The People, Communities and Environment Scrutiny Committee met to discuss fleet requirements and the implementation of the Protect Duty, also known as Martyn's Law. The committee requested additional information on the council's Strategic Energy Partnership and a review of pest control referral pathways for council tenants. The committee also agreed to the proposed work programme for 2025/26.

Fleet Requirements

The committee examined a report detailing Nottingham City Council's fleet provision, aiming to ensure it aligns with the council plan, the Carbon Neutral Nottingham 2028 (CN28) ambitions, and delivers value for money.

Ken France, Head of Fleet, SHEQ & Operations, presented the report, which highlighted that the council operates a diverse fleet of over 850 vehicles, including HGVs¹, LCVs², cars, plant machinery and specialist vehicles. A growing proportion of these vehicles are electric and ultra-low emission vehicles, in line with the council's CN28 commitment.

The council's Vehicle Replacement Programme (VRP) has a capital allocation of £16.1 million for 2025–2030. The VRP aims to transition to low-emission technologies, reduce whole-life vehicle costs and ensure compliance with environmental sustainability, service continuity and regulatory requirements.

The fleet is monitored using telematics³, compliance dashboards and performance metrics, such as MOT pass rates and Operator Compliance Risk Scores (OCRS)⁴.

The report also detailed the services that rely on the fleet, including:

• Waste and recycling
• Street cleansing
• Highways and public realm
• Social care transport
• Housing services (repairs)
• Enforcement

The council has a legal duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Care Act 2014, the Highways Act 1980, the Road Traffic Act 1988, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Housing Act 1996, and the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

The report addressed key questions such as whether the council has enough fleet vehicles, how fleet demand is managed, and how the fleet contributes to the council plan and CN28 targets. The council is expanding its electric fleet, which is now at 29%, reviewing charging infrastructure, replacing ageing vehicles, and exploring shared-use and alternative delivery models.

The council also uses Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to reduce emissions, saving 1954 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The report concluded that in-house fleet maintenance delivers good value for money, costing approximately £2.5 million less per year than outsourcing.

Protect Duty

The committee discussed a report on the work being undertaken in preparation for the introduction of Martyn's Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.

Colin Wilderspin, Strategic Director of Communities, presented the report, which explained that Martyn's Law requires councils to improve protective security and preparedness at publicly accessible locations, such as civic buildings and parks.

The act introduces a tiered approach to security based on venue capacity:

• Standard Tier (200-799 capacity): Requires basic security measures and staff training. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) must be notified of the premises.
• Enhanced Tier (800+ capacity): Involves more detailed risk assessments, security protocols and collaboration with authorities. A senior individual must be assigned to oversee compliance.

The law applies to venues where the public has access, including those owned or managed by councils, and to public events held at council-owned or managed locations.

The council is taking the following steps to prepare for the legislation:

• Establishing a Protect & Prepare Group to facilitate engagement between relevant local authority departments and subject matter experts in Autumn 2025.
• Working with the regional police team to ensure risk assessments on venues and events are up to date.
• Identifying which locations and events fall under the law's scope and determining whether they require a standard or enhanced duty.
• Reviewing current training around basic security measures, raising awareness, providing training and developing preparedness plans.
• Reviewing resources for implementation with the exploration of a full-time employee within the Communities Division to coordinate and oversee implementation.

The report also referenced ACT for Local Authorities, a new product from Counter Terrorism Policing designed to support engagement with local authorities in mitigating the risk of a terrorist attack and improving resilience across venues and public spaces.

Strategic Energy Partnership

The committee requested that Councillor Sam Lux, Executive Member for Climate and Energy, provide an outline of the five core values that the Strategic Energy Partnership is envisaged to work within to deliver real benefits for Nottingham people. They also requested a written summary explaining how the city's carbon emissions are measured and recorded.

Regulatory Services

The committee requested that the effectiveness of the referral pathway for a pest control response for council tenants is reviewed to ensure that Housing Services systems are able to capture all issues from a variety of sources, including councillor casework.

Work Programme

The committee agreed to the proposed work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year.