Issue - meetings

(Contracts Delivery – Cllr R Balcombe) To agree the amendments to the five waste policies referenced in this report (C-021-2024-25).

That the Cabinet agreed the amendments to the five waste policies referenced in the agenda report.

The Leader presented the report on the Council’s Waste Management Service. It had several existing operational policies in the supply of the street cleansing, waste, and recycling collection services. With the start of Terra Verde Services Ltd in November 2024 it had been decided to review these five policies – Exception Policy, Flats and Communal Buildings Policy, Supply of Waste and Recycling Policy and Container Policy. The policies could be updated where necessary to be clearer in our expectations and ensure the extent of that service was understood. A full list of all the waste policies was on the Council’s website. The report included the comments made by the Place Scrutiny Committee in July.

Councillor C Pond remarked that recycling should be made more convenient for residents but currently the list of rules was a bit strict on dirty or contaminated material, as these could not be recycled. Also, replacement sacks were difficult to find. The Contracts Service Director replied that clarifying our waste policies would make it clearer for residents. The Council wanted to work with residents. Hopefully contamination levels could be reduced by providing more information about what should go in each bin.

Councillor Janet Whitehouse asked what provision was there in the policies for residents of flats, as they did not have kerbside collections for small electricals and textiles. The Contracts Service Director advised that work was underway as a result of comments from the Place Scrutiny Committee. Communal purple bins for small electrical items were already in place for some flats. The plan was to implement purple bins for private flat residences as well.

Referring to the Container Policy, Councillor N Bedford asked if the last bullet point of the “Official container for glass collection service” could be clarified as it stated, “Any other container other than a wheelie bin”. The Contracts Service Director replied he would amend this to make it clearer.

The report set out the options considered, if any, and the reasons for the recommendation and the decision.

Decision:

That the Cabinet agreed the amendments to the five waste policies referenced in the agenda report.