Decision details

Matter for Decision

 

The Single Shared Waste Service (SSWS) between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire DC (SCDC) was designed to facilitate financial savings, greater innovation, increased recycling performance and lower landfill. The report outlined performance and policy measures that would be taken in the current year to contribute to delivering on those objectives.

 

A further report would be brought for Members’ decision in January 2017 relating to the commissioning of a harmonised vehicle fleet operating for both councils.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste

 

       i.          Approved aggregation of recycling and waste performance with South Cambridgeshire DC for official reporting to the Government’s national Waste Data Flow system.

 

     ii.          Authorised improvements in the Council’s policies to make recycling even easier for residents, and discourage landfill waste, as follows: -

 

A.   Permit residents to put out reasonable amounts of recyclates for collection next to the recycling bin if it is already full, and put in place arrangements and communicate with residents to allow implementation from 3 October 2016.

 

B.   Explore opportunities within existing budgets to assist residents in reducing landfill waste, and increasing recycling, particularly packaging, food/organics, textiles and real Christmas trees.

 

C.   Households of at least six people, or at least two children of nappy age, may qualify on application (and subject to ongoing qualification) for an additional residual waste bin of 140 litre capacity with a red lid. Existing 240 litre additional residual waste bins with red lids will be surveyed to establish continuing qualification and, if approved, be replaced with 140 litre bins in due course.

 

D.   Remove administration charges for additional residual waste bins on the basis that only households that qualify may receive an additional bin (at no charge).

 

E.   Remove the charges to residents for the replacement of damaged residual waste bins (black bins) thus ensuring there are no charges for damaged bins for recycling, green waste or residual services.

 

F.    Remove the need for residents to secure Police Incident Numbers (PINs) in relation to stolen bins, and remove the charges to residents for stolen residual waste bins (black bins).

 

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 Waste Resources which was presented by the Interim Strategic Director.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Suggested that merging the performance figures for recycling could mask poor performance of some areas.

     ii.          Welcomed the direction of travel but expressed concerns that detailed city data would be missing.

   iii.          Suggested that targeted approaches to recycling needed detailed data to produce results.

   iv.          Expressed concerns about side waste in narrow city streets.

    v.          Suggested that there was not enough information on how the side waste collection service worked in South Cambs.

   vi.          Suggested that residents would need to be educated regarding the correct use of the side waste service.

 vii.          Requested into detailed data collection rates so that the service could be data driven. The Interim Strategic Director undertook to look into this outside the meeting.

 

The Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste stated the following in response to Members’ questions:

 

       i.          The phase of route optimisation would produce savings.

     ii.          Suggested that other factors impacted on differences in recycling rates between Cambridge and South Cambs residents. For example: South Cambs gardens were likely to be bigger resulting in higher rates of green waste. However, in environmental terms it was better if green waste was composed by householders themselves.

 

Councillor Bick suggested that additional wording be added to recommendation 2.2 A. regarding reviewing the side waste arrangements in a year’s time.

 

The Executive Councillor stated that an additional recommendation was not advisable at this stage as this was a cross authority decision. Additional recommendations would cause delays. He further suggested that this could be delivered without it being part of the recommendations. However, he suggested that a two year timeframe would be more appropriate.

 

The Committee resolved by 4 votes to 0 to endorse the recommendation.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.