Agenda item

On 28 October 2014 the Environment Select Committee agreed that communications to householders regarding waste and recycling was a work priority and resolved to reconvene the Waste Task Group to review this area.

The Waste Task Group met on four occasions and, following an update to this Committee in February, the Task Group has drafted its final recommendations.

The Committee is requested to consider the report of the Waste Task Group, endorse its recommendations and refer the item to the Cabinet member for response.

On 28 October 2014 the Environment Select Committee agreed that Communications to householders regarding waste and recycling was a work priority and resolved to reconvene the Waste Task Group to review this area.  The Waste Task Group met on four occasions and, following an update to this Committee in February, the Task Group presented its final recommendations to the Committee.

Cllr Jose Green, the Chairman of the Waste Task Group, thanked Tracy Carter and other officers who had supported the work of the task group. The Councillors introduced the recommendations in the report and highlighted that the task group felt that the recommendation to investigate decals applied to bins was particularly crucial.

The Committee was invited to comment and key points included that change to the opening hours of Household Recycling Centres should be widely communicated and pictorial information to explain recycling was more effective. The Committee was advised that examination of the waste overspend would be conducted by the Financial Planning Task Group and would likely commence in the summer.

Tracy Carter updated that currently 29% of households expected to sign up for the removal of garden waste had done so following a letter sent out, a follow-up leaflet would go out to those who hadn’t responded. It was confirmed that, in the future, the public would be able to pay for the service by direct debit.  Those who hadn’t opted to pay were expected to home-compost or take waste to recycling centres. The hours of the recycling centres were being reduced however they would be open at peak times and one would be open each day of the week in each community area.

It was suggested that the task group continue to examine the impact of changes and the Chairman advised this would continue on the Forward Work Programme however this would not be under the current remit of the task group.

Resolved:

To endorse the following recommendations and refer the report to the Cabinet member for response at the next meeting:

That the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Property and Waste;

1.     Alongside the environmental benefits, considers promoting the financial benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling in council communications about waste and recycling.

2.     Considers illustrating Wiltshire’s recycling performance in an engaging graphic form on the council website and at HRCs.

3.     In terms of kerbside collections, indicates how the following areas will be addressed:

·       Ensuring clarity around which plastics are recyclable and can be placed in the blue-lidded bins to avoid contamination;

·       Ensuring clarity around what recyclables can be placed in the black box;

·       Promotion of the council’s offer of a second blue-lidded bin and black box at no additional charge to residents;

·       Early information that plastics other than bottles will be kerbside recycled from 2017 as part of new waste contract.

4)    Investigates whether decals (stickers) applied to bins are a cost-effective method of communicating waste collection arrangements and good recycling practices.

5)    Indicates how changes to garden waste collection arrangements will be:

·       Effectively communicated to residents; and

·       Used as an opportunity to provide information about alternative options for garden waste, for example, good garden practice, composting, household recycling centres and the safe and legal use of bonfires.

6)    Considers increasing communications around successful prosecutions for fly-tipping.

7)    Indicates how changes to HRC opening hours, their locations and opening hours will be widely communicated to avoid:

·       inconveniencing customers;

·       reducing overall recycling rates; and

·       increasing incidences of fly-tipping.

8)    Provides further details of the recycling promotion work currently undertaken by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust under the joint venture agreement with the council and the implications for recycling of the Trust’s business plan review.

9)    Provides any further details of the initiative being run by Westbury Area Board to develop a toolkit for recycling and composting and how other area boards might be supported to take forward similar initiatives and increase local recycling rates.

10)Notes the task group’s comments on the waste and recycling pages of the council website and the improvements being made in the redesign.