Agenda item

a)    To receive the report of the Waste Task Group and consider its recommendations;

b)    To receive an update on the development of the Waste Contract.

On 30 August 2012, the Environment Select Committee established the Waste Task Group to consider the future options for the delivery of the waste services.  This was endorsed by the Overview and Scrutiny Management on 6 September 2012. The Committee had determined to receive a report from the Task Group to pass on recommendations to any future Environment Select Committee following the May 2013 Local Elections, as well an update from the Waste Service.

Councillor Alan Hill presented the report of the Waste Task Group to the Committee, stating that the Task Group had met on four occasions since inception, and thanked the Task Group members for their efforts.

Councillor Hill detailed the investigatory work of the Task Group regarding the forthcoming waste contract terminations in the next several years, and efforts to identify opportunities to scrutinize Waste Service delivery as this progressed, with officers keen for further Scrutiny involvement in what is a very publicly visible and popular service. Councillor Hill praised the leadership of officers in assisting the Task Group.

Councillor Hill stressed the recommendations of the Task Group to a future Committee were a potential selection of issues from which deeper scrutiny exercises could be conducted, should that Committee determine to do so.

The Service Director (Waste Management Services) and the Cabinet Member for Waste, Property, Environment and Development Control Services then updated the Committee on early preparations for future Waste contracts, including consultations with contractors, with business cases for options to be prepared for June 2013.

The Committee then debated the Task Group Report and update from the Service Director (Waste Management Services). Details were sought on increasing the range of plastics recycling, and it was stated that any increase would need to be financially viable. It was also confirmed that due to the phased rollout of the new Green Waste service, there was not currently 12 months of data to examine for the whole service. The Committee were informed officers were happy to report back regarding the commissioning process for the Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant in Westbury.

At the conclusion of debate,

Resolved:

That the Committee thank the Task Group for their report and make the following recommendations:

1)    That the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee agree to the Environment Select Committee within the newly-elected Wiltshire Council establishing a Waste Task Group for 18 months to action the recommendations below.

2)    The Waste Task Group should seek assurance that the Waste Management Services team has sought and considered advice from independent advisors regarding waste management strategy; in particular, to review the performance of the current contractor in managing Wiltshire’s waste and identifying potential improvement areas.

3)    The Waste Task Group should seek assurance that the Waste Management Services team has taken the proximity principle into account in the development of its waste strategy.  The Task Group believes that the creation of the site at Porte Marsh Industrial Estate in Calne has demonstrated good practice in materials recycling, embracing the proximity principle, and forms a good template for similar facilities to be considered in other Wiltshire communities.

4)    The Council reviews its terminology to reflect the concept of waste being a resource.

5)    The Waste Task Group should seek assurance that the Council reflects the recent trend for shorter contracts in waste management, to ensure that the Council benefits more than under the current long-term contracts and to retain flexibility. 

6)    The Waste Task Group should seek assurance that no opportunities for the encouragement of green technology are lost.

7)    The Task Group should consider the lines of enquiry identified in Appendix 1 of the report, along with others it may indentify, to ensure that it is fully informed in respect of the future delivery of the waste and recycling collection services.