(a)

software was being used to identify more efficient waste collection routes; this was provisionally completed as routes were being reviewed and tested;

(b)

a Christmas card would be sent to all residents in Plymouth detailing the waste collection reorganisation changes and new policies. Householders would also be provided with a sticker for their bin which would detail the day of waste/recycling collection as well as leaving a space for residents to include

their house number; design work was on track for the Christmas communication to residents;

(c)

Officers had consulted with several organisations, including the Senior Citizens Forum, to tackle any potential issues with the new refuse collection reorganisation;

(d)

community events were scheduled throughout the city centre throughout November to consult with the local community; Officers were also  contacting major employers, attending Freshers Fair to advise students, posting relevant information on the Council’s website and sending out letters to advise people  of the waste collection reorganisation;

(e)

Councillors would be provided with information on the waste collection reorganisation for their ward newsletters to keep residents updated on progress and relevant changes.

(f)

waste collection bags were available for free collection from Prince Rock Depot and local libraries;

(g)

residents would not be charged for the delivery of a replacement bin if the request had been made prior to 1 October 2014;

(h)

additional resources had been allocated to reduce the wait time for the delivery of replacement bins;

(i)

the Council had a 99% refuse collection rate; Officers acknowledged that there were isolated incidents in which some refuse collectors had either not collected rubbish or had left discarded rubbish on the road/pavement however this was being addressed through staff education;

(j)

it was the responsibility of the Council to clear away discarded rubbish left by split refuse bags or refuse collectors;

(k)

it was estimated that 10 to 20 local residents visited the Princerock Depot on a daily basis to collect replacement refuse receptacles; there was considered to be a backlog in this service as it went through ‘peaks and troughs’ and this was a particularly busy time;

(l)

when requesting a replacement bin a reference number would be provided; this number was required to be stated when collecting the issued bin;

(m)

those who were signed up to the assisted bin collection would not be charged for a replacement bin;

(o)

residents requesting an extra green bin for recycling would not be charged for the delivery of the receptacle;

(p)

Officers would be attending ‘Have your Say’ meetings to advise local residents of changes and to respond to any concerns;

(q)

refuse collectors and street cleaners worked within the same department however were unable to work in parallel across the city  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

(a)

the CPZ review had already been submitted to both the Cooperative Scrutiny Board and Cabinet and was presented to the Working Plymouth panel to advise them of the final recommendations and update them on progress;

(b)

the review enabled officers to have an agreed set of principles as to when a CPZ should be considered and provided a consistent approach for dealing with requests from residents;

(c)

it was expected that by the end of the month a specific page explaining CPZs would be posted on the Council’s website under the transport section of the site; detail including the aim of a CPZ, costs and exclusions would be provided;

(d)

Officers were helping to explain Controlled Parking Zones and address any issues surrounding this policy at Neighbourhood meetings; Officers were also supporting Members in their respective wards to provide residents with information and assess where the policies could be of benefit;

(e)

Officers were exploring the legality of excluding non-council tax payers from Controlled Parking Zones;

(f)

Plymouth University had a no car policy and this was affecting specific streets in Plymouth as students would park their cars up and leave them there for a considerable time;

(g)

the intention of the review was to develop a policy other than reviewing Controlled Parking Zones across the city;

(h)

Councillors were not expected to pay a considerable amount of their Living Streets Fund as part of this informal consultation process;

(i)

consultation expected between residents and local Councillors was expected to be informal and was an initial scoping exercise;

(a)

the Controlled Parking Zones policy is circulated to Members via email including details as to how this is made accessible to the public;

(b)

Members would be advised of the Council’s policy for using Council resources to produce information for residents canvassing their opinions upon the requirement for a Controlled Parking Zone.

(a)

the Plan for Parking would include the Controlled Parking Zones Policy as well as relevant sections of the National Planning Policy Framework;

(b)

a draft study in relation to the demand for parking in the city was expected to be finalised by the end of 2014; phase two of the plan would include stakeholder engagement.

(a)

the report attached to the agenda was the draft Cabinet report, the  recommendations contained within it were to be considered by Cabinet in December 2014; the intention was for the Working Plymouth scrutiny panel to support the recommendations;

(b)

the Plymouth City Centre Company (PCCC), supported by the Council, had won more than 15 national awards in the past 10 years and had provided a voice and support to many businesses, organisations and partnerships within the city;

(c)

the City Centre BID represented over 700 businesses within the Plymouth City Centre area and had gained a national reputation for best practice and had maintained the city centre environment as a safe, clean and more vibrant place for residents and visitors;

(d)

Plymouth welcomed 5m visitors on an annual basis of which 39% confirmed that shopping was their main activity;

(e)

it was expected that the City Centre BID would generate over £8.2m over the 5 year BID lifetime;

(f)

once submitted to Cabinet in December 2014 the BID business plan would be forwarded to the Secretary of State; the City Centre BID ballot was to take place in March 2015 and announcements would be made on 17 March 2015;

(g)

the boundary of the BID was proposed to change to include Bretonside bus station and businesses such as Staples and the Cycle Shop;

(h)

the Council had the power to veto the BID ballot process;

(i)

Councillor Lowry represented the Council on the Plymouth City Centre Company Board;

(j)

the city centre employed 7% of Plymouth’s workforce; the city’s vacancy rate was currently 14%, this was 1% higher than the national average;

(k)

businesses, in feedback to the BID, raised that they wanted the current events hosted in the City Centre to be improved other than increased in number;

(l)

the city centre was due to be transformed with the addition of the new coach hub and history centre;

(m)

the responsibility to pay the business levy would rest with the premises owner  if a premises within the BID was unoccupied;  over 90% of the levy was successfully collected;

(n)

the net amount raised through the BID was approximately £400,000.

(1)

the recommendations contained within the report are supported going onto Cabinet in December 2014;

(2)

the Working Plymouth panel are permitted to respond to the city centre BID consultation process.