Agenda and draft minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2024 as an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2024 were agreed as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and other registrable and non-registrable interests they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

There were none.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business.

The Sub-Committee is provided the latest Financial Performance Monitoring report, to review by exception, with a view to considering whether it is reassured about the delivery of the 2023-24 Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery Budget.

The Sub-Committee considered a report set out on pages 23 to 62 of the agenda that provided the Cabinet Report on Period 9 Financial Performance for Members to ascertain whether they are reassured about the delivery of the 2022-23 Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery (SCRER) Budget. The Corporate Director of SCRER introduced the item.

The Chair asked about the forecasted £0.6m income pressure resulting from the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA). The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that pressure on this income target was due to fewer coring inspections in 2023/24. The Sub-Committee heard that the income target would continue to be monitored to ascertain whether it may need to be revised.

The Chair asked about a £0.5m pressure in Parking Services due to connection and configuration issues with the newly installed Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that it was not uncommon to have ANPR shortfalls as a result of camera vandalism and regular maintenance faults, and that these issues were not at a higher level than was normal. It was highlighted that opposition to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) had resulted in some vandalism to the Council’s ANPR camera network. Members heard that parking income was reflecting the anticipated income targets but it was acknowledged that there had been some behavioural change accelerated by the pandemic, such as greater levels of residents working from home and different shopping habits.

The Chair queried the forecast underspend of £1.7m in staffing owing to periods of vacancy and the £1.2m forecast underspend in waste services owing to reduced tonnage level of waste. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that household waste tonnage had reduced since the pandemic due to a number of residents returning to office based work. Members were informed that a number of posts had been difficult to fill, particularly programme and project managers in the Regeneration team, but that a recruitment campaign would be commencing shortly. The Council’s successful bid to the Levelling Up Fund, in conjunction with Growth Zone Funding, meant that Croydon now had a good amount of funding to spend; it was thought that this would make working in regeneration in Croydon a more attractive prospect.

The Chair asked about income underachievement of £0.6m in the Planning and Sustainable Regeneration Division, owing to lower activity levels in planning major applications and planning performance agreements. The Corporate Director of SCRER acknowledged that this was a challenge and that there had been a reduction in major applications and pre-applications. The Sub-Committee heard that this was a trend that was being seen London and nationwide, due to economic and regulatory factors. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that there was still significant income being generated but that it was less than the income target; this target would continue to be reviewed during 2024/25 to see whether it needed to be revised during the next budget setting process. Members asked if the Council would still be able to meet its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12/24

The Streets & Environment Sub-Committee is asked to receive the March 2024 Cabinet report ‘PROPOSED PARKING CHARGE AMENDMENTS 2024-2025,’ recommending a statutory consultation on changes to parking charges, and to consider whether Members feel the proposed charges are reasonable to meet the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities on and off the highway. The Sub-Committee are also to consider whether the proposed changes will align to the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for the period 2024 to 2028 (2024-28 SAV SCRER 002).

The Sub-Committee considered a report set out on pages 63 to 102 of the agenda, which provided the proposed Parking Charge Amendments for 2024-25, considered at Cabinet on the 27 March 2024. The Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment introduced the item followed by a short presentation from the Head of Highways & Parking Services.

Members asked how the Council would determine the success of the proposed tariffs and how their environmental impact would be measured. The Head of Highways & Parking Services explained that the Council would continue to incentivise residents to adopt less polluting vehicles through a parking discount, but that business footfall and vitality had also been a focus in developing the proposals in order to align with the Mayor’s Business Plan. The Sub-Committee heard that the proposals sought to achieve Medium Term Financial Strategy savings (2024-28 SAV SCRER 002) and that this would be used to determine the success of the new tariffs. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council was seeking a balance between environmental incentives and encouraging economic activity in the borough and explained that the current 90% discount for Electric Vehicles (EVs) was high when compared to other boroughs.

The Sub-Committee asked how this policy would connect with other strategic transport polices, and what the Council would be doing to encourage the use of less polluting methods of transport, beyond the use of EVs. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council’s Strategic Transport approach and Local Implementation Plan worked together to encourage the use of public transport, active transport and walking. Members heard that national trends showed new vehicles purchased were increasingly EVs or Hybrid and that the Council needed to look at how to support this through infrastructure, particularly where residents did not have their own driveways or access to a personal EV charger. The Council had been providing on street EV charging points and this approach was being reviewed, following the departure of the former officer overseeing this work and a new officer starting in post. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council’s role in delivering EV infrastructure needed to be reviewed as the market grew, with the continued rollout of charging points at supermarkets and petrol stations. The Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment added that the second meeting of Croydon Advisory Forum on Active, Sustainable and Accessible Transport was scheduled for later in April 2024, and that this was another way for the Council to engage with key stakeholders on strategic transport in the borough.

The Sub-Committee asked what number of current permits were for higher polluting vehicles. The Head of Highways & Parking Services responded that, for 2022/23, of 8,779 parking and residential permits 264 of these were for higher polluting vehicles, and that almost 80% of the total were for the middle band.

The Chair praised the emissions-based charging approach and asked why the size and weight of vehicles had not also been considered. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that this would be a complicated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13/24

For the Sub-Committee to receive the draft Air Quality Action Plan 2024-29 for more in-depth scrutiny following the initial presentation in November 2023. The Streets and Environment Sub-Committee is recommended:

1.     To note this report and the content of the draft Air Quality Action Plan at Appendix 1 and

2.     To provide comments on the draft Air Quality Action Plan prior to it being presented to Cabinet on 15 May 2024

The Sub-Committee considered a report set out in the supplementary agenda, which provided the latest draft of the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2024-29. The Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment introduced the item followed by a presentation from the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing.

The Vice Chair asked about the designation of Croydon as an Air Quality Management Area and heard that this would be the fifth Action Plan since the designation in 2002.  The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing explained that the AQAPs were having a positive effect, but acknowledged that there were still measures that could be adopted to further improve air quality. Members asked if the resources to deliver the AQAP had been quantified and heard that funding would come from existing budgets (such as the Pollution Team’s); Planning Section 106 Obligations; Local Implementation Plan; Mayors’ Air Quality Fund (MAQS); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) air quality grant, and Public Health funding. Lower cost measures around communication campaigns and synergy with the Council’s other initiatives, such as active travel, would also contribute to delivering the AQAP.

The Vice-Chair asked about the sources and proportion of PM2.5 small particle emissions and whether the actions in the plan had been quantified in terms of cost and effectiveness. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that a Steering Group would be implemented to monitor the delivery and effectiveness of the Plan, and that PM2.5 emissions came primarily from diesel and burning but it was not possible to determine the specific locality these came from or their proportions. Members asked if the AQAP had been discussed with DEFRA and if they would be providing any additional funding. The Director of Streets & Environment replied that there had been conversations with and bids submitted to DEFRA, however, the bids had not been successful. The Vice Chair commented that they were concerned that local authorities did not have sufficient resources to deliver ambitious air quality improvement and that the aims of the Plan were too ‘top line’. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council had not yet made any bids on the basis of this AQAP, as it had not yet been adopted, and that Air Quality funding for London primarily came through the MAQS, and that this may have contributed to the lack of success with DEFRA bids. The Sub-Committee heard that the aim of the AQAP was to provide a framework and objectives to be used as a reference when bidding for funding and working with other departments, boroughs and sectors to achieve air quality improvements.

The Chair asked what learning had been taken forward from the Council’s previous AQAPs. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that this was a shorter and more targeted AQAP to ensure that it was achievable and deliverable whilst being easily understood by all stakeholders and partners. The Chair asked who would sit on the Steering Group and heard from the Director of Streets and Environment that the AQAP  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14/24

The Streets & Environment Sub-Committee is presented with an up-to-date list of responses from Cabinet to recommendations made by the Sub-Committee for review.

The Sub-Committee noted report.

On SE.15.23/24, the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment clarified that walkabouts were being prioritised to coincide with the blitz cleans but could also be directly requested. The Sub-Committee heard that, in future, Contract Monitoring Officers would also be attending these visits.

The Sub-Committee is asked to:

1.         Note the draft work programme for 2023-24, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

2.         Consider what items Members would like to see included on the 2024-25 Work Programme.

The Sub-Committee noted report.