Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Panel for the meeting.

RESOLVED

that Councillor J E Kerr be elected Chair of the Panel for the ensuring meeting.

Councillor J E Kerr in the Chair.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Panel for the meeting.

RESOLVED

that Councillor C M Gleadow be elected Vice-Chair of the Panel for the ensuring meeting.

To confirm the Overview and Scrutiny Panel to approve the Minutes of the Meeting.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting will be discussed at the September meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) Panel.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary and other interests in relation to any Agenda item.

No declarations were received.

The Panel is invited to comment on the Household Garden Waste Subscription Service Report.

Executive Councillor: M A Hassall

By means of a report by the General Manager for Operations (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel discussed the Household Garden Waste Subscription Service.

Councillor Criswell expressed his anger over the report and proposed subscription, giving his reasons as due to;

·  the way that the proposal had been received by members of the public;

·  failure to use Overview and Scrutiny to help develop the proposal;

·  introduction of a charge on an existing service;

·  charging residents who are trying to do the right thing by recycling green waste;

·  disproportionately affecting elderly residents who enjoy gardening but may be on a low income;

·  no consultation with residents on the proposed subscription charge;

·  concern that the make up of the joint administration politically is not one that residents had voted for; and

·  that Executive Councillors are not owning the proposed subscription introduction and suggesting that the decision to introduce had been made by Officers.

The Panel were assured that whilst the proposed fee of £57.50 had been modelled by Officers, the proposed subscription had been proposed by the Joint Administration.

Councillor Gardener observed that the report and Executive Councillors had highlighted that the fee was being introduced for those who used the service, and enquired if that meant that residents could request refunds for those services which their Council Tax pays for but that they do not use. The Panel heard that the Joint Administration were aware that this would not be a popular decision but that it was necessary to protect the service for those residents who wished to continue to use it. The Panel heard that garden waste collection is a non statutory collection and that the Council is no longer able to deliver this service free of charge. The proposed changes would also allow local business opportunity and innovation in opening up opportunities for alternative waste collections.

Concern was expressed by Councillor Cawley that the figures within the report were scare tactics and may be working to fund a shortfall that may not happen. He also queried the quoted reduction in CO2 emissions given that many residents may choose to dispose of their garden waste at local recycling centres by private car instead of subscribing to the service.

In response to these questions, the Panel heard that;

·  the shortfall figure of £8.3 million was a worst case scenario but that without action there would be a shortfall which would accumulate year on year; and

·  that the predicted CO2 emissions reduction was due to a reduction of refuse vehicles on the road, due to reduced collections and also reduced waste to be reprocessed.

Councillors Cawley and Lowe enquired how it was anticipated that residents would create less green waste should they not have a green bin. The Panel were advised that analysis of other Councils who have undergone the same process, showed that those without a garden waste receptacle generated less green waste. It was further advised that residents also had the option to compost,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.