Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 18 November 2025, 7:00pm - Epping Forest District Council webcasts

Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday, 18th November 2025 at 7:00pm 

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  1. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  3. Laura Kirman
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  1. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Laura Kirman
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  3. Laura Kirman
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  1. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Cllr Jodie Lucas
  2. Cllr Raymond Balcombe
  3. Cllr Jodie Lucas
  4. Cllr Raymond Balcombe
  5. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Laura Kirman
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Tracy Scott
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  3. Cllr Stephen Murray
  4. Cllr Stephen Murray
  5. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  6. Tracy Scott
  7. Mandy Thompson
  8. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  9. Cllr Stephen Murray
  10. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  11. Cllr Graham Wiskin
  12. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  13. Mandy Thompson
  14. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  15. Cllr Lisa Morgan
  16. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  17. Cllr Sheree Rackham
  18. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  19. Owen Sparks
  20. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  21. Cllr Stephen Murray
  22. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  23. Cllr Ken Williamson
  24. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  25. Cllr Ken Williamson
  26. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  27. Cllr Maria Markham
  28. Cllr Holly Whitbread
  29. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  30. Cllr Maria Markham
  31. Cllr Holly Whitbread
  32. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  33. Cllr Martin Morris
  34. Owen Sparks
  35. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  36. Cllr Mandy George
  37. Tracy Scott
  38. Cllr Mandy George
  39. Tracy Scott
  40. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  41. Tracy Scott
  42. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  43. Tracy Scott
  44. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  45. Cllr Stephen Murray
  46. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  47. Cllr Sheree Rackham
  48. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  49. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  50. Cllr Stephen Murray
  51. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Cllr Holly Whitbread
  2. Owen Sparks
  3. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  4. Cllr Graham Wiskin
  5. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  6. Cllr Graham Wiskin
  7. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  8. Owen Sparks
  9. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  10. Owen Sparks
  11. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  12. Owen Sparks
  13. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  14. Cllr Stephen Murray
  15. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  16. Cllr Martin Morris
  17. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  18. Owen Sparks
  19. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  20. Cllr Mandy George
  21. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Cllr Stephen Murray
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  3. Cllr Joseph Parsons
  4. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  5. Cllr Jodie Lucas
  6. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  7. Cllr Stephen Murray
  8. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  9. Cllr Joseph Parsons
  10. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  11. Cllr Stephen Murray
  12. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  13. Cllr Sheree Rackham
  14. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Cllr Graham Wiskin
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. Cllr Stephen Murray
  2. Cllr Roger Baldwin
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  1. James Warwick
  2. Rosa Tanfield
  3. Cllr Sheree Rackham
  4. Cllr Edward Barnard
  5. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  6. Cllr Chris Whitbread
  7. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  8. Cllr Raymond Balcombe
  9. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  10. Cllr Sheree Rackham
  11. Rosa Tanfield
  12. James Warwick
  13. Rosa Tanfield
  14. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  15. Cllr Stephen Murray
  16. Cllr Chris Whitbread
  17. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  18. Rosa Tanfield
  19. Cllr Stephen Murray
  20. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  21. Cllr Graham Wiskin
  22. Rosa Tanfield
  23. Cllr Lisa Morgan
  24. James Warwick
  25. Rosa Tanfield
  26. Cllr Lisa Morgan
  27. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  28. Cllr Martin Morris
  29. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  30. Rosa Tanfield
  31. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  32. Laura Kirman
  33. Cllr Craig McCann
  34. Cllr Stephen Murray
  35. Rosa Tanfield
  36. Cllr Roger Baldwin
  37. Webcast Finished

Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:00:00
So, Laura, could you read the webcasting introduction, please?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:00:07
Laura Kirman - 0:00:08
I would like to remind everyone that this meeting will be filmed live or recorded and
uploaded to the internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.
Therefore, by participating in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to
the possible use of those images and sound recordings.
If any public speakers on MS Teams do not wish to have their image captured, they should

1 Webcasting Introduction

ensure that the video setting throughout the meeting is turned off and set to audio only.
Members and public speakers are reminded to turn on their microphones before speaking
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:00:43
and turn them off when they've finished. Thank you very much. So welcome to the overview and
scrutiny committee meeting this evening, the 18th of November 2025. I'm the Chairman,
Councillor Baldwin and I was going to say my vice chairman is, but Councillor McCann
cannot be with us this evening, so I've decided to manage with our vice chairman.
To my left is Nicholas Sayers, our legal services manager and deputy monitoring officer.
Jane Gould is with us online.
and Owen Sparks is Strategic Finance Director,
Tracy Scott's with us in the chamber,
is a Service Director for Customer Services.
To my right is Laura Kerman from Democratic Services,
and Matt Picking is webcasting this evening.
We also have a number of offices online if they're needed.
So we go to item two.
Apologies for absence.

2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

As you've mentioned, Chairman,
Laura Kirman - 0:01:44
we've received apologies from Councillor McCann.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:01:48
Substitute members.
Laura Kirman - 0:01:51
And Councillor Church is substituting for Councillor McKown.
Thank you.

3 SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:01:54
And do we have any members?
Are there any decorations of interest?

4 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Yeah.
It was Councillor Lucas.
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Jodie Lucas - 0:02:01
On the supplementary agenda, I would like to declare an interest as I am Chairman of
the Board of Terre Verde Services.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Cllr Raymond Balcombe - 0:02:13
Do you want to just clarify if that's pecuniary or non -pecuniary?
Oh, is that, sorry, is that pecuniary or non -pecuniary?
Cllr Jodie Lucas - 0:02:20
Non -pecuniary.
That's fine, sorry.
Sorry, I just had to ask that one. Clarification.
Cllr Raymond Balcombe - 0:02:29
And, sorry, in the minutes, page five, sorry.
Oh, sorry, yeah, Councillor Malcolm.
I just had a text.
Just Councillor Lyons had some teeth removed, so he's feeling a bit under the weather, so
he might be here later.
Okay, thank you for that as well.
That's noted.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:02:46
Right, so, go on to the minutes, pages five to seven.

5 MINUTES

Can we confirm the minutes from the 30th of September?
Can we confirm those?
Three, thank you.

6 Matters Arising and Outstanding Actions

Then we go to item six, which is matters arising and outstanding actions.
None, Chairman.
None? Okay. Thank you.

7 Public Questions & Requests to Address the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Laura Kirman - 0:03:12
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:03:13
And then we go to item seven, which is public questions and request to address the overview
and scrutiny committee.
Nothing's been received, Chairman.
Okay. That's all good.

8 Executive Decisions - Call-In

And are there any, item eight, are there any call -ins?
There have been no executive decisions since,
called in since our last meeting on 5th of August, 2025.
That's correct.
Yeah, okay, thank you.

9 Organisation Performance -2025/26 Quarter 2 Outturn

And then we go on to a more substantive item, item nine,
which is organisation performance, the 2025, 2026.
This is the quarter, second quarter out turn, pages 8 to 34.
So we'll now consider the next item.
Can I suggest that we first consider the performance indicators?
I think that's what we normally do, don't we, go through the performance indicators
with a focus on the red indicators first, and then we move on to the projects, priority
projects.
So, can I ask Tracy to introduce the report, please?
Thank you, Chair.
Good evening, everyone.
Tracy Scott - 0:04:26
So, I'm just bringing the KPI out to report for Q2 this year
so, and as the Chair said, we'll be looking for any comments
regarding the red KPIs.
Hopefully you've had a chance to read through the report,
but just in summary, the Council has demonstrated
good performance overall. So out of the 24 KPIs, 20 have either been, have met the target,
so they have been green, or they have been within the tolerance of the threshold, with
four KPIs requiring further action. So those four being around debt, debt recovery, the
contact centre answer rate, the major applications overturned and fly tipping. So I will just
open up to members if there are any questions, comments or observations on any of those four
red KPIs.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:05:28
Thank you for that. Shall we go to members at all, which is focused on the red KPIs?
Councillor Murray?
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:05:35
Yes, I don't know how to put it because I think we are doing the best we can. But obviously
It is concerning, this flight tipping.
I know it's a national issue,
and it's an issue that's affecting
every part of our community, rural areas,
but also urban areas.
Probably smaller scale flight tipping in the urban areas,
but it's still causing considerable annoyance
to local people.
And I just wondered if we've got an appropriate officer
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:06:15
here tonight who feels, I mean is there anything else that we could be doing that we're not doing
to to deal with these figures or is it just something that we're going to be chasing for
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:06:26
the foreseeable future? Thank you Councillor Murray. I'll just turn that question over to
Tracy Scott - 0:06:29
Mandy Thompson who's there online to respond to that query or question.
Mandy Thompson - 0:06:43
I'm sure everybody has seen recently in the past week some of the shocking images that
we have seen.
The teams are doing everything they can with the resources they have got.
As you have rightly said, Councillor Murray, it's a national problem.
We have just, I'm pleased to be able to advise
that we've recently just had some extra funding agreed
through the Safer Streets where we will be doing
some additional patrols with the police
as part of Och Waxon, which is the stock cheque patrols,
which was hugely successful in stocking a large number
of vehicles that did not have the waste carrier licences
We have a number of measures in place that we are looking to introduce such as the coloured
bags once they have been inspected by the teams.
We are working closely with our waste team and Terra Ferta to see how we can have a coordinated
approach and we will keep going at it.
and hopefully we will see a downturn at some point that I can reassure members that all
of the teams are working together collaboratively with our partners and doing everything we
can to bring the offenders to court.
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:08:14
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:08:18
I do want to ask a question on the planning red, but there may be other members who want
to pursue the fly tipping issue.
Thank you.
Can I go over to Councillor Whiskin, please?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:08:34
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 0:08:38
It's abundantly clear that the fact that the main tips aren't
open five, six, seven days a week is part of the course of
fly tipping.
And it's not just in Epping Forest,
it's across the country.
I've asked before, we should be lobbying hard to Essex County
Council to get those tips back open, because it's quite clear.
If a nominal charge was made to traders to dump commercial
waste, I'm sure many of them would choose that option.
But when you make it very difficult for people to get rid
of waste, whether it's commercial or domestic,
these things will happen, such as fly tipping.
And we really should be lobbying hard to Essex County Council,
in our case, to open the tips more frequently and review the provision of service.
I mean, I personally went to the tip at Luxborough Lane only a couple of weeks ago.
Sure, it was mid -week, mid -morning. There were five people there.
These tips could be made much more useful.
And as for having to take hardcore up to Harlow, in our case, in Loughton and Epping Forest,
It is beyond a joke.
Something should be done with Essex County Council.
Yeah, thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:10:05
Yeah, Mandy, do you want to come back on that?
Yeah, I mean, obviously we do work
with our colleagues in county.
Mandy Thompson - 0:10:14
I will obviously lobby as much as what we can
and I'll speak to our lead member
to see if there's anything more that we can do
to encourage them to make them reconsider that policy.
Yep, thank you very much, yeah.
Can I go to Councillor Morgan, please?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:10:29
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:10:31
It's okay, Councillor Whiskin just actually,
not Councillor Whiskin, sorry.
Yes, Councillor.
Yeah, just said what I wanted to say about the tips
and the fact you can't take hard call and other stuff,
so thank you.
That's fine, thank you for that, yeah.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:10:47
Councillor Rackham, did you want to?
Thank you.
Cllr Sheree Rackham - 0:10:53
My question is on page 15 about the total value of the sundry debt which is
outstanding and over 60 days old. An improvement plan has been developed
involving employers from a number of services across the council. Can anyone
give us any more information on that please?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:11:09
Owen Sparks - 0:11:16
Yes so the plan is in place so what we've done we've looked at the various
aspects of Sunday debt collection across the Council and the various departments where
those debts are raised and how they're managed. So what we've done, we've got some initial
improvements that have been put into place, but they will take time to sort of philtre
through to that PI. So the plan is in place. The first day has been implemented, but it
will take time for those improvements to philtre through to the PI.
We're hoping to see some improvements for quarter three, so I think in the new year.
Again, it will gradually come down. It won't be an immediate.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:11:54
Thank you for that. Councillor MURRAY, do you want to?
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:11:58
Yes, mine is on the Planning 1 on page 11. It's just the same question as I asked for
Call to 1. I'm assuming Call to 2 is reflective of decisions that were made before the October
changes. So really this doesn't become a useful figure. I understand it has to be
generated and it's good that it's kept on the agenda but this doesn't become a
meaningful figure until we've passed something, I don't know how long it's going to take,
but this is reflective of decisions that were taken by planning pre -October 24
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:12:41
changes I'm assuming. Yep thank you for that. Yeah Councillor Williamson. Yeah thank you
Cllr Ken Williamson - 0:12:44
chair, thank you Councillor Murray. That's absolutely correct. It's the lag in
appeals going through the process. It's exactly as we expected and we
would still be in special measures under these figures but the government are
well aware of what we put in place and are hoping that the improvements do come
through and we're really quite confident that they will do.
But it will take maybe a year before they all get all the way
through.
Yeah, thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:13:17
I was going to ask a similar question to that myself because
obviously I know that there's that 10 percent threshold which
we need to be under, otherwise we will be under threat from
the Department of, you know, yeah.
Cllr Ken Williamson - 0:13:32
The 10 % threshold is a government figure, not a recent, and we are aiming to be below
that.
Thank you for that.
Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:13:41
Councillor Markham, did you want to ask a question?
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Maria Markham - 0:13:49
I have a question that a lot of local businesses and organisations are really keen to know
more about.
This is regarding the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Could you please let us know more about it
and how it will be distributed across the district, please?
Thank you for that.
Yep, yeah, Council Whitby.
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Holly Whitbread - 0:14:13
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund,
there's a couple of different grants
which came in from government off the back of COVID.
So we have the Rural Prosperity Grant
and also the UK Shared Prosperity Grant. There's a number of ways, basically there's an application
process that different organisations can apply to. The Rural Prosperity Fund has funded some
brilliant initiatives such as the Bumble's Green Playground, which myself and the chairman
visited a couple of weeks ago, and the Shared Prosperity Fund has also funded some great
things like a new playground in Loughton, various different community initiatives. I
This has been going on for a number of years and I think we fund about 5 to 10 projects every year.
The other thing that we've been funding is repairs to historic buildings,
so the church in Fade and Garnham received some funding.
I also believe the Wolfram Abbey Town partnership has received some funding for King Harold Day as well.
But I'll get a full list in writing. Over to you, thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:15:16
Cllr Maria Markham - 0:15:19
Sorry, thank you. Is it possible to have that in an email at all,
so I can go back to the relevant organisations to update them and if they want to put an
application forward as well, that would be really helpful. Thank you.
Yes, no problem. We're just waiting to find out about future allocations, but yes, that's
Cllr Holly Whitbread - 0:15:32
no problem. We're reliant on the Government for that. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:15:36
Thank you. Thank you as well. Thank you.
Can I have Councillor Morris, please? Thank you, Chairman. I just wanted to come
Cllr Martin Morris - 0:15:42
back to the sundry debt question. Sundry debt outstanding over 60 days. Can we have an age
profile for that. Last time we looked at sundry debt being written off, some of it was more
than 20 years old, so I think we should have an age profile for the sundry debt.
You have got an age profile so we can supply that.
Owen Sparks - 0:16:05
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:16:07
Okay, thank you very much. Yeah. Yeah. Councillor George.
Cllr Mandy George - 0:16:17
Good evening everyone. This is for page 16. It's for the KPI on the contact centre call
answer rate. Now I know, Jacey, I had an absolute nightmare last weekend trying to contact them
and what I'd like to know, what is the average answer when they answer your call because
mine crept up to over 20 minutes and as you know the palaver that was last weekend with
mum. So I'd like to know percentage wise of how many relate to say a call out for
Qolis or a call out for the car park because again I was expecting a call back last time on
the 23rd of October when we had a council meeting and they still hadn't called me back. So I would
like to know the average of what the call time is please. Thank you. Thanks Councillor George. So
Tracy Scott - 0:17:05
The KPI in this pack here relates to the Epping Forest District Council customer service.
So the service you're referring to there is once the council is closed and it goes to
our core handling service provider.
So I'd have to go and look at that detail and I can come back to you with a kind of
performance report on that.
But what that red KPI here is more the contact centre that I oversee.
So if you call during 9 till 5 .15 and you come through to the contact centre about your
Cllr Mandy George - 0:17:38
missed bin collection and so on. Okay thank you so it's only between 9 to 5
Tracy Scott - 0:17:43
not in the evening. So between 9 and 5 .15 this is this KPI here is for the
council and then out of hours so after 5 .15 in the week weekends
bank holidays that's going to the out of hours call handling provider so that's
the external service.
And I'll send you some, yeah.
If you jot down exactly what it is that you're after
and I'll come back to you on that.
No problem.
Thank you for that, yeah.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:18:09
I did actually note on just on that item
that external new joiners are starting week commencing
28th of July.
I wonder was that, sorry, is that the previous 28th of July
or is that gonna be next?
So that was 28th of July of this year.
Tracy Scott - 0:18:25
So in terms of all the established headcount for the customer service contact sensor is now filled.
And I'm quite delighted to say as of now we've been 10 weeks in the consecutive green.
So I'll be happy to give a Q3 report in the future.
Yeah, okay. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:18:44
But if I could just, if I could just conclude the rest of the report.
Tracy Scott - 0:18:46
Absolutely.
So just to end, I guess on a positive in terms of the corporate projects, they're all tracking as green.
Hopefully you have seen that in the reports.
So again, we have discussed the red KPIs.
If there are any comments or questions around the corporate projects which are tracking as green.
Please do say.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:19:13
Sorry, yes, Councillor Murray, do you want to come in there?
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:19:16
Yes, the corporate projects, yes.
I'm all positive, but I do think I just want to say another word about the Broadway Refurbishment
Project because I was the one who pushed very strongly for this to be one of the projects
because it wasn't there originally because it's such a big project.
And I just wanted to say that, again, I can only comment for the road and wall councillors.
We've been very hands -on as regards this project, regularly attending the Broadway Town Centre
Partnership, getting detailed reports from the team that are managing it.
And there's also a teams communication group that the EFDC offices use to keep the ward
councillors from the two wards engaged.
But from the responses, it does appear to be the road and ward councillors that have
engaged more proactively.
I suppose that does sound a bit of a criticism, but perhaps they're quite happy that we're
engaging so Fairmead didn't feel they needed to engage quite so much but I
think that's fair comment isn't it Councillor Rackham. So I really wanted just to give
credit to the offices again. This is quite a complicated project with moving
parts because you never quite know what you're going to find until you actually
participate in the ground and there have been some some things that they weren't
expecting but it's been very very carefully managed and I feel that not
only have all councillors but much more importantly residents and businesses
have been kept informed and the impact on residents as measured by direct
complaints must have been acceptable because direct complaints have been
minimal. I have probably, during the course of the project, received three direct complaints,
and that's a very small number, and they have been dealt with immediately. So, credit to
the contractors, but credit to our staff who are actively managing this contract. I think
they have done a very good job.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:21:44
Thank you very much for that.
Is there any other comments at all about the red KPIs?
I would like to say yes.
Councillor Rackham.
Thank you, chair.
Cllr Sheree Rackham - 0:21:56
Can I just ask a question about households and temporary accommodation?
So figures have gone up here by an 18 % increase as per the period of the last year.
Have we got any key indication as to what sort of people are
sort of turning up for temporary accommodation?
Is it single people or have we got households?
I'm just quite interested to know because I think this is an
issue in other boroughs as well at the moment.
So I wondered if anyone could highlight anything that may be a
bit different from last year.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:22:41
Thank you for the question. Dawn can answer this question please.
Hello there. I think it is mostly families but what I can do is I can get a breakdown
of what that make -up is and then circulate that after this meeting.
Thank you. I think that would be very helpful. Thank you for that. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:23:02
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:23:04
Councillor Murray. Yeah, I think Dawn can confirm this and I
understand why she didn't want to go into detail and she said she would provide the
figures which is exactly what Councillor Rackham wants.
But I am right in thinking that in terms of homelessness legislation we would only have
a duty for a single person if they were either of pensionable age, had legal responsibility
or the main legal responsibility for a child,
and then they wouldn't be a single person.
So a single person, only if they are of pensionable age,
or they are declared vulnerable on mental health
or physical grounds.
So by the very nature, the bulk of the people we accept in
will be families.
Am I right in that understanding?
Yes.
I think Jen wants to come in on that point as well.
Yeah, Chairman, if I may, just a point of clarification.
Pensionable aid doesn't pass what you're into priority need, so just because you are of
a certain age does not necessarily mean you properly meet the priority need test.
So obviously it is in some places more likely
because older people may have other vulnerabilities
but it's not something that passports you and say,
just thought it's important to clarify that point.
Thank you.
Yeah, are there any other questions
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:24:41
on that particular topic?
Before we move on, I'd just like to say something
on page 11 regarding the fly tipping.
I was very, very pleased about the report
was coming to the place scrutiny committee
about the operations to counter fly tipping.
So I would certainly look forward to reading that report.
And also I'm very, very pleased as well
that there is cooperation and we're working together
with Brentwood, Basildon, Huddlesford
in order to cheque fly tipping hotspots.
So I think that's a very, very good thing
if we have cooperation between districts,
because obviously a lot of flight shipping
does come from outside the district.
So I think that's a very, very good thing.
If there are no other comments,
then we can move on to other substantive item
in today's meeting, which is item 10.
So let's, okay.

10 Quarter 2 Budget Monitoring Report 2025-26

Item 10 was my crib sheet.
So, oh sorry, so before we move on to item 10, we've received the report.

9 Organisation Performance -2025/26 Quarter 2 Outturn

Can members confirm there are no specific errors for review or recommendations to Cabinet?
Members confirm that?
Just to, that we've reviewed the report.
Is that okay?
Yeah, okay, sorry.
Thank you.
Okay, so let's go to item 10.

10 Quarter 2 Budget Monitoring Report 2025-26

Now onto the budget monitoring report.
That will be introduced by Owen.
That's fine.
Oh, sorry.
I'm not being too quiet.
Cllr Holly Whitbread - 0:26:26
I feel as though I should introduce my reports now because Council Patel has set a precedent.
So just briefly introduce my report and then I'll hand over to Owen and Nuala for the detail.
So this is the quarter two monitoring report looking at last year's budget, so the budget
that we are currently going through. It is a slightly favourable report and improved
situation since we looked at quarter one. There still is a 0 .34 million deficit, but
this has improved from quarter one where it was at 0 .56. We are still seeing the same
pressures as discussed. Homelessness is an increasing and significant pressure. Also
around recycling, shortfall and planning overspend. These are the themes that we have seen consistently
I would say for probably the last couple of years, but with homelessness particularly
becoming an ever -growing and emerging pressure. I will pass over the main details for the
officers to cover the report, but I think it is also worth highlighting some of the
positive ongoing projects in there, including funding for the new Eppin Leisure Centre through
the capital programme. The HRA is looking relatively healthy as well. We have got an
underspend in some of the house building schemes. It is good to see pick up of some of the schemes
coming to planning and hopefully that will come into fruition soon.
Just in terms of ongoing risks, local government reform remains on the horizon and something
which is affecting the budget shaping process for next year and the ongoing budget for this
year but happy to take any any questions as relevant and I'll pass over to Ola
Owen Sparks - 0:28:14
Nula thank you. Thank you thank you that so I'll open up to the committee's any
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:28:17
questions regarding that report at all. Yeah
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 0:28:26
Councillor Whiskin. Thank you Chairman it might just be a typo on page 46
Paragraph 5 .4 talks about Qalis underspend about Hemnall Road Street property.
Should that be 2026, 27?
It is 2025, 26 now, I believe.
And secondly, it's not particularly relevant to this report, but someone please correct
me if I'm wrong.
When will we have a chance to scrutinise some of the output from QALIS financials?
Because I don't seem to have seen them for quite a long while.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:29:09
Well, that is later, this meeting in the supplementary agenda.
I believe that's TVS, is it not?
Oh, TVS, sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm talking about QALIS.
Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry.
Because there is – other members may have noticed the information in the Cabinet papers,
which I have been reading, there are financial reports
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 0:29:30
for both TVS and QALYs.
I'd like to see some of the finances of QALYs
coming before this committee.
Okay, yeah, can you come back on that?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:29:39
As you say, the course one and course two
Owen Sparks - 0:29:46
monitoring reports are going to cabinet next week.
But again, if scrutiny wanted to call it in to explore that,
that'd be fine.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:29:58
Is there any other questions or comments regarding the reports? I do want to ask a question myself
actually that I don't want to ask how much of the revenue, the housing revenue from the
housing revenue account is invested in the capital programme because I can't actually remember
what page that was referring to but I will try and find that. Just basically what percentage
of our revenues do we use as to invest in the housing capital programme?
Owen Sparks - 0:30:49
So the housing capital programme, it does vary year on year. On page 46 it sets out
the capital programme for the HRA. Obviously the way it works, that is funded from revenue
through borrowing, so it's not a strict like for like comparison from the revenue to the
capital side. On page 46 it sets out details of capital programmes, the HRA.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:31:17
Is that a way of us minimising borrowing? Because if we can use revenues instead of
borrowing, is that something that we seek to do?
Owen Sparks - 0:31:28
So on capital housing, what we do, we have to borrow the resources to fund the capital
programme but we do do if we've got any surplus revenue resources we will apply
that first so that really depends year on year and in this report it talks
about the reserve position being higher than anticipated because you
underspend last year so for example we'll use some of that to reduce
borrowing going forward so ever possible we use our own resources where we can
otherwise we buy through the PWRB. Okay thank you for that. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:32:01
Councillor Murray can I go over to you please?
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:32:06
If this comment is only for the purposes of the webcast really,
the committee, I can only speak for myself of course, it appears as if the committee hasn't
asked many questions on this occasion but it's worth saying that we asked a lot of questions
when we received these papers on the 30th of September.
So, because this is an important item
and I don't want the lack of questions to demonstrate,
to reflect, you know, we're not interested.
We asked quite a large number of questions
that are minuted in the minutes that we've received tonight.
And that's probably one of the reasons why the committee
and certainly one of the reason why I've not got
any more questions, because what changes there have been
as the portfolio holder has said,
is being very largely positive from quarter one.
So I just thought that was important to say that
for the benefit of the webcast.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:32:58
Thank you, Councillor Murray.
Oh, sorry, yeah, I'll open up questions, yeah.
Councillor Morris.
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Martin Morris - 0:33:09
I was just looking at the general fund revenue forecast
out and table that's provided on page 49.
We had a budget of 19.
Excuse me, budget of 19K.
That's now moved the Q2 forecast to just over 20K,
leaving 649 as the increased expenditure.
Sort of two -part question, I suppose.
Do we need to take any action on this,
given that we're forecasting an increase in net expenditure
over the budget?
and if we do, what actions will be taken to manage this change?
Thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:33:53
Yes, we do.
We do that on an ongoing basis.
Owen Sparks - 0:33:59
So as part of our routine governance process,
we discuss the budget out -turns at the part of SLT
and with budget holders,
and they're looking at reducing expenditure
where they can on an ongoing basis.
Obviously if we overspend, the only way we can fund that is from our reserves.
So we set a balanced budget so that whenever possible we will have continued actions to
try and reduce that spend to come out on budget at the year end.
So that's an ongoing process.
It's sort of done corporate budget holders on a monthly basis.
Okay, thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:34:34
Are there any other questions from the committee and also non -committee members?
Yes, yep.
Okay, yep.
Councillor George.
Cllr Mandy George - 0:34:50
Hi, just for note, on page, what page is there?
Page 50, the Call to Two forecast is extremely blurry.
I thought it was just my phone,
because I can't get internet on this to download the pack.
But even on your iPad, it's really blurry,
so the writing is not clear, the figures are not clear.
So it's really, can everyone else see that?
Yeah.
So even for looking through it, I'm like what,
so the figures are not very clear, so is it possible
it could be redone and resend out to everyone please?
Yeah, because I just can't work that out.
I'm just trying to but it's causing me a headache.
Okay, that's it, thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:35:30
Suggesting those in the minutes.
Yeah, I think we can, yeah, thank you for that comment.
I think they can go in the minutes.
Yeah, and it can be noted.
Can the committee note the report please?
It was noted, yeah.
Thank you for that.
Okay, so let's move on to item 11,

11 Chairmen to Report on their Scrutiny Committee Business

which is Chairman to report on their select committees.
This is pages 52 to 54 in the agenda.
So before handing over to the relevant chairman,
I would like to acknowledge that there have been requests
to ensure a high level of representation from TFL
at the planned place meeting in January.
Now, at this time, the liaison officers
are scheduled to attend and address this meeting.
This is the approach used by TFL,
that they have dedicated and trained
liaison officers for this purpose.
So, and they also
to undergo scrutiny of the London boroughs
neighbouring authorities.
Last year, this formed part of the
overview and scrutiny work programme.
As previously screened this year,
this will be considered by the place scrutiny committee.
Members will have an opportunity
to put forward questions in advance.
This will give the chairman, Councillor Parsons,
the best opportunity to ensure an effective use
of time on the night.
And I'm sure that he will receive a report in this.
Can the committee confirm their support
for Councillor Parsons?
Yeah.
Councillor Murray.
Yeah, I've made my feelings clear on that issue.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:37:49
And I know members sometimes think I'll repeat myself
and on this occasion, I'm not gonna repeat myself,
but a slightly different issue.
What timescale are we going to give these folks in terms of the ability to answer questions?
Because the last lot who came, A, I didn't think they had the ability to answer questions,
but to be fair, their TfL organisation hadn't seemed to brief them anyway about the questions.
So I mean, we're going to get who we're going to get and it's going to go to which scrutiny
committee it's going to go to, regardless of my view, and that's absolutely fine.
I bow to the majority.
But, you know, we need them to be able to come along
and have some background and some knowledge
and answer the questions that we have pre -given them,
because that didn't happen last time.
I know we can't guarantee it,
but we need to give them a timescale.
They need the questions, I would have thought.
Other people here know much more about how large organisations work,
but I would have thought they needed a timescale
of at least two weeks for us to reasonably expect them to come briefed on the questions
we want to ask them.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:39:05
Councillor Parsons, do you want to address that?
Cllr Joseph Parsons - 0:39:15
Thanks Chairman. I think last year we gave about a month to TfL for questions, so I'm
hoping that will be a suitable timescale again so that hopefully this year they can be briefed
and come with suitable answers for us all.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:39:27
I believe they are scheduled to come in January, is that right?
Yeah, so there is ample time to be able to formulate and post questions beforehand, so
I actually agree with your comment there.
Okay.
Okay, so are there any questions about that at all?
Councillor Mayes already asked.
Any other questions about that?
No?
So thank you for the update.
Go to Councillor.
No, we've done that already, haven't we?
Can the committee confirm this report?
No, we need to go to Councillor Lucas.
Oh, Councillor Lucas, sorry.
Yeah, my apologies.
Thank you.
Cllr Jodie Lucas - 0:40:08
So the Community Scrutiny Committee
met on the 7th of October 25 and the work programme that you see on page 52 of the agenda
this evening shows the three key policies that were scrutinised. The decant, service
charge and recharge policies. These policies will be considered by cabinet on the 24th
of November with a recommendation for approval. It is also worth noting that the housing policies
previously scrutinised and shown in the work programme have now been agreed. There is still
wide range of policies and information from housing that will come to the Scrutiny Committee.
As you can see, there are a number of new items that will be presented for scrutiny.
There has been a further change since the publication of this agenda and the item shown
as for future consideration, which is the housing tenancy succession and assignment
policy, will be presented on the 13th of January meeting.
This has been an exceptional year in relation to the number of housing policies that have
have been developed and updated.
And we thank the housing team
for bringing those to scrutiny.
I would also like to thank all of the members
and in fact, all of the officers for their commitment
that they have shown to the scrutiny process
in particular with these additional meetings.
Finally, there has been some progress
on the recruitment of the co -opted member.
This will need to go through the appropriate process
and council will need to agree the appointment
at the appropriate time.
So I'll come back to you on that, but thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Lucas.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:41:42
Are there any questions to Councillor Lucas
on that report at all?
Councillor Murray.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:41:50
It's not a question, it's just a comment.
And I understand why Councillor Lucas did this.
She thanked everyone else but herself.
And she's done very well this year
in how she's conducted the scrutiny committee
and how she's conducted our business.
So as she was thanking everyone else tonight, I thought she needed some things
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:42:14
And thank you, yeah, thank you answer Lucas as well. Thank you. Thank you for the update
Okay, I think now we can move on to item 12. Oh
Sorry, I'm
Cllr Joseph Parsons - 0:42:29
Councillor Parsons, sorry. Thanks chairman. So the last place scrutiny meeting was on the 14th of October
I was unable to attend, so it was chaired by my Vice Chairman, Councillor Soongar.
First of all, the committee had an update of the planning changes following, well, the
committee changes last year.
Members felt that, well, some members felt they were happy that they could speak more
freely on the more specific issues.
But overall, the report was noted upon a formal review from the National Reform of Planning
Committee and the Scheme of Delegation who published their changes, and I think it will
come back for scrutiny at that point. Then we went on to the rollout of the blue bins
and I personally think that that's exceeded expectations and has gone very well and I
think the committee agreed with that as well. Then we had TVS and the performance update
so far. Again, that's been successful and the committee I think overall agreed with
that. Lastly, we had QALYSS and their grounds maintenance update. Lots of points raised
from members, but I think they overall appear to be doing a good job since the transfer.
I think members did raise some queries, but overall we're happy with that.
Now, you've already mentioned, Chairman, about TFL coming on the 24th of January, and you've
raised some of the points on it.
I'd just like to say that I think it would be good if members attending, we could have
a pre -meeting at some point before the meeting just so we can have some structure about how
it's going to go before we ask the questions, but I think we'll get details out prior to
that meeting. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:44:07
Thank you, Councillor Parsons, for your report. Are there any questions to Councillor Parsons
regarding that? Councillor Murray?
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:44:13
Yeah, mine is in the question, Chairman. It's a comment, particularly as we've got two items
in private on TVS, and I fully understand why they're in private. I attended a place
because of the TVS issues, positive issues I hasten to add, I attended online and I just
wanted to say that three things please. I think from my experience in talking to the
residents that I live with and represent, TVS has been a success storey. The roll out
of the blue bins has been 99 % successful at place, and I won't rehearse the arguments
tonight. At place I did go through some details around issues on the Oakwood Hill Estate that
I thought could have been pre -planned rather than dealt with proactively, but that's now
sorted. And the other thing that I think is important is that the workforce, and I know
quite a few of the workforce in Loudoun.
They're either ex -pupils or people that I just see.
The workforce appear to be happy,
and I think that's important
because I think we have to recognise
it's a really tough old job that they're doing,
particularly in the months that we're just about to go through.
And my experience is that they do it well.
So I just wanted to make those comments, Chairman.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:45:50
Thank you for those comments. I'm sure many of us agree with those.
Yeah, thank you. Can I go over to Councillor Rackham, please?
Thank you, Chair. I'd just like to take Councillor Lea.
Cllr Sheree Rackham - 0:45:58
Councillor Parsons' request to have a pre -meeting up, please.
I think it would be very beneficial. I think it's a really good idea.
Can that just be sent out to all Councillors, please?
Let me know that.
Thank you, Councillor Racking.
We noted the request for a pre -meeting and hopefully I'm sure we can get one arranged
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:46:21
yet.
Thank you.
Okay, so I think then we can go on to item 12, which is the over and scrutiny committee

12 Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Work Programme

of the work programme.
The meeting scheduled in a week's time, 2nd of December 2025, will follow the same format
as previous years, which is essentially a workshop
with the cabinet to ensure members are up to date
or fail with the budget process and the pressures
to determine what goes in the budget.
So this meeting will be an in -person meeting.
It'd be a private meeting.
It will not be webcast.
And I hope it will be as valuable to members
as it has been in the past.
So yeah, in previous years, sorry.
So does anybody wish to have any comments
on the work programme?
Any comments on the work programme?
Oh yes, Councillor Whiskin.
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 0:47:36
Back to my previous comment about QALYS,
it's on our programme, it's to be confirmed
when the Qalis business plan is to be reviewed.
I would urge that we should be getting on with that sooner
rather than later.
Okay, thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:47:51
Yeah, and I think it's also been noted.
Right, and can we move on to cabinet business,
which is pages 70 to 79?

13 Cabinet Business

So members and comments or queries on cabinet business
or queries on the forward plan?
any comments or queries on the forward plan
which is to say on page seventy, pages seventy to seventy nine
because the forward plan is uh... reviewed and published on a monthly basis isn't it?
monthly basis, yep
oh sorry, apologies
page fifty seven
sorry
it has it here on my... page fifty seven I'm sorry about that
So any comments on the forward plan?
In that case, we will move on to item 14, which is the exclusion of public and press.

14 Exclusion of Public and Press

I would now like to move to the supplementary agenda, the report and appendix 1 of the TVS
... Oh, sorry, Councillor Murray.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 0:49:05
Sorry, when you read what you were going to read, Chairman, I only wanted to make one
comment which I think, well, I wouldn't make it if I didn't think it was an acceptable
comment.
It appears to me, and I might be wrong and if I'm wrong, that's fine, that this was only
on our agenda because I sent an email within minutes of having received the report.
I think it was on Friday, I can look at my emails saying this was going to go to cabinet
and I sent an email to all appropriate officers saying, well actually I think this should
go to scrutiny before it goes to cabinet.
And I'm pleased about the response, but the comment I want to make is that something as
important as this, and I suppose it's a bit similar to what Councillor Whiskin is saying,
something as important as this, the mindset should be this goes to scrutiny
first, then it goes to cabinet because that's how the process should work.
Something shouldn't really go to cabinet and they discuss it and decide and then
we look at it afterwards. So I might be wrong and if I'm if I'm wrong but that's
not how the kind of email chain suggests the case. This wasn't going to go on
It was going to go straight to Cabinet next Monday and it appears to me that it's only
here because I asked for it to be here and I'm saying that the officer mindset on an
issue like this is that this goes to scrutiny first and then goes to Cabinet.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 0:50:45
Yep, okay, thank you for that comment.
Councillor Murray?
Who could come back on that?
I would now like to move to the supplementary agenda, the report and appendix 1 of the TVS
business plan report.
The next item are open reports and debate on these aspects will be taken in public.
I suggest that we only go into private session and exclude the press and public if or when
details of appendix two need to be discussed. And the reason that exclusion is set out on
page one of the supplementary agenda. So can members agree on that approach? Okay. So we
will try not to go into private session, but if we do touch on things which are commercially
sensitive, then we will have to suspend the webcasting, okay, for obvious reasons.
Okay then, so, James, sorry, can you introduce the report, please?

15 TVS Ltd Business Plan

Thank you.
James Warwick - 0:52:04
So the recommendation is obviously this is the cabinet,
but it's for Ovi and scrutiny to note the business plan.
And we will take on board any comments.
So just a brief overview that obviously Terra Verde Services
was established in 2024.
We had an initial business plan, a one -year business plan was set up.
This business plan will replace that and set out the strategic direction for 2026 to 2028.
and Rosa is here as the Managing Director of Terra Verde Services and we'll take you
through a presentation and go through a bit more detail of the business plan.
Rosa Tanfield - 0:53:14
Okay, thank you. Yes, my name is Rosa Tanfield, I'm the Managing Director of Terra Verde Services.
I am going to share some slides, so hopefully the technology will work.
So give me one moment.
Wonderful.
Okay.
So as James said, Terraverde services was set up a year ago this month,
and we're very pleased to have celebrated our first birthday.
But I thought I'd just start this presentation just by a
little bit of an introduction into Terra Verde services,
who we are and what we are.
So TVS for short, Terra Verde services,
we deliver essential services for the residents
in Epping Forest.
Street cleansing is one of our primary roles,
and street cleansing means things like litter picking,
bin emptying, weed removal, fly tip clearances and special
household collections.
Our other core function is managing recycling and waste collections, again, for every household
in Epping and some businesses throughout the entire year.
Now, TVS is wholly owned by EFDC, and that means that the council holds 100 % of the shares
in the company.
And what that means, then, is that our values within TVS and our priorities are really closely
aligned to the council's.
And much of the work that we do is connected to the council
and also the quality teams as well.
We exist as a company to do three main things.
One is delivering high quality services for residents.
Secondly is about providing value for money
and reinvesting surpluses back into service improvements.
And thirdly, ensuring that EFDC meets
its statutory obligations.
Now in achieving these things,
there's two essential things that underpin
in how we do that, and that's our people and our fleet.
Firstly, our workforce.
They're the backbone of TVS.
From day one, we focused on stability, well -being,
and development.
So as a result, we've seen quite low levels of turnover
and minimal absences.
We've got strong engagement with the GMB union with a formal
recognition in place, and we have regular meetings with them.
The staff have well -being support through our employee
assistance programme, 24 -hour GP line, and lifestyle benefits,
as well as structured training.
On safety, we've embedded a proactive culture.
So we've got a dedicated health and safety specialist.
We have comprehensive induction and toolbox talks, and also
onboard CCTV, along with weekly inspections and monthly audits.
Now, every successful collection that we make, whether that's a
household collection that relies on well maintained
fleet and a dedicated team.
Now the council has leased its fleet, which TVS
operates through a company called Specialist Fleet
Services, SFS, who maintain the fleet in partnership
with TVS at the new operations hub at the
Northwield Airfield.
Now making the decision to set up a new company to
deliver these essential services for residents in
Epping, the council also made a commitment to
provide the right environment for that workforce.
And after many months of planning and delivery,
the new operations hub opened this month.
And this provides us with really high quality
facilities for the 140 staff who, as I said,
keep every property served and every street cleaned
through heat waves, storms, or icy mornings,
as we're now starting to experience.
Now, the council's investment in that hub
really does reflect its commitment to enabling
TVS to be successful.
So, as I said, we've just celebrated our first birthday
and I'm really pleased to report that in that first
year we've delivered measurable results.
140 staff have transferred seamlessly from the
contractor into the new company.
We make 470 ,000 individual collections every month and
we're achieving 99 .9 % of those collections.
Missed collection complaints are down 22 % and compliments are up 50%.
We've also managed to provide a surplus financially in the first five months of operation,
which has been returned back to the council.
And the start -up funding that was ring -fenced, we've also been able to return some of that as well.
And we started investing in new street cleaning equipment.
So tonight you have the business plan that we've prepared.
Under the governance agreement between the Council and TVS, TVS must adopt a business
plan each financial year, and with EFDC as the sole shareholder approving its adoption.
Whilst the requirement is annual, what I've looked to do is create a plan that looks ahead
to March 2028 so that it aligns with EFDC's medium -term financial planning and also local
government reorganisation.
And this longer view helps support some strategic
planning and operational stability as well.
So I'm going to talk to you through just a few of the
aspects of that plan.
In local government, we love an acronym, don't we?
And this slide kind of represents that.
But don't worry, I'm going to talk you through it.
As we look to the years ahead of the plan from
2026 to 28, it's important to understand that TVS
operates within a complex and evolving landscape,
shaped by both statutory duties, but national
reforms and local government changes as well.
So EFDC is a waste collection authority, and
under the Environment Protection Act 1990, it
has a legal duty to provide comprehensive
waste collection services.
So TVS operates as its strategic delivery partner
to do that, to support those obligations and
contribute to wider environmental goals, such
as improving recycling and reducing residual waste.
EFDC also works with Essex County Council
and other district councils
through the Essex Waste Partnership, EWP,
delivering the waste strategy for Essex 2024 through to 2054.
It's a 30 -year vision aligning local services
and national policy.
Next up is the Environment Act 2021
and the collection and packaging reform.
Now that introduces major reforms around something you may have heard of called simpler recycling,
which is about standardising collections across England.
Extended producer responsibility, where costs for producing material is shifted to producers
and then repaid into local authorities and collection authorities.
And the deposit return scheme, a project or an initiative, sorry, that's aimed at reducing
litter and boosting recycling through a deposit for drinks bottles.
That's to come later on.
Key milestones runs throughout 2025 through to 27.
So it requires agility and innovation and TVS is preparing through operational readiness
and infrastructure planning to meet these changes.
Of course you can't have a slide without talking about local government reform and plans for
The unitary councils in Essex are obviously
progressing, as you'll know, with those proposals
expected early in 2026.
So, TVS is positioning itself to remain resilient
and future -ready for those changes as they happen.
And then, finally, the ERB, the Employment Rights
Bill 2025, that's bringing significant changes.
For example, day one rights, expanded family
leave, and stricter compliance.
And TVS will be proactively adapting its
policies to maintain fairness and operational
operational excellence as this progresses as well.
Now the business plan, in the context of all of these
elements, we set out what we're aiming to achieve and
how we'll deliver it.
So our ambition over the next three years is about
building on the already strong foundations of
performance that TVS has developed since day one.
And making sure that we position TVS as the company
of choice within the new unitary authority as local
government reform begins.
And this is going to be underpinned by a detailed
action plan that will be developed after approval of
this business plan, and that will guide our
priorities, operational improvements, and growth
opportunities as we go forward.
We'll remain committed to transformation across all
areas of the company while exploring opportunities for
greater alignment with the council and its family of
companies and potential partners.
And we're going to focus on four key priorities, each which are critical to our success.
So first up is, the first priority is service quality.
We'll expand food and garden waste collections, improve street cleanliness with new equipment,
and strengthen communication with residents.
We'll also walk towards, sorry, it's late in the day now, I'm struggling with my words.
We will also work towards operational accreditation to demonstrate excellence and raise TVS's
profile through case studies, professional website presence and industry recognition.
Next is about Vani for money.
We will deliver services within budget, generate sustainable surpluses and optimise working
arrangements with EFDC.
We will also explore new business opportunities, presenting robust proposals to the board to
support growth and diversification.
Our third priority is about statutory compliance
and will support the council in meeting
the Environment Act requirements that I've outlined earlier,
including food waste roll -out and flexible plastics.
We'll maintain high health and safety standards
as we already do and comply with all regulatory obligations
including fleet licencing.
This will ensure that TVS remains a trusted
and compliant partner.
And fourthly, our people and our communities.
We will invest in training and apprenticeships,
support local employment, and implement succession planning
for future leadership.
We'll foster a positive workplace culture and
contribute to community initiatives, strengthen our
relationships, and delivering social values.
So those four priorities, high quality services, value for
money, statutory compliance, and our people and communities,
they're all at the heart of our business plan.
and our focus for the next few years,
they're gonna set the direction for how TVS
will continue to deliver for residents,
support the council's ambitions and prepare for the future.
So with that overview complete,
I'd like to thank you and ask you for any questions.
Thank you very much for your report,
which is very, very insightful and very, very interesting.
So I'll open things up for questions.
Councillor Barnard, please.
Thank you.
Cllr Sheree Rackham - 1:04:29
Cllr Edward Barnard - 1:04:33
Yeah, having had discussions before, I thought we had charging for green bins coming in.
This doesn't seem to be mentioned in here.
And the splitting of food and garden waste and distribution of small food bins.
None of that seems to be in here.
Please, Councillor Whitbread or Councillor?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:04:55
Yeah, thank you.
I'll probably hand over to Councillor Balcombe,
Cllr Chris Whitbread - 1:04:58
but this isn't a place to talk about green charging.
That's a separate issue to do with the budget process
and we'll come through on that piece.
I don't know whether you want to say any more
about the other fairest bins.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:05:16
Suppose I would just add to that.
As you know, we will be splitting the waste,
Cllr Raymond Balcombe - 1:05:20
food waste and garden waste on March the 31st,
I think it's the correct date, isn't it?
Because that is when the changeover happens.
But as Chris said, it's down to the budget now
on the costumes.
Okay, thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:05:39
Can I go to Councillor Rackham now, please?
Cllr Sheree Rackham - 1:05:44
Thank you, Chair, and thank you for your report.
I'm quite interested in this street cleaning equipment
that you're talking about.
Many of our streets and many of the complaints I get
about how our streets are covered with weeds,
and then we get blocked drains and things like that
because there is so much foliage everywhere.
Can you tell me if the street cleaning equipment
will go some way to actually address these problems?
Thank you, thanks.
Rosa Tanfield - 1:06:13
Yes, I can talk to that, and James may want to come in,
because TVS and the council have been working
collaboratively on that this year.
Do you want to talk initially about the weed spraying and then I can talk about equipment?
James Warwick - 1:06:29
Apologies for repeating myself.
I think I've sat here and said this before.
Yeah, we are, so part of the investment in the street cleansing machine is to try and
the issue of street cleansing and weed spraying. It is the old argument that it's
a function that Essex Highways, Essex County Council have the responsibility
for the weed spraying. We're given funding to
carry out weed spraying. It's around 32 ,000 pounds. The cheapest quote we got
this year for weed spray was 24 ,000 pounds.
So that's one spray.
Ideally, we would be doing two sprays per year.
It did take us some time to secure a contractor
to carry out the weed spray for 24 ,000 pounds.
So that's kind of taken place now.
And we are following up.
We have a new piece of kit that rips up the weeds.
So we are using that in conjunction.
And we're having ongoing conversations, lobbying at
county to try and get more money for the weed sprayer.
But we also are working very closely with TVS and ROSA in
terms of what else can we do to improve it.
So yeah, we are working towards.
So I can just add to that.
Rosa Tanfield - 1:08:12
So the weed spraying is happening now, as James said.
It's a bit late in the year, and we're working with the
offices to look at that weed spraying happening much earlier
next year, so that we can have a head start in how we treat
weeds going forward.
In addition, since launch, we have, again, we've grown our
fleet, so we've got an extra road sweeper, which is
helping with the gully edging and leaf fall,
particularly at this time.
It's come at a good time for us.
And as James said, we've also invested in a weed ripper,
for want of a better term, that negates the need for the staff
manually hoeing the carb lines, which is what they
have been doing.
It's very manual, very time consuming, very slow.
So we've got one, and it's been really effective.
So we want to continue to see how that goes forward and
monitor progress.
In addition, TVS is invested in some leaf blowers as well.
So combined with the additional rose sweeper,
the weed ripper, the leaf blowers,
we should start to see real good improvement over the autumn.
And then if we can get the weed spraying done earlier in the
year next year, what we do is we work collaboratively with
the contractor.
So we know exactly where they are.
We follow up once the weeds start to die back.
You then start, you remove the dead weeds,
because if you don't, you leave it.
It turns into soil because it decomposed in the curbside.
So we're following it up as soon as they're dead
so that we can rip them out, hopefully at their root.
And there will still be some growth coming back,
but hopefully it won't be as much as it has been this year.
Thank you for that.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:10:02
So, Councillor Murray, did you want to come in?
I've had you down here for a while.
Yeah, I didn't want to come in on this.
Sorry, yeah.
I appreciate it.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 1:10:12
Yeah, and as the officer did catch my eye, how I caught her eye.
On this issue, I think we need to make another plea like I did at Place.
We've got the Chancellor of Essex sitting in front of us.
His title, not the title I give him, I call him Councillor Chris Ripert, but we have got
the Chancellor of Essex in front of us.
and we need to just say publicly again,
Essex Highways are letting us down.
They're not giving us enough money for two sprays.
Yes, we need to put our hands up and say,
for whatever reason, and there may well have been
good reason, we didn't get a contractor in place,
particularly quickly, to get one spray done.
And there may have been very good reasons for that,
and I don't really need to hear about them tonight.
But we can't afford a second spray,
and that's because Essex Highways or Essex County Council are not giving us enough money.
So I'm sure the Chancellor of Essex has heard that loud and clear and he will take whatever steps he needs to rectify the situation.
Obviously he might want to come back at some stage.
I have seen an improvement and that's good.
You've talked about the implementation of the blue bins and we've referenced that a
little bit already tonight.
I've definitely seen an improvement in terms of the amount of litter because recycling
bags were one of the, not the only, but one of the key sources of litter.
So that has helped with that.
I agree with all your plans going forward.
I've just got one very precise question, and it is something I bang on about because it's
something I'm passionate about.
I was really pleased that the board, and it may have been the initial board, made a decision
to recognise trade unions.
I thought that was really important, particularly in this field of employment.
I just wondered, and you've commented tonight a number of times how important your workforce
is, I wondered whether consultation with union representatives was done on an organised basis,
or is it if an issue arises and representatives ask for a meeting, that's how you have meetings,
or do you have a more formal mechanism as a company
to talk to your union shop stewards?
I think I'll ask the Chancellor of Essex to respond.
Cllr Chris Whitbread - 1:12:48
If he so wishes.
Thank you, Chairman, and thank you, Councillor Murray.
I think the important thing is here,
from the County Council's point of view,
is we put probably more money into highways
than most other authorities.
In fact, I think there's some facts coming out
very shortly that we're one of the top spenders on additional funding for highways, remembering
how much has been cut back in recent years.
Of course, we have to make very tough decisions with highways because there's issues that
we have to deal with.
Maintenance of our highways is the most important and you would have seen the large number of
potholes that are getting filled now across Epping Forest and other parts of the county.
So we have to make tough decisions, just as you will have to make tough decisions on the
district councils budget in the weeks and months ahead.
So I doubt very much there'll be additional funding
this year on those issues.
Although we did put more money into vegetation last year
as a county council as part of the extra monies
that we provided for highways.
But let's be honest, there is no magic money tree anymore.
All savings are really difficult
and you've got to climb to the top of the tree.
We are like every other authority across the country
working hard to find savings on a regular basis and I think if you looked
at the savings targets that we have to do to fill our gap every year
whilst keeping council tax as low as possible at the County Council you
would start to feel the pain that we feel when you're looking at millions of
pounds worth of savings on a regular basis. So I don't think you'll see
additional money for weed spraying coming through. I think it is down to us
as a council and we've seen the innovative ways that that has been dealt with by TVS
and in conjunction with ourselves as district council.
And I think that says a lot.
I will just say, and I didn't have a chance earlier, and I'm sure that I know the place
committee are likely to take a meeting to the new hub very soon.
It's a lovely meeting room with views over the airfield.
I have to say it's very impressive and the operation that's been put together is very
impressive.
I know that in the near future, Jen Gould is organising for the place committee to have
a meeting from there.
We mentioned it yesterday.
It was really good to celebrate the first year of operations yesterday.
They have done particularly well and I'm sure Councillor Murray would agree, apprenticeships,
social value that they're bringing to the agenda as well.
really proud the workforce are superb and really dedicated to what they're
doing and that shone through and has shone through time and time again so we
should applaud the workforce and the way that they've bedded down in the new
system. I've seen so many waste contracts like Councillor Murray over the time
that have come into place and the teething problems normally are horrendous
but this has not been, it's been first class well done. The team have worked extremely
hard. Rose has been involved from day one, first on the board and then as its managing
director now and of course Jody and everyone has worked hard and Ray has worked tirelessly
as well. So I think we should applaud what's been achieved. I can't wait for everybody
to have the opportunity to see the new hub. It really is brilliant. It's in the right
location, it works perfectly from that point of view as well. It's got all the latest technology
that our waste people need and we are really fit for change, which is good news for Epping
Forest, good news to whoever we eventually partner with as a unitary and it bodes well
for the future. But what I like most of all about what TVS has been doing, it's not afraid
to innovate. Yes, we have got to change, yes, we have got to separate food waste and garden
waste, yes, that will be a problem to us, yes, that will be an issue for the budget
coming forward. But you should really take heart in what's been done so far.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:16:59
Thank you very much. Rosa, did you want to reply to the comments from Councillor Murray
and Councillor Whitbridge?
Rosa Tanfield - 1:17:05
Yes, so thank you for the lovely compliments, but I will come back to your question around
the union and engagement with the union. So myself and my senior business manager meet
with the union reps on an almost monthly basis, on a fairly regular basis with standard agenda
items of which we raise anything that's relevant at the time. And in addition, we consult with
the union rep on any particular changes, particularly around health and safety policies, risk assessments,
operating procedures. We make sure that they've had a look through and have fed back. So I
I can give you an example.
One of the first meetings they raised with me a couple of
things that they were concerned about.
I gave them the answer, which they were satisfied with,
but pushed it a little bit more in terms of wanting to confirm
it, and actually I recognised that it wasn't in the employee
handbook, so we've introduced a couple of things on the back of
points that they've raised and formalised them within
handbooks, which they've been satisfied with.
So, yeah, it's been valuable.
I'm really pleased to hear that answer.
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 1:18:12
Thank you as well.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:18:14
Thank you for that response.
Can I go to your council for a whisking, please?
Thank you, Chairman.
I did ask a question at the very good presentation,
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 1:18:24
which TVS did with the rest of the council
on waste disposal last week.
I would like to echo that I think the work being done
by TVS is excellent.
The optives I've stumbled across have been polite
and hardworking, and they continue to do so.
I think it's a credit to them and the operation.
However, the gap is the weeds.
I clearly made the comment that if there has been a surplus made
by TVS, maybe that should be spent on cleaning up the weeds.
Okay.
Rosa, do you want to come back on that?
Sure.
Rosa Tanfield - 1:18:59
As I said, we're doing a lot now to counter that,
probably a bit later in the year than we would have liked.
So we'll see how that progresses
and we'll work with the Council
on looking at what investment is needed
to take that forward, so thank you.
Thank you.
Can I go now to Councillor Morgan, please?
Thank you.
First of all, I've got to say,
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 1:19:21
everybody's saying how wonderful it is.
I'm quite disappointed that we're actually
undoing the weeds now,
because you actually should do them
when they're actively growing.
And obviously they're not actively growing now,
So that I really disappointed with.
But we did mention the weed, the weed, the weed ripper.
Can't say that tongue twister.
I would like to know how much it costs
versus the manual cost, which,
and one of the questions I asked previously
to Councillor Wacken, which he'll love this,
cause can't have a meeting unless I asked via question,
is do we have a cost yet for the street cleansing machine that you mentioned?
Please.
James Warwick - 1:20:10
Not off, not to hand at the moment, but I will get back to you with that cost.
Rosa Tanfield - 1:20:21
Just for clarity, so the council with the mechanical sweeper
that I've talked about the additional one.
It's leased through SFS,
the company that I mentioned earlier via the council.
The council has that contract.
So we can provide you with those costs outside of this.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Could you provide,
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 1:20:40
make sure you provide it to everybody please.
And the cost would be good
because I'm still waiting from the last meeting
and still haven't received it.
So the sooner the better.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:20:53
Can I now go to Councillor Morris, please?
Thank you, Chairman.
Cllr Martin Morris - 1:20:59
Yeah, thanks, it's a great report. I enjoyed reading it.
I just had a couple of questions.
On page 19, it mentions profit generation.
Do you have any policy on how profits generated will be used? For example, will they be reinvested in the business,
or will they be paid out as dividends to the 100 % shareholder, which is EFDC?
Excuse me, EFDC.
and second question is about the very outline sort of P &L budget you've got on
page 28. It'd be really helpful to have a little bit more explanation about what
the lines in there mean. I mean we've got you know cost of sales, overheads and so
on so I just find it helpful to have a bit more explanation about each line in
that report to understand how your budgets are being structured. Thank you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:21:50
Yeah, just to clarify there, so the first question, we're okay for open session, but
the second question is restricted, so we would have to stop the webcast at that point. Unless
it's more kind of a general nature, yeah. I don't know what the answer is going to be,
so I can't really say. I'd be more comfortable in answering those
Rosa Tanfield - 1:22:12
questions under part two if that's okay.
Okay, that's fine, yes.
So should we go now?
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:22:19
See if there's anything else, if there is.
Cheque if there's anything else, because we'll do with part two and get that part
out.
Can Rosa answer the question now?
Sorry, I'll just say this slightly louder so that there's no...
Laura Kirman - 1:22:36
Cllr Craig McCann - 1:22:37
Anything that you can answer in open session, we'll open it in an open session.
It needs to go into private session.
If this works, we're going to just hold that question and answer,
finish the questions, finish the paper, and then we'll close the meeting.
I hope that makes it clear for the webcast as well as everything else.
That's right, Jane.
Cllr Stephen Murray - 1:23:01
We can't go like a yo -yo to deal with anything that people want to ask
in part one and then move to part two as a final part.
Rosa Tanfield - 1:23:11
So for clarity, if I can answer both those questions under part two, is that okay? Thank
you.
Cllr Roger Baldwin - 1:23:15
So is there anything else people would like to discuss in terms of actually detailed about
the detail of the financial information? Is there any questions on that?
Thank you.
Cllr Raymond Balcombe
District councillor for Rural East ward
Conservative Party
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Cllr Roger Baldwin
District councillor for Loughton Forest ward
Loughton Residents Association
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Cllr Edward Barnard
District councillor for Epping East ward
Liberal Democrats
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Cllr Mandy George
District councillor for Epping West and Rural ward
Liberal Democrats
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Laura Kirman
Democratic Services Officer
Epping Forest District Council
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Cllr Jodie Lucas
District councillor for Waltham Abbey West ward
Conservative Party
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Cllr Maria Markham
District councillor for Waltham Abbey South and Rural ward
Independent
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Cllr Craig McCann
District councillor for Chigwell with Lambourne ward
Conservative Party
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
District councillor for Grange Hill ward
Independent
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Cllr Martin Morris
District councillor for Waltham Abbey North ward
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Cllr Stephen Murray
District councillor for Loughton Roding ward
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Cllr Joseph Parsons
District councillor for Waltham Abbey West ward
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Cllr Sheree Rackham
District councillor for Loughton Roding ward
Loughton Residents Association
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Tracy Scott
Acting Director - Customer
Epping Forest District Council
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Owen Sparks
Interim Strategic Director / S151 Officer
Epping Forest District Council
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Rosa Tanfield
Managing Director
Terra Verde Services Ltd (TVS)
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Mandy Thompson
Service Director - Regulatory Services
Epping Forest District Council
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James Warwick
Service Director - Contracts Partnerships and Procurement
Epping Forest District Council
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Cllr Chris Whitbread
District councillor for Roydon and Lower Nazeing ward
Conservative Party
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Cllr Holly Whitbread
District councillor for Epping West and Rural ward
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Cllr Ken Williamson
District councillor for Buckhurst Hill West ward
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Cllr Graham Wiskin
District councillor for Loughton St John's ward
Loughton Residents Association
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