Minutes:
Question to: Portfolio Holder for Place
Question from: Councillor Newton
Subject: Garden waste and brown bins
Councillor Newton asked the Portfolio Holder if there was confirmation to expand the current service for residents due to popular interest and a large waiting list.
Councillor Gambba-Jones agreed that it was encouraging that residents were keen to participate in the scheme and that work was currently being undertaken to assist in taking this forward.
Question to: Leader of the Council
Question from: Councillor Brewis
Subject: Covid-19 health statistics in the district and parking charges
Councillor Brewis made a comment to the Leader regarding the encouragingly low health statistics in the District related to Covid-19. He also remarked on the increase in car parking charges for the markets in the District which may be deterring shoppers as opposed to the free car parking made available to residents in neighbouring Fenland District Council.
The Leader agreed with Councillor Brewis that the District health statistics are extremely low compared to neighbouring districts which was good news. He commented that car parks within South Holland District are still full of cars which would suggest that shoppers have not been deterred by parking charges.
Question to: Portfolio Holder for Place
Question from: Councillor Booth
Subject: Fly tipping
Councillor Booth asked the Portfolio Holder if consideration could be given to alternative Saturday collections in order to reduce the incidents of fly tipping.
Councillor Gambba-Jones reminded Council that the alternative Saturday collections were previously carried out by SHDC on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council in order to compensate for the distance from the household waste and recycling centre in Spalding. This service was eventually withdrawn as a budgetary consideration and should it be reintroduced the cost would fall to the council tax payers of SHDC.
Question to: Portfolio Holder for Place
Question from: Councillor Alcock
Subject: Litter pick for A16 Spalding to Crowland
Councillor Alcock commented on the amount of waste along the A16 and whether a litter pick could be arranged should it be the responsibility of SHDC.
Councillor Gambba-Jones agreed with Councillor Alcock that the littering along the A16 is a problem and that the safety of staff litter picking along an A road was a consideration. Another council lost a member of staff in an incident when the refuse collection lorry used to protect litter pickers was hit by an HGV which in turn crushed the staff member. That council thought that the HGV would be solely responsible however the council (ultimately the tax payer) was prosecuted for not adequately protecting the staff member and were sued for over £2m. At the time of this incident, SHDC suspended a similar operation and sought assistance through a third party contractor at a cost of approximately £20k which are deployed approximately 3 to 4 times a year.
Councillor Alcock asked if the Portfolio Holder could advise when the last litter pick occurred and Councillor Gambba-Jones agreed to provide a report to all Members to that effect.