Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Hoddinott

Commissioner:         Kenny (in advisory role)

Recommendations:-

1.         That approval be given to the cessation of the free garden waste collection service with effect from 26 October 2018 and to replace with an optional, all year round, chargeable garden waste collection service from 29 October 2018.

2.         That the operating policies in paragraph 6.2 and 6.15 of this report be approved.

3.         That the fee for the garden waste collection service be set at £39 for an initial subscription period from 29 October 2018 until January 2020, with the price of future annual subscriptions subject to review each year.

4.         That approval be given to the introduction of a two-stream recycling service that includes the collection of plastic materials at the kerbside from early 2019 – Option 1(b) – with the specific date to be confirmed as part of the procurement exercise. New 180 litre residual bins will be provided to all households in time for the launch of the two-stream recycling service to enable the existing 240 litre residual bins to be used for recycling plastic, tin cans and glass thereby reducing capital expenditure.  

5.         That the Council be recommended to add the capital costs of the vehicles and bins at an estimated cost of £5.54m to the Council’s Capital Programme.

6.         That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Community Safety and Street Scene to make all necessary arrangements for the smooth introduction of the revised waste collection service including the purchase of bins and refuse vehicles.

7.         That officers develop a comprehensive communications and marketing plan, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, to sit alongside the implementation plan for the revised waste collection service.

Further to Minute No. 70 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 13^th November, 2017, consideration was given to a report which set out details of the outcome of the waste consultation exercise and proposed the introduction of changes to the Council’s waste collection service. The proposed changes were to introduce kerbside plastic collection as soon as practicable, and introduce an all year round green waste chargeable service from October, 2018.

Details of the different options assessed by the Council, along with the potential impact on recycling and the costs of each option were highlighted.  The recommended option was 1B which would result in a replacement 180ltr residual bin with two stream recycling, the introduction of an all year round green waste chargeable service from October, 2018 and a plastic collection from the household waste stream as “Phase 2” of the implementation process which would be subject to tender and would be introduced at a later stage.

Cabinet Members were in support of the proposals and believed the enhanced recycling opportunities would work in collaboration with a smaller general waste residual bin.

However, in accepting the proposals it was suggested that clear information be provided identifying what plastic could be recycled at the kerbside, what material could be placed in which bin, preferably in pictorial format, and the introduction timescales for each phase.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations subject to a trial being initiated for different types of households and for this to be evaluated to ensure the proposed changes were feasible and households were not adversely affected by the proposals. 

In addition it was also suggested that there be some exploration as to the feasibility of communal facilities for waste disposals and recycling particularly for high density housing and new developments and that the details of the communications and engagement strategy be provided to Improving Places Select Commission for their input and monitoring.

Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, agreed with the principle, but confirmed a trial could not be supported. Any opportunity for volunteers to feed back any findings on performance was welcomed and this in turn would be reported back to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in due course.

However, any further exploration of waste and recycling options in high density community housing was welcomed.  The communications and engagement strategy would be submitted to the Improving Places Select Commission as part of the work programme.

Resolved:- (1)  That the cessation of the free garden waste collection service be approved with effect from 26th October, 2018 and be replaced with an optional, all year round, chargeable garden waste collection service from 29^th October, 2018.

(2)  That the operating policies in paragraph 6.2 and 6.15 of this report be approved.

(3)  That the fee for the garden waste collection service be set at £39 for an initial subscription period from 29th October, 2018 until January 2020, with the price of future annual subscriptions subject to review each year.

(4)  That the introduction of a two-stream recycling service be approved that included the collection of plastic materials at the kerbside from early 2019 - Option 1(b) – with the specific date to be confirmed as part of the procurement exercise. New 180 litre residual bins will be provided to all households in time for the launch of the two-stream recycling service to enable the existing 240 litre residual bins to be used for recycling plastic, tin cans and glass thereby reducing capital expenditure.

 
(5)  That the Council be recommended to add the capital costs of the vehicles and bins at an estimated cost of £5.54m to the Council’s Capital Programme.

(6)  That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Community Safety and Street Scene to make all necessary arrangements for the smooth introduction of the revised waste collection service including the purchase of bins and refuse vehicles.

(7)  That officers develop a comprehensive communications and marketing plan, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, to sit alongside the implementation plan for the revised waste collection service.

(8)  That the feasibility of communal facilities for waste disposals and recycling particularly for high density housing and new developments be explored further.

(9)  That further details of the communications and engagement strategy be provided to Improving Places Select Commission for their input and monitoring.