Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Operations on the health and safety aspects of emptying the 1100 litre wheeled bins at bring sites.

Noted revised working arrangements for moving 1,000 litre wheeled bins at bring sites.

Further to Minute No. 09/35, and with the assistance of a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were acquainted with revised working arrangements for moving 1,000 litre wheeled bins at bring sites.

Members were advised that collections have been re-scheduled so that employees attend all know heavily used locations together and instructions issued that if an employee finds that a bin is too heavy to move when working alone, he should not attempt to move it. Having been advised that these new arrangements address the concerns previously expressed by the Safety Advisory Group, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the contents of the report now submitted be noted.

To receive a report by the Head of Operations on proposed improvements to kerbside recycling services.

Approved the extension of the current kerbside dry recycling service to include glass collection from 29th March 2010; agreed that the payment of recycling credit be continued at the current rate per tonne to the providers of bring sites during the financial year 2010/2011; supported the  phased removal of existing recycling banks from bring sites and a change to the types of material collected, to include materials not currently recycled through kerbside services, using third party providers from either the private sector, or 3rd sector with the aim of introducing this by April 2011; agreed that the future payment of recycling credits from April 2011 be on the basis of an equitable division ensuring that the full cost of managing and operating bring sites is met from the income received  and authorised the Director of Environment & Community Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Operational and Countryside Services to determine the appropriate way forward for the scheme’s delivery.

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered proposals to expand the existing arrangements for the Council's kerbside recycling services to include a collection of glass bottles and containers.

Having received the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) on the matter, Members discussed the perceived benefits, the estimated cost of implementing the additional service and operational considerations.  Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the contents of the report be noted and the current kerbside dry recycling service be extended to include glass collection from 29th March 2010;

  (b)  that payment of recycling credits be continued at the current rate per tonne to the providers of bring sites during the financial year 2010/2011;

  (c)  that a phased removal of existing glass recycling banks from bring sites and the introduction of new types of material collected, to include materials not currently recycled through the kerbside service, using third party providers from either the private, public or the third sectors be approved with the aim of introducing this by April 2011;

  (d)  that the future payment of recycling credits from April 2011 on the basis of an equitable division which ensures that the full costs of managing and operating bring sites is met from the income received be approved; and

  (d)  that the Director of Environment & Community Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Operational and Countryside Services, be authorised to determine the appropriate way forward for the scheme’s delivery.

To consider a report by the Head of Operations on proposed improvements to kerbside recycling services.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor C R Hyams, Executive Councillor for Operational and Countryside Services, was in attendance for this item).

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Operations (a copy of which is appended in the annex to the Minute Book) on proposed improvements to kerbside recycling services. In receiving background to the proposal to include glass in the materials collected through the kerbside recycling service, Mr R Ward, the Head of Operations, acquainted the Panel with the latest position regarding the Council’s waste collection contract.  Advances in technology now meant that it was possible to extract glass from waste collected at the kerbside. Changes in market conditions had prompted the investment in technology. This, coupled with the fact that the Council’s waste processing contract had been due to expire in December 2009, meant that it was timely for the Council to investigate the possibility of extending its service to include glass recycling.

In receiving details of the financial implications of the proposal Members noted that the new contractual arrangements could potentially deliver net revenue savings of up to £300,000 per annum. The contract would include a mechanism to protect the Council from significant changes in gate fee charges. In these circumstances the Panel expressed support for the proposals.

Members questioned the projected level of additional blue bins that would be required. Comment was made that, if glass collections were introduced, there was likely to be significant demand for blue bins from those existing residents who currently used green recycling boxes. With regard to the issue of charging for blue bins, whilst Members did not support charging for additional bins where residents already had a blue bin, they were in favour of charging developers for the provision of blue bins in new developments.

The Panel discussed the future operation of the mini recycling centres across the District and the proposal, in conjunction with third sector organisations, for the existing glass banks to be replaced by facilities for recycling other materials. A proportion of the recycling credits received for recycling through the new arrangements would continue to be paid to the Parish Councils that owned the land on which the facilities were located. The remainder of the recycling credits would be retained by the Council to cover its costs for maintaining the sites.

Finally, the Panel discussed the health and safety and practical implications of introducing kerbside glass collections, particularly for the elderly, and consideration was given to the impact of the proposals on the general repair and replacement costs associated with the Council’s vehicles.

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be advised of the Panel's views on the proposed improvements to kerbside recycling services.