StreetCare Localism Seminar

1. StreetCare Localism Seminar Yate Outdoor Sports Complex 20th Feb 2014 6:00pm - 9:00 pm

2. Safety Information

3. Welcome Councillor Claire Young Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

4. Localism in South Gloucestershire “…the devolution and the fundamental shift of power to councils, communities, neighbourhoods and individuals. Empowering local people to come together to take more responsibility for their community” SGC Localism Framework

5. Timetable 6:30–6:40 pm Welcome and IntroductionCllr Claire Young 6:40–6:55 pm Project Background & Consultation ExerciseMark King, Head of Street Care and Transportation 6:55-7:25 pm Parish Service Choices and Delivery from April 2014Simon Spedding, Group Manager, Design & Ops Gary Meddick, Assistant Operations Manager Michael Dixon, Localism Project Engineer 7:25–7:45 pm Refreshments and Networking

6. Timetable (cont) 7:45–8:00pm Equality Impact Assessment Daniel Wood, Corporate Equalities Officer 8:00–8:15pm Parish Mapping Data Darren Davison, Programme and Asset Coordinator 8:15–8:45 pm Customer Enquiries, Website Development and Project Publicity Dominic Moody, Senior External Communications Manager Nina Deverell, Project Manager – Transformation and Efficiency 8:45–9:00 pm Conclusion/Questions/Networking opportunity Mark King – Head of Street Care and Transportation

7. Project Background and ConsultationMark King Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

8. Our approach to localism Localism in South Gloucestershire has been the subject of extensive engagement over the past two years, resulting in the following process:

9. What are we talking about? • Street scene is the environment that we see and experience when travelling through and along our streets and public spaces • We are talking about highway services. We are not looking at public open space • Providing and maintaining assets that are fit and safe for purpose and encourage community use • How local communities can influence and have a greater say in the services they receive within the resources available

10. Why are we doing this? • Give communities more control over the services they receive and support localism • Provide value for money and contribute to council savings • Focus on the services the council must provide to meet its obligations • Tackle the current differing levels of service throughout the area

11. Services affected by these changes The following services are affected by these changes: • grass cutting of highway verges • maintenance of roundabouts • maintenance of shrub beds on the highway • weed spraying • provision and maintenance of floral displays on highway land • provision and maintenance of hanging baskets • provision of dog bins including maintenance and emptying • fly posting and graffiti inspections and removal

12. Future service delivery options Each area will be able to choose from the following: • The core service standard (default) • Buy back service from StreetCare • Provide the service through local parish or town council staff • Provide the service through another supplier or contractor • Licence to maintain given to a parish or group • Transfer of assets (excluding land or buildings) • Service transferred (delegated) to parish or town council

13. The core service standard In future, our core service standard for highways will be to: • inspect, maintain and repair the highway network, keeping road, footway and cycleway surfaces, streetlights, traffic signals and road signs in a safe and usable condition • maintain grass on highway land including verges and roundabouts to a highway standard, maintaining visibility and ensuring public safety and to undertake a programme of regular inspections and maintenance to manage trees within the highway boundary safely • undertake a programme of regular inspection and maintenance of highway structures, drains and street furniture (bollards, benches, road name signs, etc) to ensure that they are safe and to minimise flooding • ensure the area is kept clean and free from litter, weeds, graffiti, fly posting and fly tipping • respond to emergencies and other incidents to minimise damage, maintain safety and keep the network moving • provide a winter maintenance service to keep the highway network clear of snow and ice

14. Implications and considerations • What service delivery option is best for you? • Contracting considerations • Competency, skills, training and equipment • Service specification and standards • Client and inspection responsibilities • Liabilities, insurance and indemnity • Health and safety, risk management and business continuity • Service enquiries and complaints

15. Parish information packs Each parish received the following information: • Maps showing the extent of highway grass, litter and dog bins and floral displays & hanging baskets • Data table listing provision of assets and sites affected • Current cost of service provided and future core service standard • Buy back service menu including indicative costings • Customer information about the number of service enquiries and customer importance and satisfaction information (to follow) • Strategic and operational framework including service delivery considerations • Copies of consultation documents

16. The consultation process

17. Parish Service Choices and Delivery from April 2014Michael Dixon Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

18. Parish Service Delivery and Choices • Parish Meetings • Range of choices made • Buy Back • Core Service • Core Service plus • Third Party Contractor • Transfer of Service • License to Maintain • Individual Agreements • Unparished Areas - Core Service

23. Dog Bin Service • Service Continuity • Service Rationalisation • Third Party Emptying and Disposing • Commercial Waste • Waste Carriers Licence • Dual Usage Litter Bins

24. Parish Service Delivery and Choices • Service Documentation • Issued to all Parishes and then discuss applicable elements and clarification • Contract • Service Specification • Published Routines • Equality Impact Assessment • License to Maintain • Finalising Discussions and Details and issued in March

25. Parish Service Choices and Delivery from April 2014Simon Spedding Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

26. Any questions?

27. Parish Service Choices and Delivery from April 2014Gary Meddick Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

28. Health & Safety in Grounds Services

29. What Everyone Should Consider • Who is responsibility for H&S? • If you intend to complete the work yourself, then you have complete responsibility. • If you employ a third party you are responsible for ensuring their compliance with H&S. • Ignorance is no excuse

30. Hot Topics • Safe Working on Slopes • Noise & Vibration • Use of Pesticides The above list represents only a fraction of H&S issues but theses are all topical and numerous on highway landscapes.

31. SLOPES: Manufacturer Recommends: DO NOT USE ON SLOPES GREATER THAN 15° MUST NOT BE USED ABOVE 20⁰ 15⁰

32. The village green too steep to mow: Council 'won't risk' work on 25-degree tilt Ref: The Daily Mail 10th May 2011

33. This is the consequence of risking it. Workman fighting for life after being crushed by mower that toppled over as he rode it Ref: The Daily Mail 19th June 2012

34. One recent prosecution at Bristol CC • The 51 year-old worker, from Bristol, who does not wish to be named, broke her pelvis and badly damaged an achilles tendon in the incident in Netham Park, Bristol on 30 May 2012. She remained off work for a year but has since returned and is undertaking an office job. • Bristol City Council, was fined a total of £20,000 and ordered to pay £4,700 in costs after admitting two breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. • Bristol City Council had inadequate systems in place to ensure operators were suitably trained in the use of this equipment and failed to identify the need for a suitable seat restraint.

35. Noise & Vibration • Almost two million people at risk in the UK • Reported Cases of Hand Arm Vibration rising • Rise in civil Claims • LA being targeted (No win No fee, councils seen as easy target) Wirral Council recently fined £25,000 plus cost after golf course workers suffer Hand Arm Vibration

36. We routinely ask ourselves these questions • ARE we monitoring HAVS? • Is our vibration data current? • Have we assessed workplace Noise levels? • Are our control measures adequate? • Are our control measures up to the task? DO You?

37. Use of Herbicides to control weed The use of herbicides in grounds maintenance has to be controlled • For Operator Safety • For Public Safety • Environmental Issues and Control

38. Herbicides What We Consider • Training and competence of operators, supervisors, contracts managers, specifiers and advisors? • Product selection and approval? • Storage, handling and disposal? • Assessing risks to human health and the environment? • Risk Mitigation • Record Keeping (legal requirement) • Ability to confidently handle complaints related to pesticide use.

39. Highway and General Safety We Ensure – Do You That machinery and the use of it, complies to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. That ride-on mowers are road legal (lights, indicators & display current disc) That you comply with HMRC rules regarding fuel for road vehicles That your vehicles comply with current and future traffic management legislation. (Traffic Management Act, traffic signs manual chapter 8, sections 05.1 General, 05.2 Conspicuity & 05.3 Beacons)

40. USFUL LINKS https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203670/traffic-signs-manual-chapter-08-part-02.pdf https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/4388/safety-street-works-code.pdf http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000164&propertyType=document http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RiZGS2VI9mc http://press.hse.gov.uk/2014/bristol-city-council-prosecuted-after-worker-thrown-from-tractor/ http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm http://www.amenityforum.co.uk/

41. Any questions?

42. RefreshmentsDemo of Mapping System on RequestReconvene at 7:45 pm

43. Equality Impact AssessmentDaniel Wood Localising Services in South Gloucestershire

44. The Equality Act - Public Sector Equality Duty The Equality Act 2010 sets out the Public Sector Equality Duty. This Duty requires all public bodies, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:- Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; Foster good relations between persons who share a protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. The Equality Act 2010 requires all Parish, Town and Community Councils to meet the General Equality Duty

45. Meeting the Duty in Practice • Evidenced consideration to be taken of how your activities meet the three aspects of the General Duty. • Ensure activities do not discriminate against any equalities group(s). • Amend activities where there may be potential for discrimination or unfair treatment. • Amend activities to ensure greater equality of opportunity for all in instances where this can be achieved.

46. Equalities Issues to be Aware of Disability Some Disabled People may be more disadvantaged by a change in the provision of dog bins as those people with assistance dogs would clearly require the provision of appropriate information regarding how to handle dog waste should no dog bins be available or relocated to a different position. It is advised that Parish and Town Councils keep this issue under review. Take appropriate minutes in order to evidence your consideration of this issue and any issues emerging on an on-going basis.

47. Equalities Issues to be Aware of Procurement Satisfy yourselves that any third parties which exercise functions on your behalf are: capable of complying with the Equality Duty required to comply with the Equality Duty that they comply the Equality Duty in practice This means that: Contractors should be required to show how they would comply with the Equality Duty should they be successful in being awarded any contract. Contracts for the delivery of services contain adequate equalities provisions. Continually monitor the equalities-related performance of any contractors in order to ensure and evidence that the Equality Duty is being delivered in practice.

48. Support • The Council will be writing to all individuals on the Local Authority VI Register and has liaised with Disability groups across South Glos. To provide information. • Bespoke equalities session(s) can be delivered for you. • South Gloucestershire Council Annual Equalities Reports (2011/12 & 2012/13) • South Gloucestershire Council Equalities in Procurement Guidance • Census Information

49. Any questions?

50. Maintained Land Asset Data Darren Davison Localising Services in South Gloucestershire