Agenda item

Following last years scrutiny review, an Action Plan is attached providing an update on recommendations

Further to Minute OSC.893(2) of the meeting of this Committee held on 26 March 2013, Councillor Southworth, Deputy Cabinet Member for the Environment,  attended the meeting to provide an update on progress in respect of the following recommendations:

                             i. That this Group recognises and congratulates the hard work that has been undertaken by the Council Employees across the authority and the residents of the Borough to reduce the amount of residual waste being sent to landfill and to increase the amount of waste being recycled. 

                            ii. That Ward Councillors are encouraged to become ‘Recycling Champions’ in their areas by promoting recycling wherever possible and work with the Waste Management Section to identify solutions for specific areas.

                          iii. That, to assist with ongoing work in relation to contaminated bins, all new bins are numbered by the Council before being delivered to properties and households where the bins are not numbered are encouraged to do so.

                          iv. That the use of enforcement in relation to contaminated bins be considered – this would only be as a last resort and for repeat offenders.

                           v. That all waste operatives are regularly reminded to use the software correctly as this may assist to reduce the number of complaints received and the number of missed collections.

                          vi. That  Members should receive regular reports setting out targets versus actuals and highlighting where improvements need to be made and how this can be done.

                         vii. That the possibility of carrying out specific exception reporting or analytical research is considered to look at trends and highlight where improvements can be made.

                       viii. That complaints relating to missed bin collections are monitored by area to highlight any patterns.

                          ix. That something similar to the interactive games that were used on the visit to the recycling centre should be developed locally to be rolled out to schools across the borough. This would help to educate the young people within the borough who would then pass this on to the rest of their families.

                           x.  That all Councillors are encouraged to attend a visit to the Customer Contact Centre.

                          xi.  That all funding opportunities in relation to the promotion of recycling are researched and applied for.

Questions and comments were invited and the following issues were raised:

·         Members of the Committee referred to the plans to enhance the Educational and Regulatory Team through the appointment of 8 new posts. The role of the new staff was explained and it was reported that the 2 year pilot scheme had been approved as an invest to save opportunity, with posts ultimately funded through savings achieved from diverting waste from landfill.

·         With regard to the issue of enforcement, the Head of Waste Management stressed that the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices would be a last resort and efforts would continue to educate and engage with residents in order to encourage increased levels of recycling. Councillor Cummings requested that future updates include examples of enforcement actions by other Authorities, with an analysis of whether they had been successful.

·         Councillor Fitzwalter highlighted the importance of maximizing recycling from schools and other commercial waste streams.

·         Councillor Nuttall referred to the difficulties of recycling certain products due to the packaging and highlighted that manufacturers should be encouraged to package products in materials that are readily recyclable.

It was agreed:

1.  That this Committee acknowledges the good progress made implementing the recommendations from the Recycling Overview Project Group.

2.  That a further update report be submitted before the end of the Municipal Year.