohol Policy was and is it a serious issue within the Council?

C Troy said it was responsible for employees and so they are being proactive in introducing this policy. There are two elements: one, there will be sporadic testing and two, if a manager suspects a colleague has been drinking then they have the right to call Environmental Health or Human Resources to request a breath test. An independent company can come in to test an individual if it is serious enough to lead to a disciplinary. The target response time is one hour for the outside company, and almost instant within the Council. Obviously this will need to be tested when the policy is implemented.

Councillor E Collins asked if this would infringe on employees’ rights.

C Troy said no, they have the right to randomly test employees.

Councillor Tindall highlighted that even senior management would be subject to this tests.

Outcome

The Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the report.