Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor Mrs J Hedges was substituting for Councillor Mrs L Wagland.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

None were reported.

To consider and agree the notes of the meeting the Panel held on 28 February 2008.

The notes from the last meeting, held on 28 February 2008, were agreed.

(Director of Environment and Street Scene) To consider the attached report and attachments.

The Director of Environment and Street Scene gave a presentation on the Future of Waste in Essex (attached). This was the second waste strategy consultation exercise; in 2002 there was the “War on Waste”. Also in 2002 the County Council, District and Borough Councils, with Southend-on-Sea, established the Waste Management Advisory Board (WMAB) to examine the many aspects of waste management in the County. The WMAB has always seen public and stakeholder involvement as key in developing a strategy.

This proposed strategy is crucial to the future management of waste within the County. It will determine the way forward in terms of procuring the infrastructure for waste collection and disposal for the next 25 years as well as meeting the statutory requirement for the County, Districts & Boroughs to adopt an agreed Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) to take forward the management of all the component elements of the waste stream.

To put the draft strategy into some context, so the scale of the problem to be managed is understood, the following key statistics were given to the Panel:

·         in 2006/07 around 740,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste was produced in Essex;

·         on average each Essex resident produces around half a tonne of waste per annum (500 kilos);

·         in 2006/07 36% of this waste was recycled (via collection and/or at the Recycling Centres for Household Waste);

·         around 68% of all waste produced is biodegradable i.e. can break down to produce greenhouse gases and leachate;

·         the EU landfill directive requires significant reductions in biodegradable waste going to landfill with a penalty (at present) of £150 per tonne where allowances are exceeded;

·         if the allowances for 2009/10 are exceeded Essex taxpayers could face a penalty of £9 million and if no change was to be made this would reach £24 million per annum by 2013;

·         each tonne of waste going to landfill currently costs £24 in landfill tax, increasing by £8 per tonne per annum.  This could result in a total tax bill of £22 million by 2010/11 on top of the EU penalties;

·         the Waste Strategy for England 2007 has set challenging targets for the diversion of waste from landfill with new national targets for recycling and composting of 40% by 2010, 45% by 2015 and 50% by 2020;

·         the Waste Strategy for England has also set challenging targets for residual waste per person (i.e. that not reused, recycled or composted) of 225kg by 2020 this being a reduction of 50% from 2000 levels;

·         the County Council’s waste disposal costs have increased from £36 per tonne in 2001/02 to £61 per tonne in 2006/07, reflecting the increased costs of landfill.  The districts’ and boroughs’ costs range from £35 to £78 per household per annum depending upon performance and other local issues (2006/07 data).

The Panel noted that about two-thirds of landfill waste is biodegradable organic matter and that the decomposition of biodegradable materials within landfill sites results in the production and limited escape of methane, which is a potent greenhouse  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

Work Programme attached.

The Panel went through the work programme as set out in the agenda. In keeping with the imminent split of the Panel in the new year into a Planning Services Standing Panel and a Safer, Cleaner, Greener Standing Panel, the work programme was split into its Environmental side and its Planning side.

Work Programme:

Item 1: Essex County Joint Waste Procurement Process – to go to the new Safer, Cleaner Greener Standing Panel.

Item 2: New Local Development Scheme and East of England Plan – EFDC Response to Final Version – to go to the new Planning Services Standing Panel.

Item 3: Re use of buildings in the Green Belt/Traffic Issues in the Roydon and Nazeing Areas - to go to the new Planning Services Standing Panel.

Item 4: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005  – Implementation of provisions  - to go to the new Safer, Cleaner Greener Standing Panel.

Item 5: Anti Social Behaviour in Car Parks - to go to the new Safer, Cleaner Greener Standing Panel.

Item 6: Parking on Grass Verges/ Parking in Residential Area – to go to the Housing Standing Panel.

Item 7: Nottingham Declaration - to go to the new Safer, Cleaner Greener Standing Panel.

Item 8: ECC Speed Management Plan – to go to the main Overview and Scrutiny Committee directly – any local issues to come out of this to come back to the Safer, Cleaner, Greener Standing Panel.

Item 9: Essex Freight Strategy  - to go to the new Planning Services Standing Panel.

Item 10: Local Better Regulation Office – Draft Strategy 2008 – 2011 – noted that this item was now completed.

The Chairman marked this as the last meeting of this Panel before it was split up into a Safer, Cleaner, Greener Standing Panel and a Planning Services Standing Panel. She thanked all the officers involved in the Panel over the years for their help and advice as well as the numerous outside speakers who came to speak to the Panel. She also thanked all the members that had served on the Panel over the years of its existence.

The Chairman, in turn, was thanked for her fair and firm chairmanship of the Panel over the past few years.