My report to council

Posted By: Wera Hobhouse
Date Posted: 07/10/2008

Thank you Mr Mayor for the opportunity to report to the Council the latest developments on various matters relating to the Environment and Sustainability Portfolio.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Five Green Flag Awards for the Borough!

I am pleased to announce that we now have five Green Flag Parks in the Borough! We retained the three previous Green Flags at Hare Hill Park (Littleborough), Queens Park (Heywood) and Rochdale Memorial gardens and gained to more awards for Broadfield park (Rochdale) and Milnrow Memorial Gardens. This is a great achievement and takes us nearer to achieving our LAA stretch target to get 7 Green Flag parks by 2009. we are aiming to have at least one Green flag park in each Township.

Recycling


Alternate Weekly Collections –roll out to Middleton

The roll out of Alternate Weekly Collections in Middleton was a success. We increased our recycling amounts three fold collecting 162 tonnes of recyclates in the last four weeks compared to 40 tonnes in the same period last year. I spent two Tuesdays in Middleton over seeing the first day of the new scheme in the two different areas.

The biggest issue that came to my attention was Brown Bin collections not being in line with the rest of the recycling collection. EM is aiming to align the Brown Bin collection with the rest of the recycling collection in all areas in the next six months.

Rochdale Borough’s recycling performance in 2007/08 was the most improved within Greater Manchester rising by 6.13% to nearly 25% of recycling.

Paper and Cardboard Recycling

Many residents have problems with the blue bags. They are difficult to carry and they get lost, which results in losing valuable recycling material ending up in landfill. EM is looking into the possibility of providing a wheelie bin for paper and cardboard on an optional basis. This might also be preferred by the collection crews who have started to raise health and safety concerns over the handling of the bags.

Residents now can put tetra pack cartons in with the paper and card recycling diverting even more waste from landfill.


Recycling collections from charities and community centres

The council is offering a recycling collection free of charge for charities places of worship and community centres following repeated demands for that service.


Food waste collections

EM is currently evaluating the results of a survey asking 1000 in the borough whether they would like to participate in a weekly food waste collection. Food waste is one of the main reasons why residents are concerned about the switch to Alternate Weekly Collections. Separate food waste collections would involve each household having a special food waste container on the property. The advantage is that even more waste would be diverted from landfill. Enough residents will need to be interested in the service for the Council to offer it on an optional basis.


Sustainability


Nottingham Declaration

I am delighted that the Council is about to sign the Nottingham Declaration. This is a voluntary pledge creating the platform for a coherent plan to tackle Climate Change at a local level. The LGA (Local Government Association) is aiming for all Local Authorities to sign the declaration by the end of 2008. Over 300 councils have already signed it.

Rochdale Borough is the only Greater Manchester Authority to have chosen Climate Change target indicators 186 and 188 in the Local Area Agreement. Indicator 186 is target about reducing CO2 emissions; 188 is a target about adapting to Climate Change.
Rochdale Council is therefore demonstrating a strong commitment to tackle global warming and the effects of Climate change throughout the borough.



School Travel Plans

On the 24th of June a celebration event was held in the Town hall for all 19 schools that had completed a school travel plan.
The school run by car is becoming a major contributor to congestion, pollution and inactivity in young people. School travel plans are aimed to encourage pupils, teachers and parents to use alternative transport to the car when going to and returning from school. Travel plans include looking at safe walking routes to school, organising walking buses and training young people to ride their bikes safely. Travel Plans also look at safe crossing points and routes to schools away from main roads.
A lot of travel plans included surveys asking families why they travelled to school by car and what would change their attitude.

The celebration event was providing a platform for exchange of useful information and discussion between school which are committed to get young people walking cycling and using public transport on their way to and from school.

Government requires all schools to have a travel plan by 2010. Rochdale currently has the highest number of School Travel Plans in Greater Manchester.

Bowlee Nursery fire

Bowlee Nursery was substantially damaged by fire on the night of June 14th 08.

Fortunately the costs of the repairs are substantially covered by insurance.

Demolition work of the unsafe parts is now complete and with the help of emergency generators providing electricity the nursery has re opened to the public on a reduced basis.

Enforcement

Rochdale Township has invested extra funds to support the Council’s enforcement team as part of the Rochdale Township priority setting.
Residents clearly see litter and dog fouling as one of the major environmental issues and want the Council to become more proactive spreading the message that dog fouling and dropping litter is not acceptable.
Two extra enforcement officers will be in post in Rochdale from August in a street litter warden capacity.

Planning and Regulation

Responsible Retailer

The pilot scheme in Grimshaw Lane, Middleton, where last summer there was a big alcohol-related Anti-social Behaviour problem, has been a real success.

Trading standards worked in partnership with Police community safety and Licensing pooling intelligence and tackling the source of the problem. The following techniques were used:
-a series of public meeting to inform and reassure residents about measures that were being taken to support the community.
-distribute community diaries in which residents could record instances of ASB
- carrying out a test purchasing survey.-using ‘bottle marking under which local off-licences volunteer to put a sticker to products typically bought by young people. The stickers bear numbers identifying each individual store and allowing to trace the bottles back to where they were purchased.
-working to promote awareness of alcohol issues in Middleton
- working with the Youth service and Early Break to provide support and diversionary activities for young people in Middleton.

There has been a marked decline of ASB complaints compared to previous years.




I hope that a similar campaign called Safe 4 summer will be led in Spotland and Norden during this summer holiday.

Environmental Health

The borough is a healthier place since becoming Smoke Free last July. 96% of the population and 100% of businesses are aware of the smoking ban in public spaces. 85% of the population and 95% of businesses support the ban.
The borough’s stop smoking service TASK (ThinkActStopKick) has helped 2109 people to stoop smoking in the last year.
In addition Rochdale Council has taken further steps to promote a Smoke Free Borough.
The Smoke Free Homes scheme has been re-launched in March to include smoke free cars concentrating on Sure Start Centres and Family Centres.

The Midwifery Service is particularly active encouraging expectant and young mums in ante and post natal care to stop smoking.

The Smoke Free Schools award is now including nurseries and pre school establishments.
Hopwood Hall college is going completely smoke free from August 2008.

Strategic Planning

Local development Framework

The LDF is the going to be the replacement for the current UDP. It will be adopted in 2010 and run for a period of 15 years. The LDF is the key document to determine the land use within the borough, it will align key strategic Council documents with Government priorities and aspirations. Sustainable development and regeneration will be at the heart of the document setting out priorities for action for the council, public sector agencies and private investors.
During the end of August and September an ‘Issues and Option’ report will go out for public consultation. It will describe the current position of the borough, set out a vision and objectives and then put forward six different options for the development of this borough.
Once views have been secured they will be put together and presented to members as part of producing a draft plan next spring.

I thank all officers for their continued support!

Cllr Wera Hobhouse