Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Services along with the Director of Operations submitted a joint report that outlined the next steps in the delivery of the Council’s waste strategy (agreed by the Council in 2018). The report responds to the Council’s obligation to make every possible effort to achieve the national Government target of achieving a 60% recycling and composting rate by 2030. This is also complimentary to the Council’s ambition to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Councillor Maureen Penny, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Services, introduced the report and the Leader stated that responsibility for the strategy was now under Councillor Keith Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change.

Councillors Jim Grant and Bob Wright asked a number of questions relating to

·        Whether the soft-market testing would be published

·        Would outsourcing and changing collection frequencies be covered as part of the review

·        The future roll-out of food waste collection

·        The ability to deliver any changes within the current budget

·        When Members would see specific options.

Councillor Williams responded at the meeting.

Resolved: (1) In accordance with the year 2 action plan of the Council’s Waste Strategy, that it be agreed to the immediate commencement of an end to end review of waste operations, both collection and disposal, the outcomes of which will be reported back to the Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Management, the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Cabinet Member for Commercialisation, Education and Skills. This will be informed by a soft market testing exercise to understand the options available to the Council in relation to co-mingled recyclates, disposal options for recycling and general waste as well as a full review of our current collection regime.

(2) That the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, in consultation with the

Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Management and the

Cabinet Member for Commercialisation, Education and Skills, be authorised to determine the preferred options for the waste and recycling service providing that those options can be accommodated within the current budget for the service.

(3) That the Director of Operations be authorised then to implement the preferred options for the waste and recycling service provided that they can be accommodated within existing budget.

(4) That it be agreed to include the rollout plan for borough wide food waste collection in the review so that, following the successful trial with 11000 households, it can be rolled out across the borough as and when capacity in the waste team allows, providing it can be done within the current budget of the service.

(5) That the Director of Operations be authorised to extend the current food waste trial for households on the trial until the point at which a full scale food waste collection service can be rolled out across the borough.

(6) That officers be authorised to produce a comprehensive and proactive communications campaign and action plan which includes further public engagement to gauge resident and stakeholder appetite and understanding of any  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9