Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services outlining a reference made to Council by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in relation to the receipt of a petition regarding Deephams Sewage Plant.(Report No.138)

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.138) outlining a reference from Overview and Scrutiny Committee (17 October 2013) in relation to the receipt of a petition regarding Deephams Sewage Plant.

Before inviting Councillor Simon (as chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee) to formally move the report the Mayor invited Claire Whetstone (as lead petitioner) to introduce and present the petition to Council.  The following issues were highlighted during the presentation:

·                The detrimental and significant impact on the quality of life of local residents and businesses caused by the smell associated with the Plant, particularly during the summer months.

·                Whilst recognising the local demographic pressures behind the consideration being given to expanding capacity of the Plant, there was also a need to ensure (as part of the same process) that plans included the provision of new technology to tackle and reduce odour and the nuisance caused as a result to local residents and local businesses.

·             The need to recognise the wider benefits in tackling the nuisance being caused as a result of the odour, not only in terms of local residents and businesses but also the large scale regeneration activities in the surrounding area.

·             The support being sought from the Council in terms of the concerns identified and in working with Thames Water and Ofwat to ensure the necessary level of investment in new technology was provided to address the nuisance being caused by odour from the site and ensure, as far as practicable, all odours remained contained on site.  This to also include partnership working with the London Borough of Waltham Forest, whose residents are also affected by the same issues.

·             The strength of public feeling regarding the issue, as demonstrated by the number of people who had signed the petition in support of the action being sought.

The Mayor thanked Claire Whetstone for her introduction.  Councillor Simon then moved and Councillor Constantindies seconded the report.

NOTED

1.         Under the terms of the Council’s Petition Scheme, Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) on 17 October 2013 had received and considered the petition requesting that the Council use all of its powers to urge Thames Water to work with Ofwat in order to take action to stop the smell for the Deephams Sewage Plant entering the atmosphere and impacting on the local environment.

2.         In considering the petition, OSC had also sought views from local residents and business representatives and had noted the strength of feeling expressed (particularly by young people) at the impact of the odour on the surrounding area.  The concerns expressed and action being sought under the Petition received unanimous support from OSC who were also advised of plans being prepared by Thames Water for a major upgrade of the Plant in order to address capacity needs.  As a result OSC had agreed to refer the Petition on to Council for consideration and endorsement of the actions identified in response.

3.         Whilst recognising the need for the major upgrade of the Plant, OSC were keen to ensure that the cost benefit analysis and funding proposals being developed by Thames Water for submission to Ofwat included sufficient resource for the provision of modern technology to achieve the management of odour within the plant boundaries.  It was also felt that the drivers for the upgrade work should include an increased focus on odour management and not only water quality.

4.         Given that Thames Water had advised the cost involved in providing the level of technology required to confine odour levels within the site were likely to be above the level of cost approved by Ofwat, the OSC chair had written to Ofwat to highlight the concerns raised through the petition and Committee’s support of these views and actions being sought as a result.  A copy of the letter had been attached as Appendix 1 to the report, which contained a specific request for Thames Water to share their economic analysis for the upgrade works with the Local Authorities affected in order that the metrics used and values assigned to them could be reviewed.  In addition a request had been made to ensure that odour generated by the Plant was contained within site boundaries as part of the upgrade works.

5.         Whilst recognising the concerns highlighted by the local community and supportive of the actions identified within the Petition, the Opposition Group expressed disappointment that it did not appear the Council had taken an opportunity to address the issue when responding to a consultation in 2011 on a National Policy Statement relating to Urban Waste Water Management, which included the option of relocating as well as upgrading the existing site.

6.         The need identified, in response to the concerns highlighted by the Opposition Group, to recognise the lack of viable alternative site options available and fact that Thames Waters’ preferred option had therefore been redevelopment of their existing site at Deephams.  Given the current position, and cross party support for tackling the concerns expressed by local residents, members felt that the focus should now be on working to ensure that Thames Water and Ofwat made sufficient resource available as part of their upgrade plans of the existing site to provide the technology available to manage any odour produced within the boundaries of the site and thus minimise impact on the surrounding local community.

Following a lengthy debate the recommendations in the report were agreed unanimously, without a vote.

AGREED

(1)       to receive the petition.

(2)       to endorse the conclusion of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC) meeting on 17 October 13, as detailed in section 4 of the report.

(3)       to note the letter from the Chair of OSC to Ofwat, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

(4)       to share residents concern about the issue and instruct officers to continue to work with Thames Water, Ofwat and London Borough of Waltham Forest to ensure that as far as practicable all odour is contained within the site as soon as possible.