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Environment - Approved Panel Minutes - 10 March 2008

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Environment Scrutiny Panel

PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting

These minutes are Part A of a two part Agenda. Part B of the meeting was held in Private Session under Exemption 3.2.1(a) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information

Date: 10th March 2008 Meeting Number: 74

 

Present

Deputy R.C. Duhamel (Chairman) (RD)

Connétable K. A. Le Brun of St Mary (KB)

Connétable A. S. Crowcroft (SC) (Part of meeting only) Deputy P. V. F. Le Claire (PLC)

Deputy C. Scott Warr en (CSW) (Part of meeting only)

Apologies

 

Absent

 

In attendance

Mr M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1.

Minutes.

st

The Panel approved the Minutes of the meetings of 21 and 27th February 2008

RD. KLB. PLC. CSW.

MR/EKW

2.

Matters arising.

The Action updates were noted. RD. KLB. PLC. CSW.

 

3.

Chairmen's Committee Briefing.

The  Panel  noted  the  briefing  notes  from  the  Chairmen's Committee meeting of 22nd February 2008.

RD. KLB. PLC. CSW.

 

4.

Newsletter.

The  Panel  noted  that  the  Chairmen's  Committee  had approved a further newsletter to be circulated at the end of April or beginning of May. It was noted that this was to be more punchy' than previous issues but that it would follow the same format of one page per Panel, with a Member profile from one Panel Member.

The  Panel  recalled  and  reiterated  that  it  considered  the newsletter was not good value for money. However, it would contribute.   Deputy  C.   Scott   Warr en  agreed  to  provide  a profile.

RD. KLB. PLC. CSW.

MR / CSW

5

Annual Business Plan

Having received copies of the annual business plans for the departments  within  its  remit,  the  Panel  considered  its response to the briefing received on Friday 7th March 2008 relating  to  the  States  Business  Plans.   Considerations included  discussions  relating  to  the  prison,  composting, recycling,  the  Integrated  Travel  and  Transport  Plan,  the Waterfront,  project  management  systems  and  costings, environmental taxes and ministerial decisions. In conclusion, the Panel considered the entire business plan process to be flawed due in the main to accounting procedures. The Panel would monitor the situation and it would consider bringing a proposition to the States suggesting that the business plan should be more thoroughly costed out.

RD. KLB. SC (arrived during discussion). PLC. CSW (Left during discussion).

 

6.

Planning  Guidance:  Windows  and  doors  in  historic buildings.

The  Panel  referred  to  a  Planning  and  Environment Department  report  dated  28 January  2008,  entitled; Supplementary Planning Guidance, Windows and Doors in Historic  Buildings  and  a  White  Paper  dated  18  February 2008, entitled; Supplementary Planning Guidance, Managing change  in  historic  buildings  received  during  the  previous meeting.  It  recalled  the  deadlines  for  responses  as  21st March  and  11th  April  2008  respectively.  The  Panel  was mindful of the need to insulate old housing stock.

Whilst  it  was  accepted  that  wooden  windows  could  be

 

 

replaced in a sensitive manner with modern double glazed units such as in the States Building, concern was voiced that dictates of the policy would require people to be replacing windows  with  higher  priced  units.  Any  such  requirements should be backed with money to support the extra cost of the requirements.  A  letter  was  to  be  sent  to  the  Minister  of Planning and Environment to that effect.

RD. KLB. SC. PLC..

MR

7.

Planning Procedures.

The Panel moved this item to Part B and for discussion within a private meeting.

RD. KLB. SC. PLC.

MR

8.

Work Program

The Panel approved the work program for the year and noted that its intention was to complete the Air Quality and Waste Plant Reviews and move on to reviews on Transport and the Waterfront.  It  then  intended  to  look  at  the  Energy  Policy during the latter part of the year. The Panel discussed an exhibition on alternative energy and agreed to revisit this when they started the review.

RD. KLB. SC. PLC.

MR

9.

Future meetings

Due to Members attending a Citizenship Program the time of the next meeting, on the 20th March 2008, was moved to

noon. Lunch was to be arranged in order that the work could continue until completed.

The further meeting dates throughout the year were noted. The Panel agreed that as some members intended to be out of the Island it would not be meeting during the month of August.

 RD. KLB. SC. PLC.

MR

10.

Item 8 21/02/08

Waste Plant Review

The Panel accepted that due to the fast and significant movement of the review, an oral update was suitable on this occasion.

 

 

The meeting between the Chairman, Officer and Juniper took place on 5th March in Gloucestershire to consider the

first draft of the Juniper report. This had proved to be satisfactory. The confidentiality had been insisted upon by Juniper due to the report being in such an early draft.

Due  to  Juniper's  Managing  Director  being  on  Annual Leave and the delay of documentation being supplied by Transport and Technical Services, the time line for the completion of the review was by necessity pushed back. It was agreed that a suitable date for the exhibition and launch of the report might be 25th and 26th April 2008. This was the first date that Juniper would be available to travel  to  Jersey  to  assist  with  the  presentation  at  the exhibition.

On  accepting  this  report,  the  Panel  agreed  to  the movement of the completion date of the review.

Waste Exhibition.

A new venue was discussed for the Exhibition which was now to be on 25th and 26th April and it was agreed that if

an unoccupied shop could be secured in the centre of town,  that  was  a  very  effective  way  of  making  the information  accessible  to  the  public.  The  officer  was tasked with taking the necessary action.

RD. KLB. SC. PLC.

MR

MR

MR

11

Air Quality Review

The Panel maintained its wish to complete the report by the end of March. The Scrutiny Office Manager had made the offer  of  an  officer  to  do  the  work  but  due  to  changing circumstances,  it  appeared  that  no  officer  was  currently available. The Panel established that the work was expected to take no more than four days and accepted the offer of their officer for the work to be done outside normal working hours. The Chairman was tasked with working with the officer to ensure completion.

The  Panel  considered  the  proposal  that  Jersey  should produce a public list identifying all emissions in the air and update this annually. In accepting this, the suggestion was to be included in the report. Deputy P. Le Claire referred to written questions he tabled in the States to the Chief Minister on 4th December 2007 and the Minister for Planning and Environment  on  15th  January  2008,  requesting  that  the outcome of them be included in the report.

RD / MR

 

RD. KLB. SC. PLC.

 

10

Any other Business Staffing Issue

The Panel noted the continued ill health of one of the officers assigned to the Panel and requested that their best wishes be forwarded to her. They required that some flowers be sent to endorse their feelings.

RD. KLB. SC. PLC. CSW.

MR

Signed  Date: ..  

Chairman Environment Panel