Agenda item

To consider and comment on the attached report.

James Warwick, Service Director Contacts, introduced the report and advised the Committee that several operational waste policies had been reviewed to ensure that they were fit  for purpose before the commencement of the new waste collection service with TVS in November 2024.  Amendments were proposed to the exception policy, flats and communal buildings policy, supply of waste & recycling services policy, contamination policy, and container policy The detailed amendments were highlighted and included in the appendices to the report.

The Committee

·         suggested that the documentation could be brought into one document and strengthened in some areas, especially in relation to the policy

·         awareness for recycling in flats mat be beneficial, and were advised that the managing agents were responsible for waste in flats and officers worked them to support and encourage recycling, and that new regulation would support recycling in flats.

·         raised concerns in relation to the amendments that written permission was required for collection vehicle to access on private roads The Committee were advised that if written permission was not given bins would be collected from the highway, the collection of bins on a private road was a concession, private roads were classified as not on the public highway. The amended wording would formalise the policy  and reduce the risk of any insurance claims being made against the Council. If the policy change was adopted awareness and contact with residential committees and managing agents would be made

·         The Committee were advised with the increase in kerbside collection the need for recycling banks had diminished. Recycling banks could attract fly tipping, and often waste materials were placed in them causing contamination.

·         suggested early engagement with developers, and queried if access to private roads for waste collection vehicles could be built in as part of the legal agreement with new developments. Officers advised that the waste service had developed a waste policy guidance for planning, and would offer training to planners, meetings between the services took place and that planning conditions were used to address waste collection

·         the blue bins trial had been well received; this was still in the trail phase as evidence was still being gathered. A member decision would be required to implement a change. A business case would be developed this would be presented at Scrutiny.

·         were advised that from waste analysis up to 33% of waste in residual bins could be food, but there was a low proportion of garden waste, and that regulations detailed l that a charge may be made for clinical waste, this policy wording aligned with the regulations, but there were no plans to charge for this service.

There was agreement that there was a need to encourage and target awareness to increase recycling, and an acknowledgment that the space on the current recycling leaflet restricted information 

The Committee voted for the proposed changes and the Lead officers’ authority to amend the policies in line with the discussion.

Resolved:

The Committee

·         commended the policy changes, in principle, to Cabinet, and 

·         agreed that the Blue Bin roll out should be included in the work programme.