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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Kennet Committee Room

Contact: Leo Penry  Email: Leonora.Penry@wiltshire.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

107.

Apologies

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllr Derek Walters, Cllr Ian McLennan, Cllr Bob Jones, Cllr Rich Rogers and Cllr Nick Murry. Cllr Jones arranged for Cllr Stewart Palmen to attend as a substitute.

 

The Chair reminded committee members that if they cannot attend a meeting then they should be arranging a substitute where possible.

108.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

To approve and sign the minutes of the Environment  Select Committee meeting held on 14 June 2022.

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

The minutes of the Environment Select Committee meeting held on 14th June 2022 were approved and signed.

109.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

 

Minutes:

In the interest of openness Cllr Iain Wallis declared that he was an employee of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which related to item six, although he was in no way involved in waste management.

110.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

Minutes:

Recent meetings

Since the last select committee meeting on 8 March, the Chair had attended:

 

·       Cabinet 21 June and 12 July

·       Financial Planning Task Group 8 July

 

The Chair received briefings on the following:

 

·       Future Chippenham 8 July

·       Enhanced Highways maintenance 11 July

111.

Public Participation

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

 

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

 

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

 

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 6 July 2022 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on8 July 2022. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

 

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

112.

Waste Management Strategy: Annual Review

The Environment Select Committee has regularly received updates on the Household Waste Management Strategy. The Committee will consider a progress report for 2021/22.

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Sarah Valdus, Assistant Director Environment, to the Council and to her first Environment Select Committee.

 

The Cabinet Member Transport Waste Street Scene and Flooding, Councillor Dr Mark McClelland, introduced the report. He outlined that it had been a difficult year with the strikes and labour shortages but emphasized that officers were working with Hills to ensure that they deliver. Head of Service Waste Management, Martin Litherland, provided more detail on the impacts of the pandemic, the financial implications of a deposit return scheme and funding opportunities from extended producer accountability. In addition, Assistant Director Environment, Sarah Valdus, reassured the committee that 90% of the plastic that Wiltshire Council collects is recycled in the UK.

 

Officers responded to a number of questions and comments from the Select Committee which included the following areas:

 

·       Separate food waste collection. It was clarified that this was being investigated, but it was highlighted that currently food waste in Wiltshire does not go to landfill, it goes to energy production.

·       Wiltshire Council still subsidises Green Johanna Hot Composters to allow people to manage their food waste at home.

·       A recycling plant for Wiltshire to manage plastic waste was being approached with caution to ensure that the best approach is adopted.

·       Low position in recycling league tables for local authorities and the reasons for this.

·       Public engagement and education process to prevent misuse of recycling bins has taken the form of work with community groups and increasing the information available on the website. The results of a waste composition analysis were expected soon which would allow for more targeted communications. 

·       That it would be useful to benchmark against similar local authorities.

·       Work was being done to look at changes to the service and contract renewals to follow the instructive timetable outlined by the Environment Act 2021.

·       There had been a 21% reduction in reported fly tipping incidents, though the cabinet member expressed an interest in collecting more data on that going forward.

·       The removal of waste from the system for reuse. Officers explained that this was easier for household recycling centres, in comparison to kerbside collection where it was harder to keep items in good condition.

·       The potential for incentives to encourage businesses to offer refill schemes.

·       The feasibility report into energy from waste from small scale waste plants was not actively progressing at the time.

 

The Committee thanked officers for their report.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Committee,

 

1.    Notes the Household Waste Management Strategy update.

 

2.    Receives a further short update on progress with resolving the current issues facing the kerbside collection service at its next meeting (Sept 2022).

 

3.    Agrees to receive an annual update in 12 months’ time,

 

4.    The annual update should include benchmarking information with comparator local authorities and individual milestones within the action plan.

113.

Retrofitting of energy improvement works of current council housing

A report providing a summary of the first year of the Housing energy efficiency programme (HEEP). HEEP is a 10 year programme to retrofit the Council’s housing stock so as to achieve an average EPC B rating.

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, MCI, Economic Development, Heritage, Arts, Tourism and Health & Wellbeing, Cllr Richard Clewer, outlined the programme emphasising that the programme would start slowly then accelerate as it goes on. Then the Head of Strategic Assets & FM, Nick Darbyshire, delivered a presentation on the retrofitting programme.

 

Officers responded to a number of questions and comments from the Select Committee which included the following areas:

 

·       The potential to use microwave boilers. It was confirmed that all avenues were being explored.

·       Education on ventilation to help prevent mould and damp.

·       Development of in-house capability to retrofit homes, with the current focus on ventilation and insulation.

·       The ability to work around any supply chain hold ups.

·       Retrofitting standards and ensuring the in-house team is upskilled to work to those standards.

·       The difficulty of retrofitting listed buildings.

·       Supporting early adopters of retrofitting within the general public. 

 

The Committee thanked the officers for their presentation.

 

Resolved:

 

That the select committee:

 

1.    Notes and welcomes the progress made in implementing the housing energy efficiency programme (HEEP).

 

2.    Is invited to inspect one of the retrofitted properties at a future convenient date.

114.

Construction of zero carbon homes

This report provides an update to the Environment Select Committee on the progress of the Zero Carbon homes affordable housing programme.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Clewer and Director Assets & Commercial Development, Simon Hendey, outlined the need to provide the best quality Zero carbon housing for the people of Wiltshire.

 

Residential Development Manager, Laura Young, delivered a presentation on this and highlighted the aim to use as local a provider as possible, for example Dorset.

 

Officers responded to a number of questions and comments from the Select Committee which included the following areas:

 

·       All of the zero carbon homes in Wiltshire would have solar panels and solar tiles were also being considered.

·       Accessibility to the rural community, as bridges could cause an issue. However, it comes with the same guarantees as traditional housing.

·       The life expectancy of the portable units was 60 years, although expected to be closer to 100. They would be permanent structures and have to be accredited through BOPAS.

·       The difference in carbon emissions between the modular builds and traditional builds. This information was not available yet however in terms of comparing volume of waste produced in the building process, this would be much less for the modular homes.

·       The project is running on schedule, they are just waiting for planning permission. 

 

 

Resolved:

 

That the select committee:

 

1.    Notes and welcomes the progress to date.

 

2.    Notes the future programme and the commitment to delivering carbon zero homes.

115.

Updates from task groups and representatives on programme boards

To receive any updates on recent activity for active task groups and from members of the Environment Select Committee who have been appointed as overview and scrutiny representatives on programme boards.

 

The Select Committee will revieve a update from the Climate Emergency task group at its next meeting.

116.

Forward Work Programme

To note and receive updates on the progress of items on the forward work programme.

 

Under the revised Overview and Scrutiny (OS) arrangements there is now a single OS work programme controlled by the OS Management Committee, linked to priorities in the Business Plan.

 

Therefore it should be noted that, whilst any matters added by Members are welcome, they will be referred to the OS Management Committee for approval before formal inclusion in the work programme for the Environment Select Committee.

 

A copy of the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme for the Environment Select Committee is attached for reference.

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

1.    To approve the Forward Work Programme, subject to any additional items agreed by Committee at today’s meeting

117.

Urgent Items

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

118.

Date of Next Meeting

To confirm the date of the next scheduled meeting as 13 September 2022.

Minutes:

The next meeting is on13 September 2022 at 2pm.