Questions from the Public for Written Response:
1) What proportion of the schools in Bromley have walk to school schemes or cycle schemes, for example road cycle lessons in local secondary schools? How are these being implemented to encourage less car use?
For the 2020/2021 academic year we had 94 out of 116 schools in the Borough participating in the School Travel Plan (STARS) scheme. 30 Borough schools are currently participating in Smart Movers (an active travel incentive scheme) on a monthly basis. For the academic year 2021/2022 we have 120 JTAs (Junior Travel Ambassadors) carrying out competitions, assemblies and other promotional activities in Borough schools. In regard to the STARS scheme, Bromley has the highest number of Gold schools compared to other boroughs in London (18 to Bronze level, 34 to Silver level, 42 to Gold level). To share some examples:
– There has been an increase in walking and cycling during the period between 2020-2021. This positive shift was influenced by LBB’s Road Safety Education Programme, School Travel Planning Initiatives and Cycle training which were swiftly adapted to virtual sessions during the pandemic, communication was paramount with our schools and residents during this difficult time.
– Level 1/2/3 Bikeability training is offered to schools across Bromley. The numbers delivered has been impacted by the pandemic during the last two years but in the calendar year to April 21/22, 6 of the Borough’s Secondary schools will have received cycle training for their pupils.
2) I am becoming increasingly concerned with the volume and speed of traffic in my area (Beckenham). On the second point the council’s view, as given on the Bromley website, is that no traffic calming measures will be considered unless there are enough KSIs. Why is the council not taking a more proactive approach to getting drivers to respect the speed limit rather than acting only after there are ‘enough’ fatalities or serious injuries? Additionally, you’ve stated that you don’t believe 20mph limits to be a sufficient deterrent. So what other options are being explored? We cannot just continue with the status quo waiting for enough deaths and in the meantime allowing speeders to continue with impunity.
Speed enforcement is within the jurisdiction of the Police and Local Safer Neighbourhood Teams. I would encourage you to raise this with your Local Safer Neighbourhood Team so it can be considered as a local priority by the Panel. I along with my lead Councillor colleagues from across London Councils have raised the importance of speed enforcement at the highest levels within the Metropolitan Police and we are all calling on the Police to increase their efforts on the issues of speed and dangerous driving. Unfortunately, there are locations in the borough where there are clusters of injury collisions, we will focus our spending on those locations first, as those locations are seeing collisions re-occurring which we would like to prevent. In terms of our actions in other locations, we have a road safety education programme operating in schools aimed at young drivers so they start their driving life respecting speed limits, plus we have road safety education signs that we move around the borough to re-educate drivers regarding the dangers of speeding and other dangerous activities such as mobile phone use at the wheel. With regard to 20mph, we are focusing those initiatives around schools and similar hazards where drivers correlate the speed limit to the hazard and adjust their behaviour.
3) Will the Council facilitate a Play Streets initiative to allow local residents to close their streets for short periods at weekends to allow children to play safely outside as is present in other Boroughs?
The London Borough of Bromley is blessed with a large number of green areas in this Borough, and we encourage residents including children to play in those areas which are available throughout the day. Playing in our green areas also means that parents can participate with their children rather than needing to act as road stewards. Bromley therefore does not support the concept of Play Streets as such but prefers to allow residents to book one-off organised Street Parties where this can help support the local community.
4) How many miles of road are there in the Borough and how many of those miles have a segregated cycleway and how many miles have a painted cycle lane? What targets have been set for increasing the amount of segregated cycleways/lanes.
The Borough has 520 miles of road and over 100 miles of cycleways including London Cycle Network routes and is served by the National Cycle Network route 21. These routes are predominantly in the north of the borough, although the quality of a number of routes does not meet current standards. Please note this is a high-level figure as we do not have the data required to calculate the length of the cycle network using GIS, nor can segregated and non-segregated be separated. There are no targets for increasing the amount of segregated cycleways/lanes in LIP 3. There are more general targets to increase trips on foot, by cycle or by public transport in the Borough to 60% by 2041 and to have 41% of residents living within 400m of the London-wide strategic cycle network by 2041.
5) In answer to a question posed on 17th November 2020, the council said that it had “recently improved a number of facilities to help residents who want to make the choice of active travel” Please can the committee describe what facilities have been improved and provide evidence of how these have changed active travel by residents.
New pedestrian crossings have been installed in the following locations:
– Homesdale Road – 1x Zebra
– Kent house Road – 1x Zebra
– Kings Hall Road – 1x Tiger Crossing (Parallel Zebra)
– Crystal Palace Park Road – 1x Toucan Crossing
– Crofton Road – 3x Zebra
– Crofton Lane – 1x Zebra
– Beckenham Lane – 1x Zebra
– Bromley Road – 1x Tiger Crossing (Parallel Zebra)
– Southend Road – Informal crossing
School Streets were implemented at the following locations:
– Poverest Primary School
– St Mary Cray Primary School
– Clare House Primary School
– Pratts Bottom Primary School
– Harris Primary Crystal Palace
– Harris Primary Orpington
Cycle routes were implemented at the following locations:
– Crystal Palace Park Road semi segregated cycle lane
– Bromley Road & Albemarle Road semi-segregated cycle lane
– Crofton Road segregated cycle lane
The usage of the facilities is the subject of ongoing monitoring and/or consultation.
6) Would it be possible to install bicycle parking racks at the entrances to Petts Wood/Hawkwood both at the Hazelmere Road and Little Thrift entrances? Currently the only way to secure bicycles is to lock them to lamp posts or fences which limits the number of bicycles which can be parked securely. More cycle racks might encourage more people to cycle to the woods rather than driving.
I am happy to ask Officers to look at the feasibility of installing cycle parking at these locations and would be grateful if you could clarify exactly where you consider would be the most suitable locations for this. Please note that the Council also offers cycle training for adults and children.
https://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/547/cycle_training/717/adult_cycle_training
7) There is one pedestrian island on Petts Wood Road but then crossing Tudor Way to get to Willet Way is very difficult for pedestrians due to the cars coming at speed when turning from Petts Wood Road into Tudor Way.
Could you please install another pedestrian crossing island or zebra crossing on the other side of the junction to enable safer crossings for pedestrians walking between Crossway and Willet Way.
I do not appear to have received the picture. I have asked officers to look into this request and to discuss it with the Ward Members for Petts Wood and Knoll to begin to understand the potential location and usage of additional islands.
8) In a Council meeting held on 6 December 2021 Councillor Tickner referred to 20 mph speed limits as socialist. Does the Committee, or any of its members, agree with this comment?
Thank you for your question however I cannot answer on behalf of individual members, and I would suggest contacting them directly to ascertain their views.
9) The response to Q42 asked at the last Committee meeting stated that “the borough’s experience with 20 mph limits, has been that traffic that ignored the 30 mph limit continues to ignore the speed limit even if lowered …” Is there any empirical evidence to support this assertion?
The Department for Transport’s (DfT’s) ‘Setting Local Speed Limits’ circular encourages local authorities to implement more 20mph limits in urban areas, to ensure greater safety for pedestrians and cyclists. This document advises that where the mean speed prior to implementation is at or below 24mph, a 20mph speed limit can be introduced using sign and road markings only. Above this, it is generally recognised that this will not be sufficient for the scheme to be self-enforcing or self-explaining, an issue which will create an unsustainable enforcement problem. In cases where the mean speed is above 24mph, additional speed reduction measures should be used. Please see the study commissioned by DfT: “20mph Research Study Process and Impact Evaluation Headline Report November 2018”
“Further analysis of safety outcomes – This study has found no significant safety outcome (in terms of collisions and casualties) in residential areas, based on the post implementation data available to date.”
10) With reference to the proposed road traffic measures at Goddington Road, Court Road, charterhouse road, would the council please consider (consulting on?) extending the 30-mph limit down Court Road to Carlton Parade or the Nugent Centre as a traffic calming measure? (There was a fatal pedestrian accident on Court Road near Church Hill last year.
Consideration was given to this by officers and the Portfolio Holder, but it was considered better to keep the speed limit to 40mph where appropriate, in order to encourage drivers to use the A224 rather than diverting along nearby, narrower residential streets. There is no indication at this stage that the tragic fatality was speed related in any way.
11) The Rights of Way Improvement Plan published in November 2007 stated that ‘The Plan should be reviewed and amended at subsequent intervals of not more than ten years.’. 14 years have now passed. None of the Recommended Actions on pages 45-54 have been completed, nor reviews and amendments published. Why? Reference: https://www.bromley.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/1715/rights_of_way_improvement_plan.pdf
Whilst funding and staff resources in respect of the Plan have always been very restricted, the following matters included in the Plan have been successfully undertaken:
1. Ensure the definitive map is up to date
2. General maintenance of the network
3. Removal of vegetation
4. Removal of litter and dog fouling
5. Maintain current condition of gates
6. Maintain the provision of lightening on the network
Unfortunately, due to the restrictions mentioned above, it was not possible to undertake other matters mentioned in the existing Plan, nor to revise or amend it before March 2020, when COVID-related requirements resulted in additional constraints. In future, it is hoped to be able to make progress with those matters included in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan which have yet to be undertaken. subject to the availability of staff and funding.
12) A Committee member has publicly stated that “punitive £3.50+ border tax proposals will cripple businesses in Bromley”. What do you think is (a) the number of vehicles on average per week that cross the Greater London boundary into LB Bromley; and (b) the proportion of income Bromley borough businesses receive from those vehicle occupants? Source: https://twitter.com/kscterry/status/1467989420137713667?s=20
As Chairman of the Committee I don’t have the requested data.
13) Responding to previous questions, the Portfolio Holder stated that achieving “the climate target” will require “every person” to “make choices”, and Councils cannot do this for residents. Does he accept the Council can and should incentivise residents to choose active travel over driving (e.g. through 20mph limits on residential roads)?
The Council has been removing perceived barriers to active travel. The Council has implemented a large number of scheme and has a number of programmes in place to improve walking and cycling facilities and to encourage walking and cycling for all school children in the Borough. Cycle training is also offered to all children and adults in the Borough. Many destinations due to the parking limitations feature parking charges for car users which participants in active travel will not have to pay.
14) Responding to a previous question, the Portfolio Holder stated that 8 collisions near Pink Elephant Nursery, Elmstead Lane, are not supporting evidence for more crossing facilities, as the collisions were between vehicles. Is it possible that these collisions resulted from dangerous driving, which inherently represents a high risk to pedestrians?
The practice of the Council for many years has been to investigate all locations where there have been 5 or more injury collisions over a period of 36 months. The locations are all investigated to look at the severity of the injuries and whether there is a pattern to the collisions. At sites where the collisions are of particular concern and appear to be treatable, the cost of making improvements is estimated and the benefit-cost ratio is calculated. The locations which represent the best value for action, in terms of the potential injuries saved per pound spent, are promoted to the top of the list. Funding is then sought to treat as many locations as possible.
The method above usually leads to an analysis of getting on for 100 sites, with subsequent detailed examination being undertaken on about 30 of those sites. It would not be feasible to investigate the site of every injury collision and if there are fewer than about 5 collisions then it is very hard to establish a pattern / common cause and therefore develop a treatment.
There needs to be a threshold for intervention, as (i) funding for improvements is not infinite and (ii) there is no point trying to make improvements to a location when you cannot establish what the common cause and therefore treatment might be.
In regard to the need for a controlled pedestrian crossing, there is a criteria that is used to assess this, based on a count of the number of pedestrians crossing throughout the day, combined with the volume of traffic using that road. Other factors include pedestrian desire lines, proximity to junctions’ bends and vehicle cross overs, the location of trees and street furniture on the footway/grass verges, the demand for on-street parking and the location of bus stops. Crossings could not be installed everywhere that pedestrians could wish to cross a street.
15) I recently signed a petition for a crossing at the Chislehurst War Memorial and wondered when the council would listen to the public, neatly 4,000 signatures! I live opposite and cycle with my 2 children to school. Crossing that road is a nightmare! What will it take to get something to help?
The Council has looked into a number of possible ways to improve crossing facilities in the vicinity of the war memorial but for reasons such as requiring the permission of the landowner has not been able to progress any scheme which would not result in worse side effects compared to the improvement achieved. We continue to actively investigate possible improvements in the area to improve the situation. We are also going to be working with pupils at Coopers School to try and reduce traffic related to the school.
16) In July 2021, 500+ School Streets were in place across London. Bromley Council’s website states the borough has 4, but it’s now 3. Given demand from Bromley parents, and evidence of health benefits, road danger reduction, and improved independent mobility for children, will the Council commit to more trials now?
The Council is pushing forward with trials at schools that have requested School Streets and are able to support them. This is currently four schools with another due to come into the process in February, subject to consultation. Current School Streets are:
– Poverest Primary School
– St Mary Cray Primary School
– Clare House Primary School
– Hayes Primary School
The benefits of School Streets in Bromley are being evaluated and a report from the trials will be brought back to this committee in the Summer of 2022.
17) In response to previous questions, the Portfolio Holder stated the borough’s experience is that drivers who ignore 30mph limits ignore lower speed limits, and drivers are much more likely to change behaviour where reduced speeds are advised near a clear hazard or justification. Please provide evidence to support this.
The experience the Council has from the various parts of the Borough where areawide 20mph limits have been installed in the past is that we receive very many complaints about speeding, despite the lower limit. Research commissioned by the DfT showed that following the introduction of signed-only 20mph limits the median speed fell by just under 1mph and found no significant change in collisions and casualties. Please see the study commissioned by DfT: “20mph Research Study Process and Impact Evaluation Headline Report November 2018”
“Further analysis of safety outcomes – This study has found no significant safety outcome (in terms of collisions and casualties) in residential areas, based on the post implementation data available to date.”
Over many years of introducing warning signs, both static or reactive, Bromley’s engineers have observed that drivers respond better to warnings or regulations where they can see the reason for them.
18) What is the status of the recent consultation on the Albemarle Rd Cycle Scheme and Westgate Rd Bridge?
Please see the report to this Committee.
19) What provisions are in place for regular clearing of pavement drainage channels on Beckenham High Street, where flooding has caused damage to business premises?
The High Street itself is within a primary town centre location meaning that continuous daily street cleansing provision is provided by the operatives you will see with the barrow. Highway drainage assets are on a two-yearly cycle for maintenance, though reactive works can be arranged as and when necessary. Members of the public can raise reports via our adopted reporting channels when they suspect or notice a blocked asset and an officer will arrange inspection and any remedial works required on the back of that. The local officer for Beckenham is aware of the recent history there and is vigilant in ensuring these remain clear and free flowing.
20) Please could you review methods to highlight and improve the safety of cycle routes around and across the borough. Better signage for all road users, including additional road markings might be helpful. Lower speeds for motor vehicles on London Cycle Routes might also be helpful.
The Council is always very happy to look at specific examples of locations where users feel improvements can be made to our highways, including cycle route signs etc. Please let me know where you consider signage to be lacking.
21) ORPINGTON – Severance and fear of motorised traffic are known barriers to walking, wheeling and cycling. In considering planned/proposed town centre regeneration, what active travel improvements will Council assess to enable increased active travel anticipated by children, adults and seniors for local trips to/from schools, shops, stations, workplaces, etc? Reference:
Areli Real Estate’s proposals for the Walnuts Shopping Centre include 1,800 cycle spaces, encouraging a more sustainable form of transport.
https://thewalnutsorpington.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A0-Boards-portrait-V-iii-FAW.pdf
As you are aware, the Council has recently completed a walking and cycling route in Crofton Road to Orpington Station. Over time I would hope we can improve the active travel links between Orpington Town Centre and Orpington Station. On the other side of Orpington, plans are underway to introduce an improved pedestrian crossing facility over the A224 Court Road adjacent to Priory Gardens. The Council has already introduced the shared space concept into Orpington High Street which looks to ensure that pedestrians, cyclists and drivers have equal priority. There are other cycle routes from Orpington and close to Orpington such as along Cray Valley and the A224. In respect to the town centre itself, the Council liaises with Orpington First (the BID) and that includes in respect to the provision of cycle parking.
22) AGE FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOODS – LB Bromley has more residents over 50 years of age than any other London borough bar one. Will the Council pledge to increase supportive infrastructure and reduce barriers to active travel amongst 50-70 year olds highlighted in the Aging Better ‘Active travel and mid-life’ report?
References: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/london/about-us/media-centre/facts-and-figures/
https://ageing-better.org.uk/news/walking-and-cycling-not-safe-or-attractive-enough-many-their-50s-and-60
Bromley is dedicated to a high level of maintenance for our footways and streets, alongside making improvements to walking and cycling routes where this can be achieved within available resources. This approach is of benefit to all ages, but well-maintained footways offer extra benefit to older pedestrians. A current example of one such improvement is Riverpool Walkway in Penge. The Council offers talks in OAP clubs and in 2021, 22% of adults taking part in Cycle Training were aged over 55. The over 65’s made up 7% of those attending cycle training in Bromley.
23) OLD WARREN ROAD – Please would the Council introduce a 20mph speed limit and traffic calming measures on Old Warren Road, a narrow rat running lane with no pavement where children walk to Warren Road School, as is already in place in Goddington Lane for St Olave’s School.
The experience the Council has from the various parts of the Borough where 20mph limits have been installed in the past is that we receive many complaints about speeding, despite the lower limit. Research commissioned by the DfT showed that following the introduction of signed-only 20mph limits the median speed fell by just under 1mph and found no significant change in collisions and casualties. In light of the lack of evidence that introducing 20mph limits is the most effective approach, Bromley has no plans to introduce such 20mph limits. However, in light of evidence that drivers respond better to warnings or regulations where they can see the reason for them, part time advisory 20 limits are being introduced around schools in the Borough, on a case by case basis. I will ask for road safety education signs to be placed in Old Warren Road at the next cycle change.
24) The Council maintains that it believes in actions not words and that its net zero plan is sufficient. The plan doesn’t include emissions embedded in products and services purchased, nor adequate measures to address those of residents and businesses. Will it consider launching an information campaign on climate change?
The Council acknowledges the significance of its indirect Scope 3 emissions arising from the procurement of its services and products. These emissions are directly owned by our suppliers, however we recognise that the Council can play a valuable role in helping to reduce them by working closely with its contractors.
A pan-London carbon accounting methodology is being developed for use by all London Boroughs. Consideration is being given to the accounting of Scope 3 emissions including procured services and consumption-based emissions.
All of the environmental contracts are currently being reviewed and a position regarding our contractors’ carbon commitments will be reported at tonight’s committee meeting.
The Carbon Management Team will also be presenting a report at the ECS PDS meeting in June 2022, specifically about signposting residents, businesses and community groups to various grants, services and other initiatives aimed at energy savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
25) Does the Committee accept that central government won’t achieve the 78% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 without the involvement of local authorities and that an important part of that will entail communicating with residents at the local level?
Achieving the Government’s net zero target will require action from everyone, including local authorities, central government, businesses, residents and community groups. The Carbon Management Team will also be presenting a report at the ECS PDS meeting in June 2022, specifically about signposting residents, businesses and community groups to various grants, services and other initiatives aimed at energy savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
26) In a reply to a question to the ECS PDS on 17th November you reported that the problem with flooding in Widmore Road at the junction of South View and Homefield Road was being referred to Thames Water for a review of the main line sewer. Please can you give an update on these investigations?
Thames Water are still investigating the condition of their surface water sewer. Officers are still engaging with Thames Water to resolve.
27) A resident in Prospect Place Bromley suffers from repeated missed collections of household waste.and has to report it by phone every time. How can this repeated “miss” be allowed to happen; does the Council collect data about frequencies of missed collections at the same addresses and if so what are the statistics for the period 1 Apr – 31 Dec 2021?
Repeated missed recycling or waste collections are unacceptable and one of the Key Performance Indicators for the Waste Collection Contract is the number of repeated missed collections. Data is collected and reviewed about the number of repeated missed collections that have occurred at the same property. This should automatically trigger additional monitoring and an investigation into what is causing the crew to miss the recycling and waste at the property. Reasons include the visibility of the containers presented, the property being at the end or on a corner, crew behaviour and accessibility.
Below is a table showing the percentage of missed collections that were repeat missed collections for the period April to December 2021:
Residents should be able to report missed collections online unless the waste and recycling was not presented for collection at the time the crew arrived to collect on the scheduled collection day. To fully understand the issues and the potential solution to the specific example provided in the question the full address would be required. This can be emailed to esdwasteadvisorgroup@bromley.gov.uk.
28) On what date were each of the bridges in Kelsey Park closed, and what has the caused the delay in repair?
The Rockery Bridge by the Waterfall has been closed since 17th December 2021 following recommendations from structural surveying engineers and is currently being assessed for repairs for the most cost-effective remedial works. The main bridge was closed in February 2021 due to structural defects. A condition survey is also currently being undertaken following initial estimated costs for repair showing that this bridge will be a much more costly repair. The Council have been arranging relevant surveys to be undertaken. Due to a back log of property issues; prioritisation of surveying, staff resources; manufacturer’s availability to provide estimated costs for review; a current low availability of contractual resources in a COVID environment, have all contributed to a delay in the main bridge progress.
29) What is the current timetable and repair details for the bridges in Kelsey Park and do the Council have the funds available?
The development of a timetable of repairs will be subject to the outcome of the condition surveys. The Council are currently exploring options for funding.
30) Responding to a previous question, the Portfolio Holder stated that 20 additional diffusion tube air quality monitoring points were installed in January 2021. Can the Portfolio Holder indicate the locations of these monitoring points, what criteria were used to select locations, and when the Council will publish data from them?
The NOx diffusion tube locations have been chosen to be within the Borough’s declared Air Quality Management Area. The choice of locations had regard to the government’s (DEFRA) Technical Guidance, achieving a good geographical spread, and the practical implications, which included access, the availability of street infrastructure to securely attach the diffusion tubes to at the correct height, etc. The full list of tube locations is below.
| Hastings Road BR2 8NH | Midfield Way BR5 2QJ |
| Crofton Road BR6 8NW | Poverest Road BR5 2BJ |
| Towncourt Lane BR5 1EL | High Street, St Mary Cray BR5 4AR |
| Ashfield Lane BR7 6LQ | High Street, Orpington BR6 0NB |
| Park Road BR7 5AY | Cardinham Road BR6 9XG |
| Mottingham Road SE9 4SY | Farnborough Hill BR6 6BF |
| Old Hill BR7 5LZ | Hamlet Road SE19 2AP |
| Blackbrook Lane BR2 8AU | Belvedere Road SE19 2HW |
| Chatterton Road BR2 9QN | Anerley Hill SE19 2BA |
| Page Heath Lane BR1 2DS | Beckenham Road BR3 4RJ |
| Co-op Homesdale Road BR2 9JQ | Worsley Bridge Road SE26 5BG |
| Ridgeway BR2 7DE | Shortlands Road BR2 0DN |
| Glebe Way BR4 0RJ | London Road BR1 3SB |
| Links Way BR3 3DQ | College Road BR1 4EB |
| Elmers End Road BR3 4DF | Widmore Road BR1 IRY |
| Anerley Road SE20 8ER | Harwood BR1 3DX |
Following ratification, the NOx diffusion tube monitoring results are formally presented in the Borough’s Annual Status Report. This report is a mandatory requirement, submitted annually to both the GLA and government. It contains all the air quality monitoring results from local monitoring for the previous calendar year. The results from the new monitoring locations will not be available until reported on in the summer of 2022. Once approved, the Annual Status Report will be published on the local authority’s website air quality pages, which can be found at: https://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/413/pollution_control_-_air_quality
31) Responding to a previous question, the Portfolio Holder stated that the Council “believes in action not words” in terms of reaching net zero, but this belief does not appear to involve committing any of the Council’s £197million reserves to tackling the climate emergency. Can he explain this?
The Council has in place both a Carbon Neutral Fund and a Carbon Reduction Recycling Fund to help achieve net zero organisational emissions by 2029. The Council has invested its funds into reducing carbon emissions–a recent example, announced in July 2021 was the £3.2 million investment into LED lanterns for the remainder of our street lighting.
The Carbon Management Team works continuously to source funding opportunities that will support the Council with borough-wide initiatives. One such example is the recent successful application for £920,000 under the Local Authority Delivery scheme (LAD2). The programme will enable the retrofit of an estimated 130 domestic properties. The funding criteria will ensure works tackle poorly insulated homes – ensuring residents save money on their energy bills whilst also mitigating the most amount of carbon emissions. A Carbon Management progress report setting out what has already been done (or is currently in progress), will be presented at tonight’s committee meeting.
32) Can the Council please explain why it refuses to install salt bins and provide grit supplies directly to Friends Groups in parks under the Snow Friends initiative? This would allow Friends Groups to more readily help clear major and well used paths that quickly become compacted following ice and snow, so preventing many slips. (At present, Friends have to have deliveries to their own homes, then transport it to the parks and not have anywhere to store it).
The provision of salt bins is to provide self-help for treatment of road and pavements that do not form part of the Council’s priority treatment routes. They are placed at locations where drivers or pedestrians may need to apply salt in an emergency. The containers and salt are not provided for use within recreational areas are only intended for use on the public highway as a priority measure where there is incidents of higher footfall and passing road vehicles. Whilst it is acknowledged that Friends play a key part in clearing snow the resources are to be directed to clearing a passage on the public highway. Snow shovels will be supplied to volunteers to assist with clearance of pathways and pavements and can be used within parks and greenspaces, however deliveries of bagged salt to Snow Friends will continue to support their efforts for treatment on the highway.
33) Following my question to the ECS PDS on 17th November about the closure of the gate to Bromley Palace Park from Rafford Way, the latest Conservative Councillors’ leaflet claims that this gate is now about to be re-opened – would the portfolio holder confirm this and advise the date the gate will be re-opened.
Access to the Palace Park was safeguarded in the recent sale of the Y Blocks (Anne Springman and Joseph Lancaster buildings). The gates were temporarily closed because of an escalation of anti-social behaviour, I understand that the gates have now reopened.
34) Following my question to the ECS PDS on 17th November about the closure of the gate to Bromley Palace Park from Rafford Way, the answer provided blamed antisocial behaviour for the closure. CCTV has now been installed on Rafford Way (at the junction with The Chase) in order to deter such behaviour but the police tell us this CCTV is temporary. Please advise whether this is correct and if so when the CCTV is due to be removed.
A temporary camera was installed at the end of August, for an initial 3-month deployment. Footage of ASB incidents have been viewed by the police but unfortunately the suspects were not identified. The camera will remain in situ until required for its next deployment.
35) Will Bromley council join the many other councils which are supporting Plantlife and its verges campaign? Overly mowed verges are deserts for wildlife and awful for air pollution. If the council is serious about promoting biodiversity, could it extend its pilot scheme for wildlife verges? Road Verge Campaign (love-wildflowers.org.uk)
The Council acknowledges its role for managing the biodiversity of its greenspaces and reviewing the maintenance requirements of its highway verges. The Environment PDS Committee shall be tasked with setting the objectives for a pilot trial for wildflower verges which will be included in their Forward Programme. This will be developed in the coming year to establish the work stream for 2023. Potential sites have been identified for this. A communications programme will be developed and residents in those areas will be notified. It is also beneficial to be mindful that 88.7 hectares have already been transformed to naturalised grass since 2017 within Bromley Parks. Areas assigned as naturalised grass areas have been marked with signage to notify the public.
36) What are the chances of having proper recycling dustbins with different compartments around Coney Hall? Our bins in the park are far too small and are just designed for general wate. Alarmingly, the operative from Veolia I met emptying bins in the park told me it all goes to the dump anyway.
Council officers have explored the potential use of recycling bins in parks and have found that where these were trialled the public use the recycling bins for general waste. Waste materials which are collected from litter bins are taken to sorting facilities and treated through the waste management process for recycling and energy recovery purposes.
37) Are we going to start seeing wilder verges, roundabouts and green spaces? Verges have been discussed for some time but I am not yet aware of any trials or changes taking place. Would Bromley also consider wilding some areas of local parks/spaces to support wildlife and normalise wilder spaces?
The Council acknowledges its role for managing the biodiversity of its greenspaces and reviewing the maintenance requirements of its highway verges. The Environment PDS Committee shall be tasked with setting the objectives for a pilot trial for wildflower verges which will be included in their Forward Programme. This will be developed in the coming year to establish the work stream for 2023. Potential sites have been identified for this. A communications programme will be developed and residents in those areas will be notified. It is also beneficial to be mindful that 88.7 hectares have already been transformed to naturalised grass since 2017 within Bromley Parks. Areas assigned as naturalised grass areas have been marked with signage to notify the public.
38) Are Bromley planning any changes to the recycling system to enable ALL waste to be sorted and recycled, and commit to this being done rather than shipped abroad? As far as I am aware we cannot currently recycle – plastic bags, tetra packs, toothpaste tubes, plants pots among many other items.
Bromley Council is continually reviewing the recycling service provision and where there are markets available for the materials that people throw away and the technologies to separate them, Bromley will take them for recycling. Working with Veolia’s recycling specialists, Bromley’s recycling is only exported abroad when there is not the capacity, available facilities or demand in the UK. Additional information is available on the Council’s website.
Of the materials you have listed as examples Bromley does take cartons or TetraPaks for recycling. The other materials are essentially different types of plastic, which technically can be recycled but due to current demand for this material there is neither the number of sorting or reprocessing facilities in the UK to recycle large volumes of these items into new products. From April 2022, the Government is introducing a plastic’s tax for any product made or imported to the UK that contains less than 30% recycled plastic that will need to be covered by the manufacturers. This tax aims to stimulate the UK market for recycled plastic. Therefore, Bromley Council hopes to be able to recycle additional types of plastic in the next two years
39) In response to previous questions on the climate crisis, the Portfolio Holder has stated that Bromley Council believes in “actions not words”. However, the Council’s draft budget states that the Council “would require significant investment from central government” in order to commit to addressing borough-wide emissions. What does this mean?
Work to identify the exact amount required to achieve borough wide net zero emissions is still ongoing, but the investment required is estimated to be several billion pounds per borough. The Carbon Management Team works continuously to source funding opportunities that will support the council with borough-wide initiatives. One such example is the recent successful application for £920,000 under the Local Authority Delivery scheme (LAD2). The programme will enable the retrofit of an estimated 130 domestic properties. The funding criteria will ensure works tackle poorly insulated homes – ensuring residents save money on their energy bills whilst also mitigating the most amount of carbon emissions.
40) FixMyStreet Pro offers three plans – Bronze, Silver or Gold. Which plan does Bromley Council subscribe to, and why? See also for reference: https://www.societyworks.org/how-to-buy/
Bromley subscribes to the Gold plan of FixMyStreet Pro in order that it can benefit from the full functionality of the system including integration with more than one back office system, the use of the system as needed for our customer call centre and allow the displaying of key asset layer on the map, including street lights, parks and public rights of way
41) The ‘COP26 Special Edition’ of Environment Matters states that “Bromley has always been London’s greenest borough and we have one of the most ambitious net carbon zero targets in the Capital.” Please set out all the evidence, with references where appropriate, upon which this claim is made.
Bromley being London’s greenest borough refers to the geographical size of open space, including woodlands, fields, parks, etc. Compared to other London boroughs, Bromley has set one of the earliest target dates (i.e. 2029) for achieving net zero organisational emissions.
42) Bromley’s Air Quality Action Plan (approved in November 2021) claims no schools in Bromley are exposed to NO2 concentrations that exceed annual limits (page 8). Maps available on the London Air website suggest otherwise. Please set out all the evidence, with references where appropriate, upon which this claim is made.
The GLA’s London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI) data, commonly used by all London Boroughs for strategic air quality management. The LAEI raw data is the same dataset on which the London Air emissions maps are based. This comprehensive air quality information and associated data sets are available here:
https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/london-atmospheric-emissions-inventory–laei–2016 . The NO2 data in relation to all London school sites can be found in an attached spreadsheet at the bottom of the webpage. The spreadsheet lists All Bromley schools, none of which exceeded the NO2 annual average national objective limit in either 2013 or, more recently, in 2016.
43) There is often litter strewn across the grass verges at the Sydenham end of Worsley Bridge Rd by the bus stops (bins overflowing) – how often is this end of the road actually cleaned (is it twice a week as per schedule) and can remedial action be taken to deal with the litter?
The footway for Worsley Bridge Road is on a twice weekly footway cleanse on Mondays and Thursdays. However, the Bromley boundary formally ends at Meadowview Road and thus the specific section from Meadowview Road to the A2218, which this question refers to, falls within the neighbouring Lewisham Council’s area of responsibility. Under a boundary agreement, Bromley are responsible for maintaining the highway in the section between Station Approach and Meadowview Road. We will ensure that the section Bromley is responsible for is maintained per the schedule and to a satisfactory standard.
44) Similarly, by Penge East station, the recycling bins are constantly full and overflowing, is there any consideration or plans to increase the frequency of collections or providing additional containers, noting the car park they sit in is virtually empty at all times?
The recycling banks at Penge East Station are emptied frequently. All recycling banks in the Borough are swept and cleared of accumulations and fly-tipping materials every day before 9am. In some cases, such as here where persistent misuse of the banks is commonplace, a second visit is carried out in the afternoon, and supplementary pass throughs by nearby crews throughout the day also occur. Additional recycling containers could be considered for this location although it would require a change in planning consent to reduce the number of car parking spaces. Before placing additional containers at this location, whereby the likelihood is they similarly get filled to capacity, the Council will need understand why the banks are getting so full when 99% of residents have a regular collection of paper and card, plastics, cans and glass from their doorstep and these recycling banks are for household waste only.
45) Last January 85% of paper that Bromley residents took the time to separate for recycling was incinerated because it got wet. Given that experience, and given that there is always a lot of card and paper after Xmas, how can the council justify (a) a gap of up to 21 days between paper collections for some residents and (b) overflowing central recycling bins across the entire borough? Was it not reasonable to expect extra collections and extra servicing of the central bins rather than fewer?
January 2020 was a wet month. There is no evidence from previous years that this is always the case or that there is an increase in the amount of wet paper and card following the Christmas period. Christmas recycling and waste collections are always difficult to schedule due to the number of bank holidays near each other. It was particularly difficult this year as Christmas Day and Boxing Day fell on the weekend, with additional bank holidays on the following Monday and Tuesday. Whilst an alternative schedule was initially considered, the only feasible schedule was the one applied, which was the optimum solution in terms of effective use of resource and minimal disruption for residents. The Christmas scheduling involved all collection staff working on a non-contractual bank holiday specifically to reduce the gap between collections. It did mean that for some residents, on two days, there was an 18-day gap between paper and card collections, but for most of the borough the wait was much shorter. Gaining additional resources during the Christmas period is always difficult but this year more than ever due to a combination of staff absenteeism from Covid –19 and the ongoing national HGV driver shortage. Additional collections of the On Street recycling banks were provided as normal during the Christmas period, which is traditionally a very challenging period of demand. All recycling banks in the Borough are swept and cleared of accumulations and fly-tipping materials every day before 9am. In some cases where persistent mis-use of the banks is commonplace, a second visit is carried out in the afternoon. To assist with the additional pressures over the Christmas period, the Council does realign resources to help maintain clear any excess that is fly-tipped around the banks. We also had additional resources employed to clear any fly tipping left next to the banks including a Refuse Collection Vehicle deployed over the Christmas bank holiday.
46) Will the Depot Improvement Works planned for 2022/23 for Waldo Road Refuse and Recycling Centre involve closing the depot for any period of time? If so, how long will it be closed and where will the services normally processed by Waldo Road be carried out? If not are services likely to be restricted in any way?
The detailed planning stage for the Depot improvement Programme, which is currently in progress is considering the extent and impact of the infrastructure works to Waldo Road Depot. This includes the phasing of these works and the contingency measures that will be put in place to reduce any service-related impact. Therefore, it is too early to confirm exactly what plans will be put in place. As explained at the ESC PDS Committee on 17th November 2021, detailed information including the contingency plan will be reported to the Committee later in 2022. However, we can confirm that the Waldo Road Depot will remain open whilst the works are being undertaken to enable the Council to deliver essential services. There may be a requirement to move, restrict access to or close the Reuse and Recycling Centre but should this occur alternative services will be offered to residents that use this facility.
47) The coroner’s report on air pollution and the death of Ella-Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in neighbouring Lewisham is sobering. The excellent winter “Environment Matters” says air pollution levels are falling, but Bromley has few meters for NO2 and PM2.5. Please explain strategy for achieving and maintaining safe levels in Bromley’s high-risk areas.
The Borough’s Air Quality Action Plan 2020 – 2025, which contains many targeted actions to improve air quality in Bromley, is available on the Council’s website here: https://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/file/6391/air_quality_action_plan_aqap_2020-25
48) As a council what are the big measures we are doing to do to ensure we contribute less carbon to protect our and the global environment?
The Council’s Net Zero Action Plan annual performance reports (accessible via the Council’s website) outline the measures being taken to achieve net zero organisational emissions by 2029. The Council is already moving forward its work to tackle borough-wide emissions (as and when appropriate funding is made available). A Carbon Management progress report setting out what has already been done (or is currently in progress), will be presented at tonight’s committee meeting. The Carbon Management Team will also be presenting a report at the ECS PDS meeting in June 2022, specifically about signposting residents, businesses and community groups to various grants, services and other initiatives aimed at energy savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
49) A proposed methodology for the LBB biodiversity friendly verges trial was submitted by Id Verde to council officers in August/2021, having previously been promised for late 2021 by the council. Please confirm:
1) how / where this project has started;
2) when the public will be engaged and grass cutting amended.”
The Council acknowledges its role for managing the biodiversity of its greenspaces and reviewing the maintenance requirements of its highway verges. The Environment PDS Committee shall be tasked with setting the objectives for a pilot trial for wildflower verges which will be included in their Forward Programme. This will be developed in the coming year to establish the work stream for 2023. Potential sites have been identified for this. A communications programme will be developed and residents in those areas will be notified.
It is also beneficial to be mindful that 88.7 hectares have already been transformed to naturalised grass since 2017 within Bromley Parks. Areas assigned as naturalised grass areas have been marked with signage to notify the public.
50) It is claimed that the centre of Orpington is at risk of flash flood. We are getting storms and heavy downpours more frequently of late. How will the existing waste water infrastructure cope with estimated 2000 new residents?
With any such development, surface water drainage details would be agreed as part of the Planning process, with Highways providing advice as a formal consultee. Waste water infrastructure and therefore foul sewage, would be an issue for Thames Water Utilities to agree and not the Local Authority.
51) Please can the Council provide an update on the trial of leaving grass verges uncut through next spring – in how many wards is this being trialled, and which ones? Have local residents been advised why this is happening, and by what means (leaflets, emails, signage etc.
The Council acknowledges its role for managing the biodiversity of its greenspaces and reviewing the maintenance requirements of its highway verges. The Environment PDS Committee shall be tasked with setting the objectives for a pilot trial for wildflower verges which will be included in their Forward Programme. This will be developed in the coming year to establish the work stream for 2023. Potential sites have been identified for this. A communications programme will be developed and residents in those areas will be notified.
It is also beneficial to be mindful that 88.7 hectares have already been transformed to naturalised grass since 2017 within Bromley Parks. Areas assigned as naturalised grass areas have been marked with signage to notify the public
52) What is the timetable for transitioning the councils vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and what progress has been made? In addition, what is the council doing to incentivise contractors such as Veolia to do the same e.g. contractual obligations to do so within a timeframe that aligns with the councils own fleet transition?
While most Council services have been outsourced the Council do retain a small fleet of light and heavy goods vehicles. Plans are being developed for introducing an EV fleet for staff to use on official Council business, the first of which is due for delivery in the spring. Other vehicles, such as the winter gritters, will be considered for replacement as suitable technology become available, working towards a deadline of 2029. The Council is working closely with Service Providers on the transition to electric or a greener fleet. Council Service Providers with the largest vehicle fleets have an incentive in terms of the saving in fuel costs that an electric fleet would provide in addition to the contract requirements that include exploring alternative fuels and delivering services with minimum impact on the environment.
53) Various London Boroughs have introduced Emissions Based Parking Charges which will support their Climate Emergency and Air Quality Action Plan objectives, helping to reduce CO2 emissions and improving air quality. It also raises revenue that could be used for climate mitigation measures. Are Bromley considering this and if not why not?
A review of the fees and charges for on and off-street parking is due later this year with consideration to be given to whether emission-based charging will be introduced in Bromley.
54) Have the council identified people in the borough who are most at risk of extreme weather events and fuel poverty and with least access to good quality green space? To what extent has spending been directed to these people and areas for climate change mitigation and nature restoration actions?
The Council recognises that some residents will struggle to afford adequate heating to stay warm during extreme cold spells, recently compounded by the current volatile energy market.
Hence, the Council has mobilised several programmes to help fuel poverty households including:
– A recent successful application for £920,000 under the Local Authority Delivery scheme (LAD2). The programme will enable the retrofit of an estimated 130 domestic properties. The funding criteria will ensure works tackle poorly insulated homes – ensuring residents save money on their energy bills whilst also mitigating the most amount of carbon emissions.
– Working in partnership with the South East London Community Energy group to reach out to fuel poverty households and identify energy saving initiatives and available grant funding.
As part of the Council’s four-year planting programme for street trees, work is being undertaken with colleagues in public health to interrogate available health data and establish which residents could most benefit from additional tree planting. The implementation of the new 10-year Open Space Strategy will also include a focus on improving outcomes for residents based on accessibility to open spaces and using those spaces to lead to improvements in physical and mental wellbeing.
55) The London Council’s Joint Statement on Climate Change commits boroughs to working together to retrofit London’s whole housing stock to an average level of EPC B by 2030. What steps have Bromley council taken to achieve that goal for the whole housing stock in the borough (social and privately owned)?
The Carbon Management Team are members of several London Councils steering/working groups that are working hard to develop a pan-London approach to delivering their seven climate priorities (one being ‘Retrofit London’). The resulting action plans will help inform the best approach to rolling out whole house retrofits across the capital and help identify funding opportunities to support this task. The Carbon Management Team will also be presenting a report at the ECS PDS meeting in June 2022, specifically about signposting residents, businesses and community groups to various grants, services and other initiatives aimed at energy savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
56) In 2019, London Councils agreed their Joint Statement on Climate Change, which includes commitment to involve communities in co-design and delivering local actions, with special attention to giving a voice to young people and those most disadvantaged by climate impacts. What steps is the Council taking to fulfil this commitment?
Bromley Council firmly believes in a joint approach, whereby improvements to our services continue to be community led (doing things with communities, not to them or for them). A good example of this is through our work with Neighbourhood Friends groups, such as Friends of Parks who are very actively involved in taking forward positive initiatives for our open spaces. We engage with many local community groups to ensure they have a voice and work in partnership with those groups to deliver projects, such as the Council funded Library of Things which is soon to open in conjunction with a sustainability hub in Bromley Town Centre. The initiative will promote efficient resource use whilst saving residents money and avoiding waste. The Carbon Management Team are members of several London Councils steering/working groups that are working hard to develop a pan-London approach to delivering the seven climate priorities.
In terms of specifically giving young people a voice, the Carbon Management Team, as part of the development of the borough-wide signposting information for residents and businesses, will be seeking to work in partnership with youth organisations and schools (including for example the Bromley Youth Council) to ensure the views of young people are heard and responded to. The Council has also recently established an energy efficiency programme to support schools to reduce their energy consumption whilst realising financial savings through efficiency upgrades and onsite solar PV generation. This will be accompanied by resources to support the education and engagement of those young people in the climate change agenda. Our partners Veolia have also recently commenced a programme of successful engagement sessions in schools, with a focus on waste reduction, reuse and recycling. A report will come to the June 2022 PDS meeting setting out further detail around our plans to engage borough wide with all residents and businesses on how they can get involved and play their part to tackle climate change.
57) How effective has the Council been in enforcing minimum energy standards in the private rented sector and in encouraging landlords to insulate homes to a higher Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level?
There are currently insufficient council resources to comprehensively enforce the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in all private rented sector properties across the borough. It should be noted that the Council’s approach is to first inform, guide, educate and encourage landlords on their responsibilities regarding their properties’ energy performance, with monetary fines being the last resort. The Trading Standards team enforce a number of lettings related legislation including the provision of a valid EPC. Currently, the Council has access to housing stock modelling software which provides assumed EPCs for premises across the borough, this enables a targeted outreach approach. The Council was successful in a tri-borough application for a 6-month MEES intelligence
gathering officer, the outcomes of this post will inform a future business case for additional resource for MEES enforcement. Consultation on the recruitment process is currently on-going. Other pertinent information includes:
– The recently revised standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) consider the premises EPS in the HMO licensing assessment process
– The Trading Standards team – enforce several pieces of lettings related legislation, including the provision of a valid EPC.
– The Carbon Management team – work with our domestic energy efficiency and advice partners to assist residents in saving money on their fuel bills, and advise how presidents can improve their properties EPC
58) I am a concerned resident writing about the proposed HUGE new development for The Walnuts, Orpington. My question to you is how will the council mitigate the pressure on drainage that the nearly 2000 new residents will put on waste water infrastructure?
With any such development, surface water drainage details would be agreed as part of the Planning process, with Highways providing advice as a formal consultee. For waste water infrastructure, and therefore foul sewage, this would be an issue for Thames Water Utilities to agree and not the Local Authority.
59) Given that the pledges at COP26 are forecast to propel the planet towards a global average temperature increase of around 2.4 degrees C with associated extreme weather events, heatwaves, has the council given any consideration to transformative adaptation measures such as increasing tree cover in urban areas, green car parks, facilitating community food gardens, harvesting rainwater, green roofs etc.
As part of the Council’s commitment to providing measures to improve and create a safe and healthy borough, the Council have embarked upon a major four-year programme of tree establishment with a stated goal of the project delivering 5000 highway trees during the period 2021 to 2025. The Carbon Management Team are currently assessing the viability of several potential community garden sites, and developing an ongoing Community Decarbonisation Fund to support various types of community projects
60) Miyawaki tiny forests are dense multi species plantations occupying a small space no bigger than a tennis court, which grow fast, increase carbon absorption tenfold after 4 years, increase biodiversity, reduce pollution and counteract the heat island effect. What is the council’s view on funding the community creation of these forests in suitable places across the borough?
The Council have several expansive tree planting projects at various stages being undertaken at the moment. Woodland creation is a large part of this project work. We are aware of the Miyawaki methodology and where appropriate we will give consideration to its application.
61) What fossil fuel companies does Bromley Council have investments in, and if they do are there any plans to re- invest in green energy companies in the future ?
The Council does not hold any direct investments in fossil fuel companies.
62) How will the Council demonstrate that the sewage treatment capacity across the borough is sustainable for including recent developments and possible future developments such as the Walnuts, and that allowance has been made for the increase in rainfall as a consequence of global warming?
The treatment of foul sewage across the borough is an issue for Thames Water Utilities rather than the Local Authority
63) To ensure no unplanned damaging discharge to the environment from the combined sewage system is there now a requirement for developments to include surface water attenuation to ensure that water is only released when STW have capacity? If so how is this being included in planning requirements?
Surface water drainage details for new developments are agreed as part of the Planning process, with Highways providing advice as a formal consultee. The use of sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) and water attenuation will always be requested where site and ground conditions allow.
64) Having installed a mini-roundabout at the junction of Petts Wood Road, Woodland Way and Fairway (in Petts Wood), is the Council aware of the dangers arising from a vast number of vehicles using the roundabout to execute a U Turn but failing to realise the tightness and backing up into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting the pavement? It’s an accident waiting to happen.
The issue of some drivers using mini-roundabouts, some even tighter than the one in question, to make U-turns is well known. However, with patience and consideration this does not necessarily lead to a danger, however frustrating it can be to other motorists. Mini-roundabout have their pros and cons, and can be much safer than a priority crossroads. An examination of the collision records at the junction of Petts Wood Road, Woodland Way and Fairway shows that there have been no injury collisions at this mini-roundabout in recent years.
65) At the west end of Petts Wood Road, where the shops begin, vehicles continually park on the pavement (or cross the pavement to park in front of shops etc.). Considering this is a location for 2 Bus Stops and a key thoroughfare for pedestrians, can a barrier of sorts not be installed to prevent vehicles using the pavement for free parking.
It is unfortunate that some motorists will drive illegally across footways to reach a place to park. This is not easy to enforce as the Council has no powers to enforce against this type of moving traffic contravention and if the vehicles are parked on private land cannot take parking enforcement action. Consideration is given to placing bollards if it is felt that the behaviour is causing considerable risk to pedestrians. The location you have cited in Petts Wood Road was reviewed a number of years back but I will ask that officers from the Traffic team again assess this location to see if any remedial measures should be installed.
66) With reference to item 3.6 on the agenda, you state that the Carbon Management Team report will outline plans for public engagement. On what policy decisions will you be involving the public? What is the council’s view on convening citizens’ assemblies as the most democratic way of getting the views of Bromley’s citizens?
The Council welcomes views from all of our community around our key policy and acknowledges that to encourage buy in from all of our residents and businesses in the borough to tackling climate change, we will need to engage fully with them. We will be engaging with our residents on all key policy changes and will be supporting in person engagement activities at a local level as this has been shown to be most effective when addressing behaviour change. The Carbon Management Team are already well engaged with community environmental groups and will continue to be moving forward.
67) Re item 6.3 on the agenda, London Councils TEC-LEDNet have issued a Joint Statement on Climate Change that commits councils to “Speak purposefully, honestly and credibly about the need to address climate change, the scale of transformation it will require and the positive future it can deliver”. How will the redesigned website fulfil this commitment?
The Council’s redeveloped website will provide a platform for residents and businesses that gives honest information about the current science of climate change with educational material that is current and credible. It will provide practical tips and solutions to people to allow them to change their activities for a better environment and it will signpost to training and funding sources that ensure the transition to a lower carbon lifestyle is made as easy as possible. The website will also provide updates on the latest thinking from the London Councils steering and working groups that Bromley Council staff are heavily involved with.
68) Paragraph 3.3, on page 139 of the published document, refers to a report that the Carbon Management Team had been asked in November 2021 to compile. When will this report be anticipated?
Paragraph 3.3 states: ‘At the ECS PDS Committee on 17th November 2021, it was agreed that the Carbon Management Team would draft a report setting out what the Council were doing with Contractors to save energy and reduce the carbon footprint of Bromley’s supply chain’.
The appendix to the January report to which you refer, sets out the progress made with contractors in terms of setting targets and the scope of their plans. However, the detail contained within those plans will now be reported through each of the contractors’ annual performance reports to committee, given the in depth work being undertaken which is too detailed to include in this evening’s meeting (hence just a summary table). Examples of this include the reports from Veolia, Riney, idverde and Glendale that were brought to this PDS in 2021 and will be brought back this year with further progress.
