The Director of Technical Services reported upon the current position of the Technical Services Delivery Plan (TS2), which supported the 2011/2012 corporate goal, “To have High Standards of Environmental Quality Across Wirral”. The Plan aimed to achieve a number of objectives in order to support the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan and the Director highlighted a number of new initiatives that had been included within it. He commented upon progress during 2011/2012 and indicated that every action within the Delivery Plan had a target status of Green, which confirmed that the project was continuing as targeted.

He set out also a number of initiatives for Members consideration for inclusion in the TS2 plan for 2012/2013, including –

·  Reducing Levels of Dog Fouling Present in Wirral

·  Reducing the Number of Tyres Fly-Tipped Across Wirral

·  Environmental Improvements to Wirral’s Off Road Cycle Paths

·  Expansion of Wirral’s Graffiti Steering Group

Although Members endorsed the initiatives proposed for inclusion in the Plan for 2012/2013, the Chair referred specifically to the problem of dog fouling on Wirral’s beaches and in other areas used by families for recreational purposes and suggested that this could form part of the Committee’s work programme in the forthcoming municipal year. The Director suggested that the work stream could be expanded to parks and beaches and proposed to investigate and report to a future meeting upon issues around policies adopted by some Welsh authorities to have seasonal bans on dogs on some beaches. In response to further concerns expressed by Members to the problems associated with leaf fall and a lack of clarity as to areas of responsibility, the Director indicated that the matter was being investigated and discussions with Wirral Partnership Homes were ongoing.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted and the progress made in delivering TS2- ‘Have high standards of environmental quality across Wirral’ Plan for 2011/2012, be endorsed.

(2)  That the projects highlighted for inclusion in the TS2 plan for 2012/2013, be endorsed.