The Clean and Green Committee met on Wednesday 8 July 2026 to discuss and agree its work plan for the upcoming year and to receive an update on the parking review. The committee decided to focus its work plan on street cleanliness, local environment, and fly-tipping, with a secondary focus on green spaces.

Clean and Green Work Plan for 2026-2027

The committee discussed a range of potential topics for its work plan for the 2026-2027 municipal year, presented by Tony Ralph, Interim Director of Environment. These included street cleaning and the local environment, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable fleet transport, green spaces and biodiversity, and fly-tipping and environmental crime.

After considerable discussion, the committee agreed to prioritise street cleanliness and the local environment, with a particular focus on fly-tipping and environmental crime, as its primary area of work. Councillor Shah Ali, Vice Chair of the committee, proposed combining these two areas due to their interconnectedness. The committee also agreed to focus on green spaces, biodiversity, and environmental improvements as a secondary area of focus. Councillors were invited to submit further specific preferences on these topics to the Chair via email.

During the discussion on fly-tipping, Councillor Monika Patel raised concerns about its prevalence and the challenges in tackling it. Tony Ralph explained that fly-tipping is a national problem and that while the council is effective at clearing it, it can quickly reappear. He highlighted the use of data, street-level officers, and technology to improve responsiveness. Councillor Jo Blackman, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Neighbourhoods, added that engagement and education are also key, alongside enforcement, and that CCTV is used in hotspots. Councillor Guy Mansfield Williams noted the positive impact of the Clean and Green app in speeding up the reporting and clearing of litter.

On the topic of sustainable transport, Councillor Patel inquired about the infrastructure needed for cycle lanes and electric vehicle charging points, and how councils can influence TfL regarding bus routes. Councillor Blackman referred to the council's Sustainable Transport Strategy and its capital programme, which includes highway spend for schemes like bike lanes and bus lanes. She mentioned that TfL provides significant funding through Local Improvement Plan (LIP) money, but that these schemes can be complex and time-consuming to implement.

Regarding green spaces and environmental improvements, Councillor Leontia Brewer asked about enhancing urbanised areas. Councillor Blackman highlighted the council's manifesto commitment to create four new pocket parks and plant 1,000 street trees, with funding already secured from the GLA. She also mentioned the council's support for community gardening initiatives and the pollinator pathway scheme.

The discussion on waste reduction and recycling revealed that Redbridge's recycling rate has hovered around 30%. Councillor Blackman expressed confidence that the introduction of a food waste collection scheme later in the year would improve this. She assured residents that recycling is processed within the borough and that contamination rates are low due to the two-box system. The council also has a manifesto commitment to move to a single wheelie bin for dry recycling. Councillor Blackman also emphasised the importance of reducing overall waste tonnage, noting that the benefits of recycling have been oversold by the plastics industry. She also mentioned the impact of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, which are introducing taxes on packaging producers and providing funds to waste authorities.

When asked about recycling in schools, Councillor Blackman explained that schools and businesses are responsible for their own waste and recycling services, but are required to collect food waste and recycling separately. She noted that schools are now required to have climate and environment plans, which should cover waste and recycling.

Parking Review Update

Karl Brown, Head of Parking and Traffic Services, provided a verbal update on the parking review undertaken by the Policy Development Committee. The review examined operational mechanics and strategic reform options for parking services across the borough. Key findings included that Redbridge has the lowest resident permit charges in London and that emission-based charging is being adopted by many other boroughs. The review also highlighted the need for a car pound to support enforcement options, particularly for persistent evaders and blue badge misuse.

The committee was informed that the full report with detailed recommendations would be presented to Cabinet for consideration. Councillor Guy Mansfield Williams sought clarification on when the committee would see the recommendations before they went to Cabinet. It was explained that the report was from the previous committee and had not been formally agreed, and would be presented to the next meeting of this committee on 9 September 2026 for agreement.

The meeting concluded with the confirmation that the next meeting of the Clean and Green Committee would be held on 9 September 2026.