Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mike Booth and Tina Walker.

Councillors Aziz acted as substitute representative for Councillor Booth.

Jackie Rawstrone, Co-optee member of the Committee, declared a personal interest in item 6 of the agenda, Allotment Review, due to her holding a tenancy of a Council allotment.  She remained in the meeting and participated in the discussion.

There were no dispensations declared at the meeting.

To submit the Minutes of the Communities & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 4^th March 2025 for approval as a correct record.

Recommended                     -   That the Minutes of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 4^th March 2025 be approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the last meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee, held on 4^th March 2025, were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved      – That the minutes of the last meeting held on 4^th March 2025 be approved as a correct record.

The Overview & Scrutiny Officer presents a report requesting that the Overview & Scrutiny Committees note any comments given by Cabinet, and consider the work programmes for 2025-26, for approval.

Recommended                     -   That the work programme for the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee for 2025-26, be approved.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer submitted a report seeking approval of the work programme for the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee for 2025-26. 

Resolved       - That the work programme for the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee be approved for 2025-26.

The Policy Manager submits a report to consult the Committee on the Council’s new draft Climate Strategy and Action Plan.

Recommended                     -   That the Community & Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s comments and recommendations be noted and action taken, as required.

The Policy Manager submitted a report to consult the Committee on the draft Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and sought comment from Committee.  He also gave a presentation to update Committee on Hyndburn wide CO2 emissions and the Council’s transition to Carbon Net Zero.  He provided details of:

·         The background to the Council’s climate change initiatives, starting with the Green Agenda in 2018, which had resulted in the Council declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019.

·         The importance of limiting global warming to 1.5c or staying well below 2c to try to achieve pre-industrial levels and to achieve a 7.6% annual reduction in carbon emissions that would be required to achieve net zero targets.

·         The focus of the Strategy in showing the achievements to date, emissions of Council activity and Hyndburn wide, carbon reduction pathway, natural solutions, partnership work and the Action Plan.

·         HBC Carbon footprint and a levelling off in the trajectory in achieving a reduction of carbon emissions in recent years.

·         The continuation of LCC aiming to reduce transport emissions through the promotion of using electric vehicles by installing charging points across the borough.

·      The work of the Council in decarbonising its public buildings and action it has taken to reduce carbon emissions such as changing fuel used by its vehicles to hydro-treated veg oil and procuring green renewable energy when possible. 

·      The importance of offsetting the harmful effect of climate change through work to develop areas of biodiversity and planting trees.  Tree coverage in the UK was the lowest in Europe.

·         The work of the Net Zero Working Group and the focus of their work.

The Policy Manager also informed the Committee that Hyndburn Council had set aside a £1m climate reserve pot to help to achieve Hyndburn’s target to make the Council’s activities net zero carbon by 2030 which clearly demonstrated the Council’s determination to tackle global warming.  The Council had used this funding in various ways including:

-          The appointment of two Officers – a Home Energy Reduction Officer and a Natural Spaces Project Officer over a 3-year period. 

-          The acquisition of Bury Meadows with initial improvements and planned works.

-          The natural solutions programmes delivered by external organisations over 3 years

-          Installation of solar panels to improve energy efficiency at the Market Hall.

This budget had substantially been allocated and required further funding to achieve any future progression, particularly if the net zero targets were to be achieved.

He explained that to help provide direction with the transition to net zero and after the Council’s recent Corporate Peer Challenge, an action plan had been created to provide further guidance in the following areas:

-          Reduction of fuel poverty

-          Making the Council’s activities and operations net zero by 2030

-          Removal of fossil fuel from Council-owned assets, focusing on the highest emitters and buildings at risk

-          Enhancing green open spaces and the natural environment

-          Increasing housing growth

-          Increasing employment and business growth.

Members of the Committee were invited to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

The Regeneration Project Manager submitted a report to provide the Committee with an overview of the Allotments service.

Recommended                     -   That the comments and recommendation of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and action taken, where required.

The Regeneration Project Manager submitted a report to provide an overview of the Allotments Service.

He explained that:

-          There were 730 allotment plots over 24 allotment sites, which covered an area of land of 26.1 Ha. 

-          The average plot size was 340m2.

-          The National Allotment Society (NAS) recommended a target number of allotment plots per 1,000 households as 20.  Hyndburn had 24.5 allotment plots per 1,000 households – 22% greater than required.

-          A draft allotment consultation had been drafted for 2025.

-          He referenced the percentage of respondents in relation to a consultation of allotment tenants held in 2018 and of the key outcomes.

-          The last tenancy agreement was extremely detailed, and had been approved in March 2014

-          The provision of allotments had been subject to numerous rent reviews as outlined in 3.4 of the report.

-          He gave details of the budget break down and the annual repair and maintenance budget for allotments and garages.

-          Vacancy rates and average occupancy periods were detailed as 147 vacant plots in 2024 and a 5.5 year average occupancy in 2024.  The main reasons for tenants terminating their allotment plots were due to ill-heath and a lack of time.

-          In respect of enforcement, most allotments are inspected during Spring and Summer and tenants scoring very poor or worse would be served a ‘Use it or lose it notice.

-          The total number of allotment applications since 2021 was 1,944 and the present number on the waiting list was 510.

The Committee submitted a number of questions in advance to the meeting which were responded to by the Officer, relating to the following issues:

-          The length of time tenants were given to bring allotment plots to a standard after starting a new tenancy before any enforcement action was started.

-          If some of the larger allotment plots could be made into more manageable smaller plots.

-          If future consultations could include a sample number as percentages on their own gave no understanding of how many had taken part in a survey.

-          How vandalism was being dealt with on allotments.

-          What strategy was in place for dealing with fly tipping.

-          What security was in place to protect allotments from vandalism, fly tipping and anti-social behaviour.

-          Could allotment sites be used as shared community allotments?

-          What information and guidance was given to new tenants to help them use their allotments more beneficially.

-          Could external organisations like Community Payback be used to improve allotments in poor conditions before being offered to new tenants.

The Officer explained:

·         that he took the starting condition of the plot at the commencement of the tenancy agreement into consideration before deciding what, if any, future enforcement action to take.  The process of enforcement action was explained.

·         that the Council held allotment plots of various sizes and although there was a need for large plots, some had already been split into smaller plots.  He indicated that they could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95.

To consider options for filling the vacant co-optee position, allocated for a young person 18 years to 25 years.

The Overview & Scrutiny Officer submitted a report to inform the Committee that there was still a co-optee vacancy for a young person (18 – 25 years).  She reported that the co-optee position would cover the remaining municipal year for 2025-26 and invited the Committee to submit nominations.  She informed the Committee that nominations would be considered at the next Committee and any recommendations be submitted to Full Council for approval.

Resolved        - that the report be noted.