Agenda item

To receive the presentation detailing the update on the Waste Policy Pilot and Consultation.

At the Chair’s invitation the Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene introduced the presentation and confirmed that engagement had been undertaken with the ward members who represented the Waste Policy pilot areas of Ferham and Waverly. Ferham was picked because it showed high levels of waste contamination with eight of the thirteen loads that were sampled as part of the data monitoring period being contaminated. Three of nine loads sampled in Waverly were contaminated. The two areas were chosen due to the differences in the nature of the urban landscapes and properties, meaning they would provide more valuable information at the conclusion of the pilot.

Information on the proposed pilot schemes would be sent out by post to all of the affected residents and would explain the intentions of the pilot scheme. During the pilot, officers would speak with resident’s face to face. Support and engagement with residents would be increased during the pilot scheme. This would entail officers working with waste colleagues and having conversations with residents to understand what contamination may have been found in the waste bin, along with the provision of education and guidance. Additional resources were available to support the delivery of these schemes.

The pilot scheme would take place over a three-month period. Recycling took place on a four-weekly cycle; therefore, the scheme would take place over three stages to understand what the impact was at each stage. There was no intention to hold face-to-face consultation events at this stage. Community groups and local media channels would be utilised as part of the consultation. 

The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene confirmed that the maximum level of fines would be £80, which could be set lower at the discretion of the Council. The amount would be part of the consultation to ascertain what the appropriate sanction would be if residents had not been able to address the contamination issues at the end of the twelve-week cycle.

The Chair invited members of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB) to raise questions and queries on the points raised. Councillor Keenan queried how wide the consultation would be, and how the leaflets would be produced to work with the varied communities noting that Ferham was a diverse area. The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene clarified that fines would not be issued as part of the pilot scheme. The Council would consult with schools, and it recognised the challenges in terms of diversity in the different languages spoken across the communities. Speaking with the residents face-to-face was important to understand the challenges faced as part of the pilot. Consulting through community groups and online would help to remove some of the barriers to ensure information was presented in the correct way. Councillor Keenan noted that the Council needed to ensure this service was accessible and carried out in the right way.

Councillor Yasseen raised objections regarding the areas chosen for the pilot, expressed concerns regarding the consultation. The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene assured members of OSMB that the consultation would be accessible, not biased and genuinely sought the views of the public, elected members and partners to inform the policy decision.

Councillor A Carter noted that information regarding what constituted contaminated recycling should be made clearer on the Council’s website. Councillor A Carter also sought clarification on what the process would be if residents could not pay the fine. The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene explained that the annual bin calendar which was circulated annually contained information on what items could be placed in each bin. The staged approach was being followed to ensure residents had multiple opportunities, through the provision of additional information and support to ensure they recycled effectively. The fines were the same as civil penalties and could be pursued civilly. It was noted that not all bins could be secured so there was a risk of others putting contaminated waste in the bin however it would be the officer’s responsibility to satisfy themselves that the individual was responsible beyond all reasonable doubt. However, a lot of engagement with that resident would take place in the first instance.

The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene clarified that residents would not be fined on the first instance of contamination as this would be undertaken over a twelve-week period on each collection cycle.

Councillor Baggaley queried what was being done in terms of communication between now and the launch of the pilot? The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene confirmed that the plans for the pilot and consultation were being finalised, but reassured OSMB that nothing would happen prior to engagement with the ward members, including sharing the publication of written materials. The support that local ward members could add to the pilot was recognised. Councillor McKiernan noted that having a dedicated person to liaise with during the pilot would be welcomed and to be provided with regular updates during the pilot. Councillor McKiernan sought assurance that the Council’s call centre, and housing officers were made aware of this pilot to ensure they could direct queries to the right person. The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene committed to arranging monthly meetings with the ward members to keep them updated and appraised on progress.

The Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene could not commit to ensuring that all issues regarding missing bins etc would be addressed prior to the commencement of the pilot. The data gained during the pilot would help to inform the policy.

Resolved: That the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board:

1.    Noted the presentation detailing the update on the Waste Policy Pilot and Consultation.

2.    Agreed that following the pilot and consultation exercise, a further report would be submitted to OSMB ahead of its consideration by Cabinet which included the outcome of the relevant processes and a revised Policy, based on the learning.

3.    Acknowledged that the Assistant Director Community Safety and Street Scene agreed to hold monthly meetings, throughout the Waste Policy pilot with the relevant ward members to update on progress.