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Environment Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 16th October 2012 Meeting No: 12
Present | Deputy J. Young, Chairman Connétable P. Rondel Deputy S. Luce (Vice chairman) |
Apologies |
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Absent |
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In attendance | Mr. M. Orbell, Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Record of meeting The Minutes of the meeting held on 18th September 2012 were approved and signed. | MO |
18.09.12 Item 2 514/19 | 2. Ash Disposal The Panel discussed the latest version of the draft report. There was still some work required to bring this to a point where a stakeholder version could be released to departments. It was agreed to meet on Monday 29th November to discuss findings and recommendations. | MO |
18.09.12 Item 3 514/20 | 3. Radon It was noted that the Health and Social Services Department had still not provided information requested on radon or confirmed a date for a meeting with the Minister. Further contact was agreed to ensure that the meeting was arranged before the end of November. The Chairman would follow this up with the Minister to express the Panel's frustration at the delay. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to begin looking into possible advisers for the review. The Panel agreed that it would aim to complete the radon review before Easter 2013. | MO JY MO |
18.09.12 Item 6 514/14 | 4. Marine water quality The Panel noted the Sanitary Survey report recently received from the Department of the Environment. It was agreed to contact the Jersey Aquaculture Association by letter to ask for their views on the report. It was also agreed to write to the Ministers for Transport and Technical Services and Planning and Environment drawing attention to the need for better communication with stakeholders following a recent closure of the Fort Regent Cavern, which had caused concern to shellfish farmers. | MO/JY MO/JY |
514/1(8) | 5. Energy Policy The Panel discussed documents received from the Department of the Environment in respect of the draft Energy Policy. Members considered that this was very ambitious, taking the Island's energy needs until 2050 into account. It was felt that if the draft policy was approved for public consultation it would be helpful to have some |
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| guidance from the Minister into areas considered to be of the highest priority to assist in a possible review. It was agreed that if a review were needed there might be an advantage to re-employing the adviser retained by the previous Panel to review the earlier version of the draft Energy Policy, withdrawn by the department in 2011. | MO |
510/1(3) | 6. Questioning training Members were reminded of a request for feedback following the recent training day and received a copy of the course evaluation form; it was noted that the Vice Chairman had completed a form at the time of the course. Members who had attended the training agreed that it was of less benefit than the first session held earlier in the year. | JY |
514/1(31) | 7. Panel work programme The Panel discussed various matters recently considered for review and whether they were still relevant. It was noted that the H3 Affordable Housing policy had now been abandoned so would no longer be included; The Panel noted that a review of heritage policy should take place in the New Year following the planned review of radon The Minister for Planning and Environment had now committed to releasing a Green Paper on Planning Appeals by the end of 2012; Members agreed that as Ministers appeared to have taken up the matter of asbestos disposal the Panel should simply monitor the situation for the time being; The Panel discussed possibilities for a wider review of solid waste recycling activities, perhaps to take place in May/June 2013. It was felt that there was a need for public land to be released for the use of private sector companies engaged in recycling; There was some discussion of a possible need for a review of Building Bye Laws in respect of energy use issues under the draft Energy Policy. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to prepare an updated list of all matters considered for the Panel's work programme for the next meeting. | MO |
| 8. Forthcoming meetings Panel meeting to discuss ash report: 2.00pm on 22nd October 2012, Blampied Room, States Building Next scheduled Panel meeting: 2.00pm on 13th November 2012, Blampied Room, States Building | MO |