Health & Pollution Section -
Air Quality Authorisations, Park Home Licensing, Pollution & Nuisance Control (Domestic Premises Only), Contamination Land Enquiries, Pest & Dog Control, Public Health

Service Plans
The section has two service plans that cover the scope of the work the team undertakes, some nuisance functions are also dealt with by the commercial team where commercial premises are involved. The plans will be updated annually and provide guidance about the current level of service and its limitations for the forthcoming year.

Pollution service plan

Public health service plan

Air Quality Authorisations
A variety of businesses in the Borough are Authorised (licensed) by the section in order to minimise air pollution. These include car body repair workshops, incinerators, concrete crushing facilities, cement batching plants and petrol stations, for which pollution limits are set by law.

Help with Environmental Rules and Regulations

NETRegs - guiding small businesses through environmental regulations
NetRegs is a partnership between the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland and is aimed at small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) - it is a government funded online resource, providing guidance to the UK's 4.3m SMEs on environmental legislation. Whilst the EA targets regulated businesses in England and Wales, NetRegs provides guidance on environmental legislation to unregulated businesses throughout the whole of the UK.

SMEs using the NetRegs site will benefit from learning how to help to protect your business's reputation, save money (on consultancy fees) and avoid prosecution by complying with environmental legislation. NetRegs is a trusted source of guidance on environmental legislation for SMEs in the UK and is a completely free service that is constantly updated by a team of technical authors.

Please look at the NetRegs site at the following link http://www.netregs.gov.uk

Park Home Licensing
We currently licence some 15 Permanent residential Mobile Home sites in the Borough, which accommodate a little over 1000 Park Homes in total. These sites are routinely inspected with respect to fire and safety standards, with a view to securing high standards for residents.

Pollution and Nuisance Control
Powers are available to deal with excessive smoke, dust, noise and odour pollution that might arise from domestic, commercial and industrial activities. The Division receives over 2000 enquiries a year relating to these issues, a quarter of which relate to noise pollution. Investigation of these complaints can result in formal action being instigated against persistent offenders, where compliance cannot be negotiated.

Contaminated Land Enquiries
A new regime for the regulation, identification and remediation of contaminated land came into force in April 2000. Contamination causing unacceptable risks to health or the environment will be dealt with, following consideration of the lands current and proposed use. A stategy was adopted in June 2001, which initiated a 10-year inspection programme of the Borough, with a view to identifying contaminated land and taking action where appropriate. Currently, we are in the early stages of identifying significant sites.

Contaminated land strategy

This section also deals with contaminated land enquiries direct from solicitors and liaises with the Council's planning division over redevelopment of 'brown-field' (contaminated) sites.

Pest & Dog Control
A comprehensive service is provided for the control of common rodent and insect pests, including rats, mice, fleas and cockroaches. Advice on the control of these and other pests is available, along with insect identification.

The Council's contractor will collect strays and take them to kennelling facilities, or return them to their owners if they can be identified (subject to a fee). Dog fouling issues should be referred to Technical Services.

Public Health
Where property or land is identified as posing a health risk to the public due to the presence of pests and/or accumulations of refuse, the Health & Pollution Section will investigate and secure action.

Staff
These notes give only a brief overview of the complex and increasingly scientific work of the Environmental Protection Division.

The Staff comprises:-

(i) Environmental Health Officers - who have completed either a B.Sc, MSc or Diploma course in Environmental Health and in some cases hold additional post graduate qualifications, either in technical or managerial subjects or both.

(ii) Technicians - who have usually completed a B.Tec course and qualified as Environmental Health Technicians. Some specialise in particular subjects such as noise, information technology, food, health & safety, pests or licensing, have obtained additional qualifications and provide invaluable support to the department.

The division has access to a range of specialist monitoring equipment in order to assist them with their work.