Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations:

1.             That Cabinet note the contents of this report.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update in relation to the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) in the Borough. In January 2023 Cabinet considered the options for the future delivery of the Household Waste Recycling Service, in anticipation of the expiry of the current contract in October 2023. The option approved by Cabinet was seeking a novel approach to work with a new contractor, with improved services and equipment, whilst embarking on a programme of work to bring elements of the service back into direct delivery by the Council.

Following a procurement process, HW Martin Waste were awarded the contract to provide the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) service for the next three years, whilst also supporting the Council to develop and implement its in-house delivery model. The services mobilised in October 2023. This report provided an update on the procurement and implementation of the new services and future plans to ensure successful in-sourcing of the service.

The provision of the HWRC service was scheduled to be taken in-house on the 29 October 2026. This provided the Council with a 36-month period to ensure support for the service transition from other areas of the Council including Health and Safety, Human Resources, Customer Information and Digital Services, Communications as well as engaging with external partners such as the Environment Agency.

As part of the budget setting process for 2023/24, capital and revenue investment was approved to facilitate the new HWRC arrangement. The approved capital budget was £2.4m, which included the investment needed for the future in-sourcing requirements. Expenditure to date against this budget was £1.3m.

In addition, the Council approved a revenue investment of £188k for 2023/24 and 2024/25. This was in recognition of the additional costs associated with the new Rotherham contract arrangement and the preparatory costs associated with the transition to an in-sourced contractual arrangement from October 2026.

Resolved:

1.    That Cabinet note the contents of this report.