Agenda item
Waste Strategy Update (Decision: 110535)
Minutes:
Councillor Watkins introduced
the report and stated that the strategy had been developed by the
cross-party Waste Management Working Group (WMWG) which included
Councillor Fletcher as Chair; Councillor Byrne as Vice-Chair;
Councillor Muldowney; Councillor Ralph; Councillor Smith and
Councillor Van Day. He thanked those Members for their eighteen
months of hard work and delivery of the strategy. He stated that
the Waste Strategy had seen continued focus from opposition groups,
but the report had been through the cross-party Cleaner, Greener,
Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the WMWG.
Councillor Watkins explained that since 2014 recycling rates across
the borough had been decreasing, and had decreased further since
the start of the pandemic. He felt that the proposed Waste Strategy
would help to increase recycling rates across the borough, and had
been through a period of consultation, as well as communications
via leaflet drops and a social housing pilot. He stated that the
consultation had already helped to promote recycling across the
borough, and this would be supported by the new waste contracts as
the Council worked with the waste team to improve recycling, and
reach the government target of 50% recycled waste by 2025. He
stated that the WMWG had undertaken lots of detailed work including
regular meetings, site visits, and had spent £30,000 on
consultation. He explained that the WMWG had chosen option 2A,
which Cabinet were being asked to endorse, and this involved a move
to weekly recycling collections; bi-weekly refuse collections; and
weekly food waste collections. He stated that the current recycling
rate in Thurrock was only 33.86%, but this could rise to 54% with
the introduction of the new measures. Councillor Watkins explained
that as the recycling bin should be the fullest every week,
accounting for roughly 64% of all rubbish; this would continue to
be emptied on a weekly basis. He added that if any further
collection changes were proposed then they would go through the
WMWG, and the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny
Committee, before coming before Cabinet for approval.
Councillor Watkins then moved onto explain the affect the proposals
would have on the workforce and explained that if there were any
decreases in the number of waste staff, this would go through a
process of rigorous consultation, but that the current plan was to
freeze recruitment on the thirteen vacant posts. He stated that the
proposed Waste Strategy had no immediate effect on the number of
waste staff, and described how more staff might be needed in future
due to housing development across the borough potentially leading
to the introduction of new waste routes. He explained the changes
that had been undertaken since the October Cabinet meeting, and
stated that the Waste Strategy remained the same, but questions had
been answered in more detail and had been shared with Cabinet
Members.
Councillor Watkins explained that the Waste Strategy, if agreed,
would begin an eighteen month implementation period, and research
undertaken by the WMWG showed that the implementation stage was
very important to the success of recycling rates, and could lead to
a wholesale recycling change across the borough. He felt that the
majority of measures Thurrock Council had put in place up until now
had had little or no impact on recycling rates, but that other
Councils who had moved to a system similar to option 2A had seen
recycling rates increase to approximately 60%.
Councillor Watkins described how residents would be informed of the
changes to their collection, and £120,000 would be invested
in these communications, which were outlined on page 51 of the
agenda. He stated that the communications around the strategy would
be ongoing, but if there were any changes in the policy, these
would go before the WMWG and Cleaner, Greener and Safer Overview
and Scrutiny Committee. He stated that option 2B involved a charge
for garden waste, but cross-party Members agreed that option 2A was
better for residents and were therefore not proposing this new
charge. He again stated that if there were any proposals involving
2B, these would go before the scrutiny committee.
Councillor Watkins summarised and stated that this strategy had
been undertaken for the right reasons and all three parties had
worked on this to ensure recycling rates improved across the
borough and hoped they could continue to work together during the
implementation stage. Councillor Watkins read out the
recommendations being put to Cabinet and asked that recommendation
6c be removed as consultation had already been undertaken in early
2020 and £120,000 had been earmarked for the first year
communications plan, with any problems going before the WMWG.
Councillor Watkins instead proposed recommendation 7 which read
“subject to the approval of 2A, which was agreed from the
cross-party working group in recommendation 1.2, this Council
commits to launching a borough-wide communications strategy to go
forward to the Waste Management Working Group to demonstrate how
£120,000 will be spent in the run up to the 2022
implementation” He thanked the staff and the WMWG for their
commitment to recycling, and hard work even throughout the
pandemic.
Councillor Halden thanked Councillor Watkins for his report and
felt proud of the work that the cross-party WMWG had achieved. He
stated that the proposed option research showed other Councils had
adopted this strategy and improved recycling rates to over 50%. He
added that there were also fringe tax-payer benefits to this scheme
as the Council would receive fines if recycling targets were not
met within the government deadline. He felt pleased that there had
been cross-party support for the strategy, and felt glad to see
that all parties were working together for the benefit of
residents. He commented that he also felt pleased to see the
communications strategy would include advice for people who needed
to dispose of medical waste, and again thanked Councillor Watkins
and his team for the report.
Councillor Hebb also thanked the WMWG for their collaboration shown
on the strategy, and the conclusions they had reached. He stated
that the world view on recycling was changing as manufacturers
reduced the number of single-use plastics being used in packaging,
which formed part of a global shift towards increased awareness of
recycling. He thanked the waste team for their dedication to the
job, as they were out in all weathers, and stated that the Council
would work with them as the project moved towards implementation.
Councillor Watkins added that these changes would affect all
residents and stated that the team would work to answer any
questions that residents might have on the scheme. He added that he
hoped the recommendation would be agreed that would allow the WMWG
to continue their good work.
The Leader thanked the WMWG for their work on the strategy and felt
that there was an increasing national trend to move towards
bi-weekly refuse collection and weekly recycling collection, and
felt it had been proven to work elsewhere. He thanked Councillor
Byrne for his idea regarding the reduction of single-use plastics
and stated that services were already starting to implement this
reduction across the Council. Councillor Maney asked if data
regarding recycling at ward level could be found, as he felt
recycling rates would vary dramatically across the borough. He felt
that the recycling communications would need to be focussed, so
areas with lower recycling rates could be targeted. The Leader
agreed with this statement, and added that recycling in flats was
particularly difficult, so this should be an area of focus. He
stated that this would be fed through the scrutiny committee and
the Director of Environment, Highways and Counter Fraud to see if
this approach was possible.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Agreed the new Waste Strategy, noting
the input of the Waste Cross Party Working Group.
2. Reviewed the options relating to potential changes in the Waste
Collection Service as proposed by the Cleaner, Greener and Safer
Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and agreed option 2A from the
table in 2.3.7 of this report.
3. Engaged with the Cleaner, Greener and Safer Overview and
Scrutiny Committee to consider a charge for garden waste service
with a view that any recommendation be subject to a future report
to Cabinet.
4. Delegated authority for the re-procurement and/or extension of
the Waste Disposal contracts to the Corporate Director of Finance,
Governance and Property and the Director of Environment, Highways
and Counter-Fraud, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Environment, Sports and Leisure.
5. Delegated authority for the procurement of waste containers,
collection vehicles and communication materials to facilitate the
change in collection to the Corporate Director of Finance,
Governance and Property and the Director of Environment, Highways
and Counter Fraud, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Environment, Sports and Leisure.
6. Considered and agreed the recommendations of the Cleaner,
Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee:
6a. That the Cross Party Working Group continue to have a role in
reviewing the progress of the implementation of the Waste
Strategy.
6b. That Thurrock Council lead by
example and act to reduce and where possible eliminate single use
plastics.
7. Subject to the approval of 2A,
which was agreed from the cross-party working group in
recommendation 2, this Council commits to launching a borough-wide
communications strategy to go forward to the Waste Management
Working Group to demonstrate how £120,000 will be spent in
the run up to the 2022 implementation.
Reason for decision: as outlined in the
report
This decision is subject to
call-in
Supporting documents: