Agenda item

To consider the final report of the Waste Contracts Task Group.

The Committee considered the final report of the Waste Contracts Task Group, which presented the findings and recommendations of the Task Group for endorsement and referral to the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste.

Cllr Sven Hocking, Chairman of the Waste Contracts Task Group introduced the final report of the Task Group. He thanked all those involved in the Task Group, including the Senior Scrutiny Officer, Task Group members, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste, Director of Waste and Environment and officers. He commented on the marketing and communication plan in relation to the changes to household waste collections, introduction of a re-use area at all Wiltshire Household Recycling Centres, communication with residents, the need to market recycling, the steps involved in making prosecution and Fixed Penalty Notices for fly tipping and the Wiltshire App.

Cllr Hocking, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste and the Director of Waste and Environment responded to a number of comments and issues on the following:

·       The Wiltshire App update being part of the digital programme.

·       Fly tipping and the need to seek evidence to enable prosecutions.

·       The need to reconvene the Task Group at a future time to consider waste contracts.

·       Awareness campaign on the type of materials allowed to be recycled.

·       The use of plastics in road building.

The Chairman thanked the Chairman of the Task Group, Cabinet member and officers for attending the meeting and providing responses to the issues raised.

Resolved: To endorse the following recommendations of the Task Group and refer them to the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste for consideration and implementation:

1.      In order to support the delivery of the Business Plan 2017-27 objective(s) of high recycling rates and reducing litter, the Council to:

a.    Regularly communicate the duties and responsibilities of businesses for disposing of their commercial waste, through a variety of means, such as:

                            i.     Leaflet drop-offs to businesses

                          ii.     Social media channels

                         iii.     Parish/Town Council Newsletters

                         iv.     Regularly maintaining and updating the Council’s commercial waste webpages

b.    Create a ‘Commercial Waste Directory’ for Wiltshire, which details which individuals/organisations can collect and recycle commercial waste for Wiltshire’s businesses. This Directory to also be regularly publicised through the above channels listed in I to IV.

c.    For a ‘Re-Use’ section to be introduced at all Wiltshire’s HRCs and, at the HRCs where it already exists, for this section to become operational. This facility to be widely and regularly publicised, so that residents are aware of it and can begin to take advantage of it.

d.    Regularly communicate to residents, as well as town and parish councils the need for and importance of segregating recycling materials, in order to continue to ensure that the quality of Wiltshire’s recyclate remains at a high level. Such communication to be facilitated through the above channels listed in I to IV.

2.    Utilise fixed penalty notices (FPNs) instead of warning letters and report back to the Environment Select Committee after a 12 month period, including the amount of FPNs issued in comparison to warning letters and the effect that this has had on fly-tipping/reducing litter in Wiltshire.

3.    Formulate a public relations campaign which seeks to encourage residents to come forward with evidence and information, if they see waste being fly-tipped.

4.    Amend the MyWiltshire App, so that reporting of fly-tipping/waste incidents becomes a simpler and more user-friendly process.

5.    The Environment Select Committee to reconvene a Waste Contracts Task Group to consider ‘The implementation and performance of the council’s waste contracts for collecting and managing waste and recyclables’ when Lots 1, 3, 4 and 5 become fully operational.

6.    To ask the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste to report further on a public relations campaign seeking evidence of fly tipping.