Environment Committee - 11/11/2013

At a MEETING of the ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 11th November, 2013.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost Bob DUNCAN

 

Depute Lord Provost Christina ROBERTS

 

BAILIES

 

Willie SAWERS

Helen WRIGHT

Ian BORTHWICK

 

Derek J SCOTT

 

 

COUNCILLORS

 

John ALEXANDER

Ken LYNN

Lesley BRENNAN

Jimmy BLACK

Vari McDONALD

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

David BOWES

Craig MELVILLE

Tom FERGUSON

Bill CAMPBELL

Gregor MURRAY

Brian GORDON

Kevin CORDELL

Kevin KEENAN

Richard McCREADY

Will DAWSON

Mohammed ASIF

Norma McGOVERN

Stewart HUNTER

Laurie BIDWELL

Fraser MACPHERSON

 

Councillor Craig MELVILLE, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 28th October, 2013 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

No declarations of interest were made.

 

II THE SUPPLY AND ERECTION OF SECURITY FENCING AT OLD CRAIGIE ROAD ALLOTMENTS

 

There was submitted Report No 461-2013 by the Director of Environment seeking approval for the erection of security fencing to protect the allotments at Old Craigie Road.

 

The Committee agreed the proposed improvements and instructed the Director of Environment to undertake these works.

 

III ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN120-2013 seeking approval for the installation of further electric vehicle charging infrastructure within Dundee to be funded by a Transport Scotland grant.

 

The grant had been made available to Dundee City Council by Transport Scotland to further improve the city's facilities, with the focus of this year's funding, to continue to establish a country-wide public charging infrastructure network, to enable electric vehicles to be driven throughout Scotland.

 

The funding for Dundee City Council was specifically to install one of the latest high powered triple chargers within the city, to be installed within a Dundee City Council owned property, while making the facilities fully available for public use. The final decision on the exact location of the Rapid Charger was still to be agreed between City Development and the Environment Department, although it was intended to install this additional equipment within a public car park.

 

The cost of the infrastructure was estimated at 40,000 and the Director of Corporate Services advised that this would be fully funded from the Transport Scotland grant in relation to the "Rollout of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure" project. The Committee agreed the proposed spend and instructed the Director of Environment to undertake these works.

 

IV PUBLIC OPEN SPACE IMPROVEMENTS 2013/2014

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN121-2013 advising the Committee of proposals to undertake Public Open Space Improvements at a number of locations had been developed to enhance the amenity whilst, at the same time, reduce the long-term maintenance burden. The proposed measures would also help reduce Health and Safety concerns:-

 

(i) Victoria Park/Hunter Street/Polepark - regenerate existing shrub beds and plantings to improve visual impact and maintenance.

 

(ii) South Road Park - remove all shrub beds, also landscape into grass old play area.

 

(iii) Marketgait - regenerate inner ring road soft landscaping, improve visual impact and maintenance.

 

(iv) Barnhill Housing/Strathmore Street/Nursery Road - refurbish shrub areas and landscape to grass, improving maintenance.

 

(v) Queen Street/Orchar Park/Inchkeith Avenue - regenerate hedging and rose beds, replace with new plantings.

 

(vi) Castle Green/Windmill Gardens - redesign and plant new flower beds.

 

(vii) Dudhope Garden Steps - refurbish tree and shrub areas to improve visual impact and improve maintenance.

 

(viii) Dudhope Park/Dudhope Castle - redesign and plant new flower beds.

 

(ix) Summerfield/Longhaugh/Aberlady/Berwick Drive - regenerate existing shrub beds, also landscape areas into grass improving visual impact and maintenance.

 

(x) Hill Street/Stirling Street - remove shrub beds and create new areas of planting.

 

(xi) Fairmuir Park Car Park - regenerate existing shrub beds and create new shrub areas.

 

(xii) Caird Park - refurbish shrub and tree areas, also landscape areas to grass improving visual impact.

 

(xiii) Camperdown Park - regenerate areas of soft landscaping and restore bollards improving visual impact and maintenance.

 

(xiv) Baxter Park - redesign and plant new flower beds.

 

The Director of Corporate Services advised that the above costs of 100,000 could be made from allowances for Open Space Improvements within the Environment Department's capital budget 2013/2014. The Committee approved the proposals and the Director of Environment was authorised to undertake those works.

 

V CONSUMER PROTECTION

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN122-2013 advising the Committee that Audit Scotland, on behalf of the Accounts Commission had published their 'Protecting Consumers' report on 31st January, 2013. This report examined the operation of Trading Standards and Food Safety Services across all Scottish Councils and found that:-

 

- 1.3 million consumers in Scotland think they have reason to complain about goods and services every year, but many do not know where to go for help;

 

- 35,000 consumer complaints and advice requests were dealt with by Councils' Trading Standards services in 2010/2011;

 

- the long-term viability of Councils' Trading Standards services were under threat and action is required to strengthen the protection for consumers; and

 

- the lack of any national priorities, standards and reporting in Trading Standards services in Scotland has led to variations in how different Councils regulate businesses.

 

Examples of current good practice were noted within the report and these included the Scambusters service which was jointly hosted by Dundee City and North Lanarkshire Councils. In addition, other formal shared service arrangements also currently existed between Dundee, Perth and Angus Councils, for example for the maintenance of 'local standards' legally required of Councils under the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

 

In response to Audit Scotland's report, COSLA's Consumer Protection Task Group were undertaking a critical evaluation of specific areas of Trading Standards services, to assess potential service improvements including workforce planning, consumer expectations, and national priorities. Dundee City Council was represented on this task group.

 

In the meantime, Dundee City Council were working with Angus and Perth and Kinross Councils to consider ways to further improve the effectiveness of these services through more joined up working at a local level.

 

The outcomes of these initiatives would be reported to Committee, as appropriate, in due course and the Committee agreed to note the current position.

 

 

 

 

Craig MELVILLE, Convener.