Agenda item

Report of the Director of Finance & Transformation / Section 151 Officer

The Council gave consideration to the report as set out on pages 60-69 of the agenda, which asked it to approve a change to the receptacle used to collect kerbside recycling from co-mingled bags to co-mingled wheelie bins as soon as practicably possible with an estimated go-live date of 01 July 2018, to note the advantages of early adoption of such a scheme and to note the progress of the refuse and recycling project.

The Director of Finance and Transformation  introduced the report and drew the attention of Members to the fact that the proposal was solely concerned with changing the receptacle for recycling collections, and approval of the proposal would not alter the scheduling or the frequency of the current refuse or recycling collection service for residents.

The majority of Members acknowledged that in light of the financial and operational challenges associated with continued co-mingled plastic bag collections, the proposal to change to co-mingled wheeled bin collections represented a common sense, efficient and environmentally preferable alternative. There was general acceptance that this change would not only help to achieve cost savings and reduce current health and safety risks, but also drastically reverse the substantial increase in the amount of plastic waste currently generated by bagged collections.

Whilst the proposal was generally supported, one Member raised concerns about the validity of the evidence contained within the report and suggested that the financial information underpinning the proposal had been exaggerated in order to force Members into a rushed decision only a matter of weeks after the current system of clear plastic bag collections had commenced. The legality of the County Council Direction Notice was also called into question on the basis that the Borough Council had not formally agreed to its terms.

The Director of Finance and Transformation confirmed that the evidence presented in the report was based on factual information collected from a range of sources, and that whilst not the intention to unduly rush Members into a decision, it made operational and financial sense to progress the project as quickly as possible to avoid unbudgeted costs and a significant increase in the amount of plastic waste produced. In terms of the County Council Direction Notice, it was advised that as the County Council had formally agreed to serve the Direction Notice, the consent of District/Borough Councils was not required and as such it would have come into force regardless of any objection lodged.

It was moved by Councillor L A Bentley, seconded by Councillor Mrs L M Broadley and

RESOLVED THAT:

(i)       The change to the receptacle used to collect kerbside recycling from co-mingled bags to co-mingled wheelie bins be approved and implemented as soon as practicable, with an estimated go-live date of 01 July 2018;

(ii)     The advantages of the early adoption of recycling bins set out at paragraph 4.10 of the report be noted by Members; and

(iii)   The progress of the refuse and recycling project, and the progress made by the Council to be ahead of the anticipated end date of Stage 1 of the project be noted by Members.

Votes For                  22

Votes Against          0

Abstentions             1