The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
Environment Scrutiny Panel
PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting
Date: 26th April 2007 Meeting Number: 45
Present Deputy R.C. Duhamel (Chairman) (RD)
Deputy P. V. F. Le Claire (PLC)
Connétable A. S. Crowcroft (SC) Apologies Connétable K. A. Le Brun of St Mary (KB)
Absent
In attendance C. Le Quesne, Scrutiny Officer (CLQ) Mr M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer.(MR)
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
1. | Minutes of Previous Meetings The Minutes of 22nd March 2007 were approved and signed. RD. PLC. SC. |
|
2. | Action Updates The Panel noted the updates from the previous meetings. The Panel was advised that the full report on the Vienna fact finding trip was to be incorporated in the Design of Homes Review Report. It was reminded that a press release had been made relating to the trip some time ago. The Panel was advised that the Waste Report was being progressed and that the Chairman would be assisting with its development. RD. PLC. SC. |
|
3. Item 3 22.03.07 | Design of Homes The Panel discussed the way forward for its Design of Homes Review. It was decided that the review should be a Scrutiny Review and should be produced within the resources available to it allowing for some input from Deputy S. Power as he was previously the lead member for the Review. The Panel appointed Deputy P. Le Claire as the new lead member for the Review. The Panel noted that some assistance to provide background information from the Planning Department had been offered. | CLQ |
The Panel discussed the possible benefits of gathering further evidence for the review. It noted that at the outset of the review there had been tacit agreement to undertake fact finding visits to the Bedzed project in London, Vienna and Malmo. The Panel had undertaken two out of the three of the proposed research visits and decided that it would be beneficial to complete its original proposals.
The Panel agreed to ascertain the availability of the Minister for Planning and Environment to accompany them on the visit prior to making a final decision. It was aware that Malmo was the focus of a European competition waterfront design and would provide the opportunity to see one of the largest residential tower blocks.
It was agreed that the Chairman, the lead member, Mr. Mason if available and one officer would participate and that dates would be arranged subject to the Minister's availability. The Panel agreed that it would be content for Deputy Power to participate in the visit should he wish to do so.
The Officer was requested to contact the Minister to obtain suitable dates for the two day visit and subject to those dates being confirmed by the Panel to make initial enquiries with regard to travel and accommodation.
The Panel also considered a request from Deputy Power to reconsider its previous decision to decline funding for the development of a questionnaire for electronic dissemination to target groups to provide collated data to be included in the design of homes report. The Panel concluded that it would maintain its previous decision not to fund the development of the questionnaire.
RD. PLC. SC.
4. Waste MR Item 4 The Panel received an oral update from the Chairman regarding
22.03.07 the progress of its draft Waste Report and issues relating to the Review.
It recalled that it had previously agreed to provide funding for the Zero Waste trial conducted by the Parish of St. Helier . The Panel authorised the release of £2,000 for the reimbursement of the Parish of St. Helier which should be paid upon presentation of an invoice. The Panel accepted that the amount was nominally higher than the estimated cost but considering the project findings reflected the value that the project represented. It also noted that overall the total expenditure had been significantly lower than anticipated.
The Panel requested that an official letter of thanks be sent to the Parish of St. Helier on its behalf subsequent to the necessary payment being made.
The Panel agreed that it would be prepared to maintain an innovative approach to obtaining evidence for its reviews and as such would be prepared to consider further similar experiments
| on a partnership basis. Those schemes would be controlled and developed to reflect the reviews that it was undertaking and any project would fall within the terms of reference agreed for that review. The Chairman advised that the draft report was progressing and that the officer had been instructed to begin drafting the public engagement section of the report. On a related matter the Panel requested that Connétable Murphy be invited to its next meeting to discuss the development of recycling and energy initiatives, and that an invitation be extended to a local plastic recycling company namely: Sierra who had presented proposals to the Parish of St. Helier . The Panel discussed the proposed recycling centre at La Collette and the risk assessment which had been undertaken. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the Planning and Environment Department to enquire about the zoning of the area. A letter should also be sent to Mr Colin Myers at the Health and Safety Inspectorate requesting any reports he had relating to the risk assessment and the renewal of the lease on the La Collette site for 10 years. The Panel noted that the La Collette development would be addressed within the Review of the Island Plan in 2007. Should a lease be signed for 10 years and the Bunsfield report did not indicate a bigger restricted area than that currently identified then in the long term the site would not be used as indicated. The Panel requested that an update be requested on the issue from the Minister together with a request for information on all meetings by the strategic report port energy group. The Panel noted that the circles of risk in the new plans were to extend quite considerably and it was essential to know which buildings would be captured. It was agreed that the revised risk zone must be factored into the 2007 Island Plan. The Panel briefly discussed the implication on facility users in the area and the approach which might be taken by insurance companies with regard to cover in the event of an incident. RD. PLC. SC. |
|
5. | Correspondence and forthcoming issues - Energy The Panel noted correspondence from Mr Foster, dated 30th March 2007 in relation to energy issues requesting that some form of review be undertaken on issues relating to the generation of energy. Deputy Le Claire agreed to gather information on energy from a Channel Islands' perspective. He would draft an overview of his findings and forward a draft to the Chairman and the Scrutiny Office. RD, PLC, SC | CLQ |
6. | Vehicle Emission Duty | CLQ |
The Panel discussed issues relating to the proposed Environmental Taxes to be levied against vehicle emissions and the suggestion that part of the monies be directed to the general reserve.
The Panel agreed that its view should be drafted and submitted for consideration. It asserted that it did not consider that there was anything wrong with owning a car but that its concerns lay in the inappropriate use of that car, the emphasis of the report on the integrated transport plan should follow the VED concept. The Panel considered that the strategy should focus on a transport hierarchy and could then introduce incentives to change behaviour. New options on providing alternative fuels appeared not to have been fully investigated and weakened the argument for taxing vehicle emissions when some did not emit pollutants.
The Panel agreed that the situation with regard to tax deductible work vehicles should be confirmed with the Comptroller of Income Tax.
The Panel suggested that whilst high taxation of polluting fuel was an option which could be pursued it did not address the individuals who chose to invest in clean fuel -vehicles. It considered that the key focus should be encouraging the population towards the use of electric or hydrogen fuel cost - cost of or electric vehicles. Whilst the purchase of such vehicles was currently high the Panel agreed that it would support and encourage incentives such as exemptions on importation tax for electric cars.
The Panel agreed that if Vehicle Registration Duty were to be discontinued and replaced with Vehicle Emission Duty then monies raised must be invested into environmental issues in a transparent way and not absorbed into general funds.
The Panel decided that the Ministers for Treasury and Resources and Planning and Environment should be asked to provide it with the latest reports and information on the proposed environmental taxes.
RD, PLC, SC
7. EDAW Report MR
The Panel discussed the EDAW Report and the necessity for it to provide a comment in response to the consultation period.
The Panel considered some of the issues raised within the report including the viability of Fort Regent and the impact that the removal of the cable car link had on its accessibility and use.
The effect of empty office space was discussed and the potential for using that space for residential accommodation.
The Panel agreed to discuss its comment fully at its next meeting. It was considered essential that any strategic development should protect the centre of town as commercial and include residential communities within that. It was agreed
| that the dilution of the commercial activity in the St. Helier centre would be detrimental to the vibrancy of the town and it was suggested that strong links between the town and waterfront were essential. The consultation cut off date for the Edaw report would be confirmed by the officers in order that the Panel could submit a comment. RD, PLC, SC |
|
8. | Notes of meeting with the Minister for Transport and Technical Services The Panel discussed the draft Transport Strategy and considered its content. It questioned the effectiveness of the proposals when research supporting that document had identified that 49% of people would not travel on a bus and had asserted that they had cars they would continue to use. It was noted that the response to the provision of school buses - 21% of people approached said they would use the service if it were free. The Panel noted that during the course of the meeting with the Minister the Chairman had put forward a number of other alternatives which should be considered. It was agreed that confirmation should be sought from the Department as to which suggestions from the Panel following the meeting with the Minister had or were to be included in the draft. It was also agreed that the release date for the revised strategy should be obtained together with information on the consultation method to be used. RD, PLC, SC | CLQ |
9. | Transport, Business Plans and Energy - The Chairman reminded the Panel that there remained a number of matters to consider with regard to the draft transport policy. Work was required on the Business Plans and a comment was required from the Panel in this regard. The Chairman agreed to compile bullet points outlining the areas of concern and to circulate that through the Scrutiny Office for Panel approval. The Panel agreed that it was necessary to complete both of its current reviews prior to commencing any new reviews. RD, PLC, SC | RD/CLQ |
9 | Matters for information The Panel noted the following matters for information
|
|
Environmental Technology and Environment Services 1st to 3rd May 2007 - the Panel would not attend;
MCERTS - 25th-26th April 2007, the Panel would not attend;
SDUK Annual Conference Thursday 5th July 2007, QE2 conference centre the Panel would not attend;
"Think, can you afford not to?" Conference, 1st to 3rd
May 2007, the Panel decided that whilst it would have
been useful to attend it would not be able to do so due to
the States sitting, however the officer was requested to obtain copies of the lectures that would be delivered if possible; CLQ
- It was noted that Sir David King, Scientific Environment Adviser to the United Kingdom Government was giving a presentation on Monday 30th May 2007 to deliver a lecture at the Jersey Opera House. The Panel decided to attend;
- A request from Orchid to attend a Panel meeting to discuss the way forward was declined until an official request had been made to the Chairman outlining the reasons for that attendance request.
10 The Panel noted that the date for its next meeting would be the
10th May 2007.
Signed Date: ..
Chairman
Deputy R.C. Duhamel