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Findings of Rosevale Caravan Task Group revealed
27 March
The Rosevale Caravan Park Task Group has now concluded its
investigation of an incident of unauthorised dumping of building
waste near homes in Scarborough last year and reported its
full findings to the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee on
26 March.
The waste from a Yorkshire Coast Homes redevelopment at Sandybed
Court was deposited on the site of the disused Rosevale Caravan
Park during May and June 2011, leaving nearby residents
inconvenienced and concerned. Scarborough Borough Council’s
Planning Enforcement team dealt with the situation promptly but to
address concerns raised by residents and to look at the broader,
strategic lessons to be learnt from this incident, Councillor John
Ritchie, ward councillor for Falsgrave Park initiated a ‘Councillor
Call for Action’ – a power which helps councillors resolve local
issues and problems on behalf of their constituents.
A key outcome of the review has been a case study and how
different enforcement authorities communicate with each other and
work together when faced with a suspected breach of environmental
and planning regulations, and just as importantly, how these same
authorities support the principal contractor to verify and deliver
Site Waste Management Plans. The review’s recommendations also
centre on improving the principal contractor’s communications with
client, project manager and local residents.
The task group held a public meeting in February at a community
venue with a range of different stakeholders: residents, Yorkshire
Coast Homes, the principal contractor Bramall Construction, the
Council’s Planning Services and Environmental Services, and the
Environment Agency. This structured ‘single day review’, more akin
to the approach employed by a parliamentary select committee, is
part of a drive to make the Council’s scrutiny function more
effective, efficient and accessible.
Councillor John Ritchie said:
“From the outset, members of the task group wanted to produce a
piece of work that engaged with the people and organisations
involved in this incident in a positive way. We wanted to add value
to the work of Scarborough Borough Council by addressing some of
the issues surrounding the dumping of unauthorised waste opposite
homes of residents who have every right to expect better from the
organisations involved.
“This has been a concentrated and thorough piece of work which
has looked, in a very detailed way, into the circumstances
surrounding this incident and identified in full the roles and
responsibilities for each and every organisation/agency that was
involved. The exercise has proved a positive step in improving a
joined-up working approach and we hope that the group’s
recommendations will be followed by all parties concerned to
prevent such a reoccurrence elsewhere in the borough.”