Agenda item

The Waste Service Changes Task Group was established to:

a)    Consider the impact of changes to Household Recycling Centre (HRC) locations and opening times on:

·       Volume of waste received and recycled;

·       Incidences of fly-tipping;

·       Customer experience.

b)    Consider the impact of the introduction of fees for garden waste collection on:

·       Garden waste recycling rates (including food composters);

·       Residual waste volumes;

·       Incidences of fly-tipping.

c)     To monitor the implementation of the Council’s Mobilisation Plans (for lots 2 and 5), preparing for the commencement in August 2017 of new contracts for waste collection and HRCs.

The Committee is asked to endorse the findings and recommendations within the report and to refer them to the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Operational Property and Waste for response.

On 27 October 2015 the Environment Select Committee asked the Waste Task Group to investigate the impact of reduced Household Recycling Centres’ hours and traffic management issues and to investigate the impact of the new green waste collection service particularly in relation to fly-tipping. Evidence was collected by the Task Group as detailed in paragraphs 7-10 of the report.

Councillor Jose Green, Chairman of the Task Group, presented the final report, outlining the key findings and recommendations made by its members. It was emphasised that the council’s Household Recycling Centres were not designed for commercial disposal of waste, and the task group had looked at the effectiveness of the existing centres and policies, and potential impact from service changes such as changes to opening hours and location of sites.

A total of 18 recommendations had been made to the Cabinet Member, including ensuring a minimum of 11 HRCs, to continue to monitor opening times to ensure they cope with demand, to explore the possibility of a redevelopment of the Churchfields depot in Salisbury, improved signage, links with charities and supporting the implementation of the Van Permit Scheme to reduce disposal of commercial waste. 

The Committee discussed the report and its recommendations, noting concerns about the lack of awareness of individual householder responsibility for waste on their properties and waste licensing in general. Mini recycling sites operated at commercial sites were discussed as alternate locations, along with questions on the response times to reporting of asbestos and other materials. It was requested the Cabinet Member update the committee on policies and procedures regarding asbestos collection.

At the conclusion of debate, it was,

Resolved:

To endorse the recommendations of the Task Group to the Cabinet Member:

1.         That the council ensures that a minimum of 11 HRC’s are retained and operational.

2.         To acknowledge that the advantages of reduced opening hours at HRCs include providing time for HRC staff to remove and replace full waste containers.

3.         For the council to monitor the usage of HRC sites in the future in order to determine whether the new opening times are fit for purpose and capable of coping with the demand.

4.         To explore the possibility of funding a redevelopment of the Churchfields depot through the CIL by placing it on the Regulation 123 list; and for consideration to be given to using CIL to fund the development of any new HRCs.

5.         For any future HRC site development or redevelopment to take into account proximity to businesses in order to avoid incurring negative impacts from the HRC site.

6.         To ensure that all signage at HRCs is appropriately chosen to ensure that customers are well guided through the site, and that the number and type of signs at entrances and exits avoids creating “sign blindness”.

7.         To install “percentage recycled” signs at all HRC’s, as demonstrated at Warminster HRC, and to expand the statistics to illustrate the savings achieved as a result of recycling.

8.         To provide relevant HRC workers with high visibility jackets which clearly state that they are able to assist customers with queries.

9.         To support the implementation of the Van Permit Scheme in Wiltshire scheduled for 4^th September to reduce the number of small businesses illegally disposing of commercial waste at Wiltshire HRCs.

10.      To improve current and further links with companies and charities, such as the Repair Academy link with HRCs to improve the recycling of bulky goods which can be repaired or reused.

11.      To promote “bring bank sites” and awareness of the items which they are able to accept to help reduce the demand on HRCs and prevent potential fly-tipping.

12.      To create a communication strategy that raises public awareness of what can and cannot be disposed of and the processes required, as well as ensuring they are aware of the cost and impact of abusing the system.

13.      To continue promotion of the garden waste collection service, with a focus on promotion to those who were previously signed up but have not renewed online using their personal renewal number.

14.      To utilise Area Boards as a form of communication for key information regarding HRC’s, further waste changes, and the promotion of garden waste collection, recycling, and composting.

15.      To support Wiltshire Council’s relations with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in order to promote the benefits and awareness of recycling and composting.

16.      To explore the purchase of further covert camera recording units for the enforcement of fly-tipping.

17.      To promote the installation of signs as a fly-tipping deterrent in relevant areas and hotspots.

18.      For the task group to continue to monitor the implementation of the mobilisation plan for the HRC contract with Hills Waste Management.

And That the executive response from the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, Strategic Housing, Operational Property and Waste be provided at the next meeting of the Environment Select Committee;