Agenda and minutes

The Joint Waste Board was informed of the impending retirement of the following Members and officers:-

a) Councillor Kath Sims, whose term of office ends in May 2016 and who is not seeking re-election to Rotherham Borough Council;

b)  Mr. David Burton, Director of Streetpride, Rotherham MBC, who is retiring on 31st May, 2016;  and

c) Mr. Adrian Gabriel, Principal Waste Officer, Rotherham MBC, who is retiring on 31st May, 2016.

Agreed:- That the BDR Joint Waste Board places on record its appreciation of the services of Councillor Sims and of Mr. Burton and Mr. Gabriel and they all be wished long and happy retirements.

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Board, held on 11th December, 2015.

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

The following matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board were discussed:-

(1) (Minute No. 13 – BDR Manager’s Report) – a report about the waste compositional analysis will be submitted to the next meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board, to be held on Friday, 10th June, 2016;

(2) (Minute No. 13 – BDR Manager’s Report) – it was agreed that consideration be given to the production and broadcasting of a ‘virtual tour’ film of the waste treatment facility at Bolton Road, Wath upon Dearne, with public viewing available via either the Internet web site and/or You Tube;

(3) (Minute No. 13 – BDR Manager’s Report) – it is expected that the revised Inter-Authority Agreement (IAA.3) will be finalised and signed during March 2016.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Manager, concerning the Internal Audit review of the contract procedures relating to the operation of the BDR waste treatment facility at Manvers, Wath upon Dearne, undertaken during 2015 by officers of the Rotherham MBC Internal Audit Section. The ten recommendations of the Internal Audit review were detailed within the submitted report.

The Internal Audit report stated that the overall control environment is adequate and there were no fundamental concerns which would warrant consideration for inclusion in the Annual Governance Statement. However, implementation of the report’s recommendations should enhance the control environment and provide an increased level of assurance to management.

Members discussed the contents of the Waste Treatment Facility action plan which contained details of the way in which the responses to the ten recommendations of the Internal Audit review would be actioned.

Discussion took place on the requirements of recommendation 6 of Internal Audit review report, concerning the checking of 100% of the weighbridge weight tickets. It was agreed that, in order to avoid any duplication of effort, the Internal Auditor be asked to confirm the period of time during which the requirement to check 100% of the tickets should apply.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a further report, updating the Waste Treatment Facility action plan and detailing the extent of compliance with each of the recommendations, be submitted to the next meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board to be held on 10th June, 2016.

(3) That the response of the Internal Auditor in respect of recommendation 6 of the action plan be reported to the next meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board.

The Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Manager submitted a report which highlighted and updated the following issues relating to the Joint Waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI), for the period December 2015 to February 2016:-

: further details of the changes at senior management level within Rotherham MBC;

: information about the number of tonnes of waste processed and the contract performance in respect of the recycling and diversion of waste materials;

: complaints received about the operation of the waste treatment facility at Bolton Road, Wath upon Dearne, during the period 3rd July, 2015 to 31st January, 2016; it was noted that the majority of complaints relate to the noise of site operations; some complaints are made via the Environment Agency and it was known that several complaints originate from the same local neighbourhood situated near to the site; it was noted that the Environment Agency is to undertake a noise impact assessment of the site;

: the health and safety compliance details and accident report for the period 3rd July, 2015 to 31st January, 2016; details of the RIDDOR reportable incidents will be provided for Elected Members; reference was made to the number of ‘close-call’ incidents and further information about trends per calendar quarter would be provided at the next meeting of this Joint Waste Board;

: Ferrybridge facility – fuel deliveries and electricity export, July 2015 to January 2016; a further explanation was requested about the figure for September 2015, which was comparatively higher than other months;

: Grange Lane facility at Wath upon Dearne;

: Communications – meetings with various community groups and the publication of a media report about the waste treatment facility at Bolton Road, Wath upon Dearne, which had been published in the Rotherham Advertiser newspaper on Friday, 5th February, 2016;

: the continuing review of the insurance policies, to try and reduce the level of premiums;

: the review of the Inter-Authority Agreement, to provide more clarity and remove some historical information, is almost complete and the expectation is that the revised agreement will be finalised and signed during March 2016;

: after completion of a tender exercise, Romaine have been appointed as financial advisers to the BDR Private Finance Initiative;

: glossary of terms relating to waste management and the Joint Waste PFI.

Discussion also took place on the national issue concerning the possible inclusion of incinerator bottom ash from the waste incineration process in the calculation of recycling performance at the waste treatment plant. It was noted that the Chair of the Sheffield City Region (Sir Steve Houghton, Barnsley MBC) has written a letter to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs requesting clarification of this issue. The BDR Joint Waste Board suggested that all four of the principal local authorities of South Yorkshire should send a similar letter to the Secretary of State, in order to confirm the County-wide consistent and unified approach to this matter by those local authorities.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

The Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Board considered the updated Waste PFI risk status report (risk register), as at March, 2016.

The BDR Joint Waste Board was informed that Rotherham MBC had recently changed the Corporate Risk Register format and that the JCAD system, previously used, was no longer supported. Consequently, a spreadsheet is now maintained and reported on corporately within Rotherham MBC. The open risks from JCAD have been transferred across to the new format and new risks have been added (eg: the risk of fraud; the risk of contractor default).

The method of scoring the benchmark effects, which was different from the method previously used on JCAD, was explained. The ‘red, amber, green’ method of reporting the status of each risk will also be used.

It was also noted that the BDR Joint Waste Steering Committee will be organising workshops about the preparation and use of the risk register.

Members of the BDR Joint Waste Board noted that the risk register will continue to be an evolving document. Each successive report to meetings of the Joint Waste Board will describe the progress with and status of each risk and provide information about risks which have been able to be removed from the register and those new risks which are being added to the register. It was suggested that any status ‘red’ risks should be highlighted early and prominently within the report.

Agreed:- That the updated information on the risk status report be received.

Further to Minute No. 26 of the meeting of the BDR Joint Waste Board held on 12th December, 2014, the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Manager gave a presentation to the meeting about the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Waste Strategy 2016 to 2021. The presentation included the following details:-

: All of the four of these principal Councils have individual waste strategies;

: Best practice recommends the review of these strategies every five years;

: The Strategy will outline the priorities that are most important to the residents of these local authority areas;

: The Strategy’s priorities are influenced by external factors:-

•         Political (e.g. new legislation)

•         Financial (e.g. budget restraints)

•         Consultation with residents, local businesses, statutory bodies (e.g. Environment Agency) and with other stakeholders.

: The Waste Strategy is needed:-

•         To provide a clear direction

•         To contribute to the aims and objectives of the Waste Management Plan for England 2013

•         Because the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Council’s current waste strategies would benefit from being reviewed.

: Joint working between the four local authorities will be beneficial because:-

•         All of the authorities are working towards the same overarching strategy;

•         Efficiencies and savings will be made;

•         Best practice - working towards common goals in the future;

•         Waste is a cross-boundary strategic planning matter;

•         Co-ordinated development and use of infrastructure.

Preparation of the Waste Strategy is timely, because:-

•         Previous strategies need to be reviewed

–        Barnsley    2007 - 2030

–        Doncaster  2009 - 2025

–        Rotherham 2005 - 2020

–        Sheffield     2009 - 2020

•         Devolution and the Sheffield City Region.

Key Strategic Priorities (KSP)

•         KSP A – the aim to encourage and inspire children and adults across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to make less waste by reducing, re-using and recycling more.

•         KSP B – The four Councils will work together more closely to deliver value for money services.

•         KSP C – the local authorities will work hard to deliver and maintain a dependable and reliable service to all customers and residents.

•         KSP D – the local authorities will continue to explore how technology can be used to improve recycling and waste services.

•         KSP E – the local authorities will be pro-active to influence decision-making on waste at European, national and local level, to drive investment into infrastructure within the Sheffield City Region economy.

Consultation on the key strategic priorities of the waste strategy will take place in June and July 2016. Adoption by the four principal local authorities of South Yorkshire between September and November 2016

Members discussed the following salient issues:-

-          the contents of the consultation documents; it was noted that a report on this matter will be submitted for consideration by each of four principal local authorities of South Yorkshire during April 2016;

-          the importance of close joint working between the four principal local authorities of South Yorkshire, acknowledging that there are differences in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended, March 2006 – information relates to finance and business affairs)

Agreed:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Joint Waste Board)).

Consideration was given to the Budget Summary, as at February 2016, for the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI). It was noted that current expenditure remained within the agreed budget.

Agreed:- That the report be received and its contents noted.

: Friday 10th June, 2016 at the Town Hall, Rotherham, commencing at 2.00 p.m.

: if necessary, a meeting shall be held during September, 2016, on a date to be arranged.

: date to be arranged during December, 2016.

Agreed:- (1) That the annual meeting of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Board be held on Friday 10th June, 2016 at the Town Hall, Rotherham, commencing at 2.00 p.m.

(2) That, if necessary, a meeting of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Board be held during September, 2016, on a date to be arranged.

(3) That a scheduled meeting of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Joint Waste Board be held on a date to be arranged during December, 2016.