Agenda and draft minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary, other registrable and non-registrable interests.

There was no public participation.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report for Committee to consider the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in all qualifying vehicles.

A report had been presented previously to Committee on 9 January 2024, and further environmental information regarding HVO had been requested by Committee. The technical specification for the HVO was provided with the report, which confirmed that the oil would not contain Palm Oil and would be certified by both its producer and distributor, who would also undertake random testing.

The benefits and drawbacks of switching to HVO were noted in the report. The cost of producing HVO was higher than diesel due to the complicated hydrotreatment process, which resulted in a price that was currently around 30 percent higher. It was suggested that a maximum allowable cost ceiling of a £100k increase over current costs was implemented. If prices were to rise above this, a switch would be made back to Diesel until prices dropped. A further £15k of capital to install a small fuel tank would also be required for a small number of unqualifying vehicles. It was also noted that the introduction of new waste regulations would take place over the forthcoming two years, which could prove more costly than the current total waste collection cost. This needed to be factored in when adding to cost pressures with the introduction of HVO.

Members were asked to consider the pros and cons associated with the introduction of HVO and decide whether they wished to:

1. Retain the current fleet on Diesel and move to electric or hydrogen vehicles when they become affordable and when the necessary infrastructure is in place; or

2. Request that Policy and Finance consider increasing the overall Council budget by £100k per annum and provide a one off £15k capital allocation to finance the introduction of HVO in the next financial year. No funding was currently identified; or

3. Request that officers examine whether HVO could be affordable as part of the wider waste review taking place over the next two years, when additional government funding for food waste is factored in.

Members raised concerns at the meeting regarding sustainability and fluctuating costs. The Committee did not want to proceed with HVO and requested to keep options under regular review.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve to retain the current fleet on Diesel and move to electric or hydrogen vehicles when they become affordable and when the necessary infrastructure is in place.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report requesting that Committee approve an additional capital scheme under Community Services Committee for the purchase and installation of a replacement vehicle wash at Salthill Depot for a total of £21,730.

The existing chassis and vehicle body washing facilities at Salthill depot were no longer operational and would be prohibitively expensive and uneconomical to repair. For everyday cleaning, Depot staff were using a machine costing £250 per week and using an external provider for a more specialised pre-MOT chassis wash.

It was recommended that a replacement system was procured on a ‘supply and install’ basis. Some drainage and other associated works to the yard area would be required to accommodate the new vehicle wash. The overall costs of the scheme were estimated to be £21,730. The additional capital scheme would require onward approval by Policy and Finance Committee, but the associated revenue costs would be accommodated within existing revenue budgets.

Members discussed the recommendation along with other options, which Committee felt would be less cost effective.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.    Agree to the purchase and installation of a vehicle wash at Salthill Depot.

2.    Recommended to Policy and Finance Committee a capital programme scheme of £21,730 for a Replacement Vehicle Wash at Salthill Depot, funded from the VAT Shelter Earmarked Reserve.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report to present the recommendations of the working group in relation to the allocation of grants under Recreation/Culture/Arts Development, Individual Sporting Excellence and Individual Arts Excellence.

Grants totalling £50,775 were recommended across the three grant schemes. It was noted at the meeting that there would be no remaining funding if the recommendations were approved.

Committee requested information which had been anonymised in the report and it was proposed and seconded that this item was discussed under the exclusion of press and public.

A vote was taken and it was

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

Committee were verbally provided the names of the Sporting Excellence applicants and were pleased to approve the recommendations of the working group. Committee requested that future grant reports be discussed under the exclusion of press and public so the information may be disclosed in the report.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Endorsed the recommendations of the working group outlined in appendices 1 – 3 of the report, and

2.     Request to extend invitations to successful applicants to attend a cheque giving reception hosted by the Mayor.

The Chairman confirmed that the meeting was no longer under the exclusion of press and public.

Report of the Director of the Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report asking Committee to consider the proposal for a Working Group in a Task and Finish format to develop the Council’s Arts Strategy.

On 9 January 2024, Committee had approved the submission of a bid to Arts Council England for grant funding to develop an Arts Strategy for Ribble Valley. It was also agreed that a working group be established to feed into the development of the strategy. A draft terms of reference for the group was presented for Members to consider.

It was confirmed at the meeting that the recommendations of the working group, in regard to the Arts Strategy, would be subject to approval by the Committee.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.    Approve the formation of a Working Group on a Task and Finish basis to develop the scope and action plan for a new Arts Strategy, and.

2.     Agree that the membership of the Arts Strategy Working Group is as follows:

Councillors R Newmark, J Alcock, S Brunskill, L Street, M Robinson, K Barnsley, M Peplow.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report informing Members of the schemes approved for inclusion in this Committee’s 2024/25 capital programme.

Committee had an approved 2023/24 capital programme totalling £2,084,410 for fifteen schemes. It was confirmed at the meeting that the 2023/24 capital programme had been approved at the meeting of the Council on 5 March 2024. In addition, Policy and Finance Committee had also approved that more detailed reporting be undertaken on scheme progress, which could be seen in Annex to the report.

Any slippage on schemes in the 2023/24 capital programme would be reported to the Committee.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report for information on the position for the period April 2023 to January 2024 of this year’s revenue budget for Community Services Committee.

The comparison between actual and budgeted expenditure showed an underspend of £96,961 for the first ten months of the financial year 2023/24.  After allowing for transfers to/from earmarked reserves the underspend was £86,419.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted an information report providing Committee with an update on the changes that would be required to waste collection services under the Environment Act 2021, and actions being taken by the Council to comply.

The Government had informed authorities of the waste streams that would need to be collected from all households from 31 March 2026 and had indicated that funding would be provided for the actions required. Further clarification on the exact requirements were still awaited from government, leaving a number of uncertainties. Committee would be updated once further details were confirmed. An Officer group had been established to implement the changes and the Council were part of a County Wide Strategy Group along with a separate subgroup of Districts.

Councillor S Atkinson left the meeting.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted an information report providing Committee with an update on the progress of the feasibility study taking place on Ribblesdale Pool.

The feasibility study had been procured through Strategic Leisure Limited in November 2024 to assist the Council in determining the best long term sustainable option for swim provision in the Borough. Strategic Leisure carried out a public consultation which received 1,789 individual responses. Headline findings from the consultation included:

•       The majority of respondents rate Ribblesdale Pool as average- good.

•       The majority of respondents think the Edisford location is good-very good.

•       The majority of respondents think a new pool should be built at Edisford; almost as many respondents think the existing pool should be refurbished.

•       For those that did suggest other locations, these were spread across the borough, in particular locations with free parking and town centres or on the A59.

•       The overwhelming majority response for other facilities to be co-located with a new pool is a café.

•       High response rates were also received on the need to provide: fitness facilities, soft play, group exercise studios, a spin studio, climbing wall and cross-fit facility alongside a new pool.

The final feasibility report would be brought to a future meeting in the new municipal year.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report for information updating Committee regarding a request from the ‘In Health Group, acting on behalf of the NHS, to site a mobile CT scanner for targeted lung health checks at Edisford Car Park, Clitheroe.

The mobile unit would operate from 8.00am to 8.00pm every day for three weeks each month, from April to June 2024. There would no direct cost to the Council, however approximately fifteen car parking spaces would be used to accommodate the scanning facilities.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report for information giving an update on Clitheroe Castle Keep, Edisford Bridge as a bathing water site designation, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Clitheroe Castle Museum, litter on the highway, car parking pass reminders, the platform gallery and visitor information centre, and Ribblesdale Pool.

Committee discussed the information in the report, and Members felt strongly that littering on the highway was an issue, noting that some road signs also required cleaning.

There were no minutes from working groups.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report seeking Committee approval for the Council to enter into a new 10-year licence for the operation of the miniature railway at Edisford riverbank.

Ribble Valley Live Steamers Club had held a licence to occupy the Council owned land on which they had operated the miniature railway Club, since the 1980s. The engines that the Club operated were either privately owned or were an asset purchased by the Club belonging to all members.

The report provided Committee with the relevant financial information and the terms that would be incorporated into the licence.

Committee were pleased to approve the new licence, noting that the miniature railway was a long standing and popular feature in the Ribble Valley.

RECOMMENDED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve in principle a licence to occupy between the Council and the Ribble Valley Live Steamers Club as outlined in the report and that details of the licence be delegated to the Director of Community Services and Head of Legal and Democratic Services.