Decision details

Matter for Decision:  

The Officer’s report sumarised the position relating to Cambridge City Council’s past and present recycling performance compared to similar authorities within the council’s Nearest Neighbour Group.

 

The Officer’s report set out recommended ways forward for the short term, plus suggested initiatives that needed further information and investigation for the longer term. The report also proposed that further work was needed to establish why some residents were not recycling, which recyclable materials were being put into black bins, and what new initiatives would offer increased recycling rates in the most cost effective way to provide carbon savings and improved customer satisfaction.

 

Recycling continued to be a Council priority for environmental, legal and financial reasons.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Environmental and Waste Services:

(i) Agreed:

·        That a Waste Compositional Analysis be carried out with sampling taking place in spring/summer and autumn/winter.

·        That participation monitoring work be carried out.

·        That a residents survey be carried out to establish who recycles, why residents recycle and what would help residents to recycle more.

 

(ii) Agreed that officers would prepare an action plan to increase the recycling rate to 50-55% by 2015/16, based on information gathered from section 2.1 of the Officer’s report (with an average target increase of 2% per year).

 

(iii) Agreed the proposed refinements to the existing service listed in section 3.29 of the Officer’s report.

 

(iv) Agreed to rule out compulsory recycling at an early stage due to its ineffectiveness.

 

(v) Agreed to reject use of funds recently announced by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the purpose of black bin collection in Cambridge, which was designed to bribe councils into bringing back black bin collections, which could have a damaging impact on recycling rates.

 

(vi) Agreed to bring forward budget proposals in the next budget round to fund a targeted communication campaign designed to raise recycling rates amongst demographic groups less likely to recycle, such as short-term residents and those living in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

 

Reason for the Decision:

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected:

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

The committee received a report from the Head of Refuse & Environment regarding options for increasing recycling in the City beyond the 45% recycling rate.

 

The committee made the following comments in response to the report.

 

(i) Proposed that it was better to offer incentives rather than impose compulsory measures to encourage recycling.

 

(ii) The law allowed for compulsion to undertake recycling but the Executive Councillor expressed a desire to avoid taking punitive measures.

 

In response to Member’s questions the Head of Refuse & Environment and Waste Strategy Manager confirmed the following:

 

(i) Officers worked in conjunction with residents to encourage recycling rates through education. For example, using Cambridge Matters to provide information on refuse/recycling services. Hard to reach groups were approached through measures such as a door knocking campaign.

 

(ii) The Recycling Plan was developed to enable individuals to increase their recycling rate. Appendix A of the Officer’s report set out recycling services in addition to blue bin collections. Figures on recycling rates were being obtained at the time of the committee meeting. There would be no charge if residents requested additional blue/green bins, but officers would seek to clarify where these would be stored in order to avoid street clutter.

 

(iii) There were no financial implications in the current year as a result of the Officer’s report. Any budget proposals for 2012/13 and beyond would be considered during the forthcoming budget cycle. If Members agreed to the report recommendations, Officers would work them up in more detail with the Executive Councillor as any subsequent work would require a bid to be approved by Members.

 

(iv) The Recycling Champions scheme was successful with circa 75 volunteers in place to date across the City to promote recycling. No other Cambridgeshire Authority had such an uptake rate. City Rangers could provide advice and assistance in future in addition to that offered by Recycling Champions.

 

Labour Councilors requested a change to the recommendations. Councillor Owers formally proposed to add the following recommendations from the Officer’s report:

·        (New 2.4) To agree to rule out compulsory recycling at an early stage due to its ineffectiveness.

 

The committee approved this additional recommendation by 8 votes to 1.

 

·        (New 2.5) To agree to reject use of funds recently announced by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the purpose of black bin collection in Cambridge, which was designed to bribe councils into bringing back black bin collections, which could have a damaging impact on recycling rates.

 

The committee approved this additional recommendation unanimously.

 

·        (New 2.6) To agree to bring forward budget proposals in the next budget round to fund a targeted communication campaign designed to raise recycling rates amongst demographic groups less likely to recycle, such as short-term residents and those living in HMOs.

 

The committee approved this additional recommendation by 7 votes to 1.

 

The committee resolved unanimously to adopt the recommendations as amended.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)

Not applicable.