Agenda item

Further to Minute No. 133 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 16^th April, 2018, consideration was given to a report of the Assistant Director, Community Safety and Street Scene, about the implementation of new waste and recycling services across the Rotherham Borough area.

The principal features of the new services were:-

- a subscription-based garden waste collection service (£39 per year), from October, 2018; the service will be provided throughout the year;

- a new black (with pink lid) 180 litre wheeled bin for household waste, from late January 2019; the colour of this bin and lid had been decided after a public poll undertaken by the Rotherham Advertiser that had closed on 25th April, 2018.

- using the existing green 240 litre bin for paper and card and the existing black 240 litre bin for other recycling (glass, metal, plastic) from late January 2019.

The report and presentation highlighted the following issues:-

: details of the kerbside waste and recycling project communications and engagement plan;

: the specific changes  to the service were:-

•       Introduction of plastic recycling at the kerbside;

•       doubling the space residents will have for glass, metal cans, cardboard and paper;

•       every household will overall have more space in the bins than currently and recycling will be easier

•       with more overall space, the new household waste bin will be reduce in size to 180 litres and will have a pink lid to identify it;

•       subscribers to the garden waste collection service will receive a new 240 litre wheeled bin, coloured brown.

: the specific recycling targets and implications for the Council’s budget;

: the timescale in which the changes will occur and the engagement with and communications with the general public and with community groups; attendance at some community events, door-to-door engagement with households in some areas; provision of information at household waste recycling centres;

: provision of general information about the service changes, press releases and use of social media; direct mail to households and use of stickers and tags attached to the existing waste bins;

: promotion of the chargeable garden waste service;

: community engagement at large events such as the Rotherham Show (8 and 9 September 2018).

Members of the Select Commission raised the following issues during discussion:-

: the assorted types of plastic which may and may not be suitable for recycling;

: the cross-contamination of waste and cleanliness of the bins;

: the involvement of community groups, Parish Councils and Area Housing Officers in the dissemination of information about the service changes;

: method of payment for the garden waste service;

: use of communal bins in places where space and road access for the refuse collection vehicles are limited;

: the importance of effective communications and clarity and simplicity of the message delivered to the public about the new services.

Resolved:- (1) That the report and presentation be received and their contents noted.

(2) That a seminar be arranged for all Members of the Council about the changes to the Council’s waste and recycling services.