Agenda and minutes

Apologies for the meeting were received from Councillors M Robinson, G Scott, and K Spencer.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 May 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.

The Chairman welcomed Jack Spees, Director and CEO of the Ribble Rivers Trust. Jack spoke about the work of the trust, which had become one of the largest in the UK and covered a 750 square mile catchment. A number of successful programmes were highlighted, which included:

·         Restoration of peat on Pendle Hill

·         Putting salmon in a river Burnley

·         Working closely with the farming community to deliver mutual benefits of improved farm productivity, water quality and habitat

·         An education programme involving hundreds of primary school children each year

·         The Species Survival Fund project ‘Ribble Revival, Room for Rivers’

·         The Environment Agency Natural Flood Risk Management Projects ‘Community Catchments’ including work to reduce flood risk to Clitheroe

·         Work to achieve designated bathing water status at Edisford Bridge, which subject to Ofwat’s final determination, would see significant investment in consented storm overflows and sewage treatment works in the Ribble Valley.

Plans for the future included building on their woodland programme ‘Lancashire Woodland Connect’ with a bigger and more ambitious programme, which hoped to reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and create community owned and managed woodlands. A catchment demonstration site was also being developed in partnership with Heidelberg Materials, on the banks of the River Ribble and it was hoped to establish a training and education centre there in the coming years.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitting a report seeking Committee support in recommending to Policy and Finance Committee approval to bring forward the capital budget for the replacement of the JCB Loadall from 2025-2026 to this financial year 2024-2025.

The existing Loadall was in poor condition and cracks had been identified in the hydraulic lift during annual inspection. To repair the Loadall would take around six months, due to the nature of the repair and current workload of the supplier, and the costs were yet unknown. A budget of £135,000 was allocated in the 2025-2026 financial year to replace the existing Loadall therefore Members supported the proposal that the budget be brought forward to 2024-2025 financial year, so a replacement may be purchased as soon as possible. 

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Agree a request to Policy and Finance Committee to bring forward the capital budget of £135,000 from the financial year 2025-2026 to this financial year 2024-2025 to purchase a replacement JCB Loadall.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing Committee with an update regarding the proposed works at Clitheroe Castle Keep, and seeking Committee support in recommending to Policy and Finance Committee approval to slip £280,000 of the capital budget for the Castle Keep Restoration Works from 2024-2025 to the next financial year 2025-2026.

The report noted that Stage 1 and Stage 2 Structural surveys had been completed. The Stage 1 survey highlighted areas of concern regarding structural stability resulting in temporary structural supports being installed in the vulnerable areas, allowing the Keep to be re-opened to the general public. The Stage 2 survey had so far established that the structure had been built directly off limestone rock and therefore there were no foundation issues that may give rise to subsidence/settlement. The survey additionally proved that the interventions in the Victorian era, to alleviate the instability issues and ruinous condition, did not provide additional support to the keep and had limited effect. Technical drawings illustrating the recommended restoration works had been drawn up by the appointed Conservation Engineering Specialist, and Officers were prioritising the recommended works to make the monument structurally stable, before putting together a contract for tendering purposes.

It was likely that additional funding would be required in order to complete all the recommendations of the heritage consultants, and Officers were exploring external funding options to complete the structural and other works. Officers recommended to slip the majority of the allocated budget from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026 so that additional external funding can be sought to enable all the proposed works to be sequenced effectively.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Agree a request to Policy and Finance Committee to slip £280,000 of the capital budget from the financial year 2024-2025 to the next financial year 2025-2026 for the Castle Keep Restoration Works.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report on the outturn for the financial year 2023/24 in respect of the Revenue Budget for this Committee.

There had been a considerable number of variations in both income and expenditure during the year that had given rise to an overall underspending of -£346,002 on the net cost of services. After transfers to and from earmarked reserves there was an overall underspend of -£73,366. Details by cost centre were outlined in the report for information.

Committee discussed CCTV monitoring and suggested that Members be invited to visit the CCTV monitoring station. CCTV provision in other areas was also discussed and the Council’s Community Safety Partnership Officer would present a report to a future Committee.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report outlining the position for the period April to June 2024 of this year’s revenue budget for this Committee.

The comparison between actual and budgeted expenditure showed an underspend of £13,296 for the first three months of the financial year 2024/25. After allowing for transfers to/from earmarked reserves the underspend was £29,454.  Details of the variances were included in the report for information.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report outlining the progress on this Committee’s 2024/25 capital programme for the period to the end of June 2024.

At the end of June 2024, £676,671 had been spent or committed. This was 27.8% of the full year approved capital programme budget for this Committee of £2,435,990.  Of the 22 schemes in the capital programme, 5 schemes were fully completed, 15 schemes were currently expected to be fully or substantially completed in year and 2 schemes were underway but unlikely to be completed within the financial year.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing Committee with an update on the implementation of waste reforms and the response received from Lancashire County Council regarding future proposed disposal methods and the implications of this for Ribble Valley.

Further clarification had been received from Lancashire County Council which provided clarity in order to design the future service. Officers were working on a comprehensive action plan to establish the best future model and how this could be implemented. A further report would be presented at the October Committee meeting providing recommendations for the purchase of vehicles, caddies and the necessary expected investment in staff.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing Committee with an update on the current arrangements for collecting litter on the highway.

Following successful discussions with LCC Highways, arrangements had been made to work with their traffic management to enable litter picking to be carried out along the A59, between the Whalley Road roundabout towards Chatburn. Subject to LCC resources, it was hoped this would be expanded to Pendle Hill to allow litter picking there also. Once this work was complete other areas would also be evaluated. The Council hoped to work with LCC on other areas in the Borough and incorporate regular litter picks on the main routes.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing Committee with an update on progress with the Active Village initiative which was part of the Together an Active Future (TaAF) themed work.

The investment by Sport England in the Local Delivery Pilots had been very welcome in Pennine Lancashire. In the Ribble Valley, the work was making a difference to resident’s quality of life and the work over the next 18 months would focus on ensuring that the gains made to date in the villages was sustainable and hopefully continued to grow.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report for information giving an update on priorities for the coming year, UK Shared Prosperity Fund Schemes, EV charging points, Edisford Bridge as a bathing water site designation, Changing Places toilets, Edisford riverbank car parking barrier, the platform gallery, HVO fuel costs, Salthill play area, weedspraying, and energy efficiency in the Council Offices.

The minutes of the Arts Strategy Working Group held on 3 April 2024 were submitted for Committee’s information.

None.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraph 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 to seek an exemption to the provision of the Contract Procedure Rules.

Committee were asked to consider granting an exemption to the Council’s Procurement Rules 6.3 pursuant to CPR 5.2(a). The exemption would enable the Council to enter into an agreement with ParkPlay, which was proposed as one of the initiatives under the Active Villages work stream. The report included details of the ParkPlay scheme, which would help support the establishment over an initial 3-year period of a series of activities in parks and open spaces.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules pursuant to CPR5.2(a), in respect of the purchase of licence(s) from ParkPlay.

Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report seeking Committee approval to enter into an agreement with United Utilities (UU) for the installation of remote telemetry meter reading equipment onto the Council’s refuse vehicles.

The telemetry equipment allowed remote meter readings to be taken as the vehicles passed close to properties and was in place on a number of refuse vehicles across Lancashire. The agreement provided an income benefit to the Council of £239 per unit per annum and contributed to reducing CO2 emissions in the Borough as an individual visit to each property was no longer required. More regular meter readings also helped with the detection of water leaks, preserving water and in some cases saving residents money.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve the Council entering into an agreement with United Utilities (Water) for the installation of automatic meter read equipment in Council refuse and recycling vehicles as noted in the report.