Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Carolyn Renwick.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Environment Scrutiny Committee held on 1 September 2025 and the Informal Environment Scrutiny Committee held on 27 October 2025.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Environment Scrutiny Committee held on 1 September 2025 were approved and signed by the Chair.

Council Plan Targets Performance Update.

Kath Drury, Information & Improvement Manager/Amar Bashir, Improvement Officer

The Improvement Officer presented a report to the Committee summarising progress on the strategies underpinning the Council Plan objective ‘A great place that cares for the environment’ for the period ending 30^th September 2025.

RESOLVED – That progress against the Council Plan “A great place that cares for the environment” objective was noted. 

To receive an overview on fly-tipping and to hear about the issues faced by the Authority and what is being done to combat the issue.

Gill Halliwell, Service Manager (Commercial & Environment)/Thomas Rush, Team Manager (Environment Enforcement)

Committee received a presentation which gave an overview of fly-tipping enforcement within the district. The presentation included an overview of the function, an explanation of how cases are investigated and an insight into the measures available to punish the perpetrators of fly-tipping. Committee were updated on the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) amounts and the number of FPNs that had been issued. The presentation also highlighted the importance of strong communication in combatting fly-tipping.

Committee discussed the presentation. Members raised several questions regarding the prevention of fly tipping, in particular the effectiveness of CCTV as a deterrent, cross border working, collaboration with landowners and the cost to NEDDC. Committee heard that prevention is a collaborative approach, especially when dealing with opportunistic fly-tippers, and the importance of being proactive in going after perpetrators was shared. Further discussion was had around the issue of non-registered waste carriers fooling members of the public. In this context, Members heard the ways in which enhanced communication and social media work could provide an effective deterrent against fly-tipping waste carriers that advertise online.

Some Members requested further information as to the types of waste that are cropping up in fly-tipping incidents. In this context, some Members queried whether more accessible waste facilities would lead to a reduction in fly-tipping. It was suggested that more information would be needed in order to establish any correlation.

Some Members queried whether the FPNs in North East Derbyshire were set at the optimal level. Committee heard that NEDDC have the highest rate of FPNs paid in Derbyshire and the reasons FPN being set at a lower amount were shared. Members discussed the advantages of adopting a tiered approach and it was suggested that this was an option that could be investigated.

With the agreement of the Chair, members of the public and Councillors observing the meeting were invited to speak. North East Derbyshire resident, John Lindley, spoke regarding concerns over lower fines in North East Derbyshire incentivising fly-tippers to come to the district.

At the end of the discussion, Committee thanked the Environmental Enforcement team for their hard work. Members agreed that further information was needed on the issue, especially in relation to the possible benefits of a tiered approach to FPN’s and the link between accessibility of waste disposal and fly-tipping. Members also agreed that the Environmental Enforcement team would benefit from enhanced communication and social media work.

RESOLVED –

1. That Committee recommended enhanced communication/social media work on fly-tipping.

2. That further information on fly-tipping, especially regarding effectiveness of a tiered FPN and the correlation between accessibility of waste disposal and fly-tipping, is brought to a future meeting.

For Committee to confirm their position on the Motion from Council on 22 September 2025.

Cllr Caroline Smith, Chair of Environment Scrutiny/Joe Hayden, Senior Scrutiny Officer

Committee received a report which reminded them of the Motion submitted at full Council on 22 September 2025, regarding Wingerworth Lido, and asked them to confirm their position on progressing the Motion. The report outlined the preliminary work that had been taken to progress the Motion in a timely manner. This included an online consultation, drop-in session and informal meeting on 27 October 2025, the notes of which were attached at appendix 1. The report outlined the proposed timeline for considering the Motion and suggested that a meeting be held in December to review the evidence and make recommendations.

Before Committee discussed the report, Members agreed to progress with the Motion and also agreed to an additional meeting on 8 December 2025 at 1:30pm in order to review evidence and make recommendations.

Committee discussed the report. Some Members had questions regarding duplicate responses to the survey that had been sent out as part of the consultation. Committee heard that the team responsible for surveys had a system for monitoring and checking responses. . In this context, Committee were updated on how the data from the survey would be presented. Further discussion was had around the need to identify evidence gaps and the proposed timeline for progressing the Motion.

With the agreement of the Chair, members of the public and Councillors observing the meeting were invited to speak. Councillor Ross Shipman spoke regarding disappointment around the drop-in session and sought clarification as to where recommendations would be sent. Councillor Neil Baker spoke regarding stakeholder engagement and an environmental report that would be conducted by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. Dominic Webb, Director – The Bigger Fish, spoke regarding the national interest in the issue and requested that an Equalities Impact Assessment be conducted prior to any recommendations being made. John Lindley, local stakeholder, also expressed disappointment around the drop-in session.

RESOLVED – That Environment Scrutiny Committee

1. Agreed to progress with the Motion as put forward by Council on 22 September 2025.

2. Noted that a consultation would run from 3 November to 23 November 2025.

3. Noted that a drop-in session had been held on 12 November 2025, during the consultation period, to allow members of the public to take part in the consultation.

4. Agreed the proposed timetable:

·       3 Nov – Online consultation goes live and key stakeholders to be contacted for written representations

·       12 Nov – Drop-in session to allow members of the public to take part in the consultation and complete a survey if they wish

·       17 Nov – Formal Environment Scrutiny, this meeting would be to inform the public of the current position

·       23 Nov – Consultation closes, written representations will also need to be in by this date

·       8 Dec 1:30pm – Formal Environment Scrutiny, this would be for evidence/consultation results to be reviewed with a view to making recommendations.

To inform Committee of recent and forthcoming Cabinet business.

A digest of Cabinet decisions taken since May 2025.  This information is published by Cabinet meeting on the Council’s website.  Cabinet Agendas, Decisions and Minutes can be viewed at: Cabinet

The Forward Plan of Executive decisions.

Plans

These plans are updated to include new business.

Joe Hayden, Senior Scrutiny Officer

The Senior Scrutiny Officer presented a digest of Cabinet decisions taken since the last Committee meeting in September 2025. The digest set out key information for each decision.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer also presented Members with the Forward Plan of Executive Decisions for the period up to 15 November 2025.

RESOLVED – That the update was noted.

To contribute to major Policies being considered by the Council.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer informed the Committee that there were no major policies for Members to consider.

RESOLVED –

That the update was noted.

To consider the Committee’s Work Programme, and to also consider and contribute to potential changes in the operating environment which may include legislation, regulation and key projects being undertaken by the Council, for example, that could form potential topic items for the Work Programme in the future.

Joe Hayden, Senior Scrutiny Officer

The Senior Scrutiny Officer presented the draft Work Programme 2025/26 for the Committee to consider.

RESOLVED –

1. That the Work Programme 2025/26 be approved.

To consider any other matter which the Chair of the Committee is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

None.

The next meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to take place on 23 February 2026 at 3.30 pm.

The next meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to take place on 8 December 2025 at 1.30 pm.