Agenda and draft minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 20 November 2018 were approved as a true record.

The Executive Manager – Communities provided the Committee with an update regarding the Arts Programme Fund. It was noted that designs for a bespoke outdoor seat for visitors and users of Rushcliffe Arena had been unveiled that included engraved names of the parishes and communities that make up the Borough, a dedication to the residents who lost their lives in The Great War and the Council’s ‘Great Place, Great Lifestyle, Great Sport’ strapline. It was expected that the seating area would be installed by May 2019.

Following a request from the Community Development Group in September 2018 the Principal Community Development Officer presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities which provided the Group with information regarding the actions the Council and its partners were taking to ensure that Rushcliffe was a dementia friendly Borough.

The Health Development Officer delivered a presentation which focused on how the Council delivered responsive services and customer care outlined in The Equality Framework for Local Government. The presentation covered:

·         What makes us healthy

·         Context

·         Dementia in the UK

·         Dementia in Rushcliffe

·         What the Council has done

·         Dementia Action

·         What we plan to do

·         Dementia Friendly

Following the presentation the Group asked several specific questions regarding activities in place in order to increase the prevention of dementia. The Health Development Officer noted that he was currently working with care homes to help them introduce a physical activity programme in partnership with Ashfield District Council.

Questions were also asked regarding training for staff and councillors in order to increase their understanding of dementia. The Health Development Officer informed the Group that staff based at the Rushcliffe Community Contact Centre were to receive dementia friends training and agreed with the suggestion raised that dementia friends training should be delivered to refuse staff.

Members of the Group were pleased that that the Council was delivering a Planning and Health Workshop which would include how the Council could deliver ‘healthy houses’ that would include noise reduction which is known to prevent dementia.

The officers agreed to send members of the Group the Council’s Dementia Action Plan so that they could be provided with the timescales, projections and the different outreach activities available to residents who were suffering from dementia. The Group were also encouraged to attend the Dementia Action Event which was taking place at Rushcliffe Arena on Friday 24 May 2019. The Group also agreed that the Council working in partnership with other organisations such as local authorities, Nottinghamshire Police and the Alzheimer’s Society was the best approach in order for the Council to spread awareness about dementia, due to the Council’s limited role and resources. 

The Chairman thanked the officers for delivering their presentation and for answering the Group’s questions.

It was RESOLVED that

a)    The report of the Executive Manager – Communities be noted.

b)    The actions taken by the officers to raise awareness about dementia be endorsed.   

c)    Dementia Friendly training be delivered to Rushcliffe Borough Council refuse staff.

d)    The Group be sent the Council’s Dementia Friendly Action Plan with the different activities, time scales and projections.

The Environmental Sustainability Officer presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities which provided the Group with an update on initiatives for tree protection and promotion in Rushcliffe. It was noted that following the recommendations from Community Development Group in November 2017 and approval from Cabinet in January 2018, a three year revenue budget of £50,000 was allocated to initiatives including the Rushcliffe free tree scheme and the Parish Tree Scheme. The Environmental Sustainability Officer and the Landscape Officer delivered a presentation to the Group which highlighted the performance monitoring of the initiatives since the schemes were introduced in April 2018. The presentation covered:

·         Enforcement

·         Publicity

·         Tree Schemes

·         Public Comments

·         Tree Wardens

·         Government Consultation

Following the presentation, members of the Group asked several specific questions. It was suggested that the free tree scheme could offer smaller trees including Mountain Ash and Robinia trees if the climate and home garden environment was suitable. 

The Group asked questions regarding the implementation of Tree Preservation Orders. The Landscape Officer informed the Group that any resident could apply for a Tree Preservation Order and that they could be implemented if the tree can be seen from any community vantage point and was able to grow to full maturity without impacting on any structures. The Chairman suggested that the Council’s planning applications could state that the Council was a green council which could discourage developers from felling trees. The Group were pleased to note that over 400 trees were planned to be planted on the Sharphill development. The officers confirmed to the Group that tree wardens were volunteers, sourced by the Parish Council and community groups. It was noted that their responsibility was to look and advise the Borough Council with regards to matters such as tree preservation orders, but that they had no powers to implement one.

The Group reflected on the implementation of the free tree scheme in April 2018 and gave suggestions for improvement during the next planting season. It was noted that more collection points could be set up for residents to collect their trees and that the Council could publicise a follow up response from residents who planted their trees last year.

The Group raised concerns about the watering of trees. The officers informed the Group that Streetwise were responsible for watering the trees requested by the Borough Council and Parish Councils. It was also noted that there was a big cost involved in the watering of trees and so the Group suggested that the prices of water bowsers should be considered.

The Chairman thanked the officers for delivering their presentation and for answering their questions.  

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    The report of the Executive Manager – Communities be noted.

b)    The work under taken to protect and promote trees in Rushcliffe be endorsed

c)    Consideration be given for more collection points to be available for residents to collect their trees during the next planting season and for Councillors to be informed of the collection points so that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.