Agenda and minutes

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 27^th June 2018.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 27^th June 2018, be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

          There were no public questions.

          The Committee received a presentation by Ian James, Interim Head of Streetsmart and the Cabinet Members for Highways and the Environment, in relation to the forthcoming consultation of the Council’s Waste Strategy.

Following the presentation the Interim Head of Streetsmart and the Cabinet Members for Highways and the Environment responded to members’ questions and observations on the issues raised including:

·       Reasons for the fall in recycling rates within the Borough despite an increase in the number of recycling boxes issued.

·       The forthcoming communications campaign in relation to recycling which would include the promotion of items that can be recycled and the consistent enforcement of the Council’s existing waste collection and recycling policy.

·       The use of targeted education in areas with below average recycling rates.

·       Potential short term proposals and annual action plans within the ten year Waste Strategy to increase recycling.  These included but were not limited to, reserving the right not to collect black bins containing excess recyclable materials, ceasing the recycling of plastic, and charges for replacement recycling boxes.

·       The inclusion of plastic waste within the material turned into fuel for industry as this would improve the quality of the fuel and ensure that Swindon plastic did not end up in foreign landfill whilst producing a cost saving to the Council.

·       Whether existing black bins would be large enough for household waste if plastic materials were no longer collected and formed part of general waste.

·       The frequency of general household waste collections and whether there were plans for consultation on changing the current fortnightly cycle.

·       The current green waste collection service and the need to advertise this could be purchased on a pro-rata basis during the financial year.

·       The system for the issue of additional or broken recycling boxes, potential charges and the potential for such charges to affect the recycling rate within the Borough.

·       Plans for public engagement in respect of the survey which would run between 10^th September and 19^th September 2018, including the use of Parish and community facilities in addition to being available on-line.

·       The timescales for the public consultation and agreement of the Council’s updated Waste Strategy.

·       The clearance of litter left in streets following refuse and recycling collections.

·       The advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of a recycling collection for electrical goods.

·       Responses to questions contained in the questionnaire and the need to reduce the length of its introduction and number of questions to increase the likelihood of the public participating.

          Resolved – (1) That the Cabinet Member for Highways and the Environement and Officers be thanked for their presentation.

          (2) That subject to the removal of questions 12 and 13 the Waste Strategy Public Questionnaire be supported.

          (3) That the Interim Head of Streetsmart be requested to submit an update report to this Committee setting out (a) the results of the Waste Strategy Questionnaire, (b) ways the Council can work with local and national businesses to reduce packaging, and (c) the possible role of waste wardens in educating the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Law and Democratic Services setting out the Committee’s Work Programme, agreed at its meeting on 27^th June 2018.    

          Resolved – (1) That the report be noted.

          (2) That further to Minute 5(3) an update report to this Committee setting out (a) the results of the Waste Strategy Questionnaire, (b) ways the Council can work with local and national businesses to reduce packaging, and (c) the possible role of waste wardens in educating the public in respect of the Council’s Waste and Recycling Strategies together with their enforcement be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.