The Clean and Green Committee agreed to adopt the Parking Review Report and its recommendations, and discussed the council's street cleansing services and work plan for the upcoming year. The meeting also confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting and scheduled the next one.

Parking Review Report Adopted

The committee formally adopted the Parking Review Report, which had been developed through a series of workshops by the previous committee. This report consolidates findings and presents recommendations for a new parking strategy. Key recommendations include considering emissions-based charging for resident permits, reforming the visitor voucher system to a digital format, and introducing a free Carer Permit. The report also suggests maintaining free resident permits for Blue Badge holders, introducing a vehicle removal and car pound service to be cost-neutral and used for serious or dangerous contraventions, and reviewing Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) consultation processes. Furthermore, it recommends enhancing Blue Badge enforcement capabilities, increasing capacity for Blue Badge fraud investigation, and lobbying for reforms to statutory traffic order advertisement requirements. The committee was informed that the report's recommendations would be considered as part of a new parking strategy for future council consideration.

Street Cleansing and Service Delivery Discussed

Pam Roe-Jones, Interim Director for Neighbourhoods and Environment, presented an overview of the council's current street cleansing services. The committee heard about the structure of the service, which includes area supervisors, graffiti and jet wash teams, and dedicated litter picking and mechanical sweeping crews. The use of technology, such as the Whitespace system, was highlighted as a tool for recording completed jobs, auditing work, and identifying fly-tipping hotspots.

Councillor Joe Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Neighbourhoods, noted that significant investment had been made in street cleansing in recent years, leading to improvements in responsiveness and cleanliness. He acknowledged that while the service is not perfect, it is a priority for the council and that the standards achieved are a source of pride.

During the discussion, councillors raised questions about the frequency of services, the allocation of resources for jet washing across different areas, and the process for dealing with graffiti. Concerns were also raised about the integration of the Love Clean Streets app with the Whitespace system and the accessibility of schedules for councillors. Officers committed to looking into specific queries regarding jet washing schedules and the reporting of fly-tipping aftermath. It was confirmed that offensive graffiti is targeted for removal within 24 hours, with a different deadline for non-offensive graffiti.

Clean and Green Committee Work Plan for 2026-27

The committee reviewed its work plan for the upcoming year. The previous work plan had identified five key priorities: street cleaning and the local environment, waste reduction, recycling and disposal, sustainable fleet and transport, green spaces, biodiversity and environmental improvements, and tackling fly-tipping and enviro-crime. The committee had agreed to focus on two principal areas: Street Cleanliness (including fly-tipping, local environmental quality, community engagement, technology, and enforcement) and Green Spaces (encompassing parks, biodiversity, green infrastructure, community participation, pocket parks, and tree planting). The next meeting was scheduled to include a presentation on green spaces, biodiversity, and environmental improvement from Jess Conham-Mettiman, Head of Leisure and Culture.

Minutes of Previous Meeting Approved

The minutes of the previous Clean and Green Committee meeting, held on 8 July 2026, were approved. The previous meeting had discussed the work plan for 2025-26 and received an update on the parking services review.

Next Meeting Scheduled

The next meeting of the Clean and Green Committee was scheduled for 4 November 2026 at 7pm in the Council Chamber.