Issue - meetings

The Head of Waste, Recycling, Street Scene & Fleet Services explained that the first phase of revised waste collection from isolated properties agreed by Cabinet had been successful. A second phase was needed to account for a further 200 properties in preparation for alternate weekly collection and new refuse vehicles. The phased approach was designed to account for a total of 686 properties. The approach to isolated properties would achieve a saving of around £80,000 and the small vehicle fleet would consequently be reduced.

Members commented as follows:

·         That the needs of elderly residents affected needed to be assessed and addressed

·         Whether a list of the wards affected could be circulated

Officers explained

·         That an exceptions policy was in place for those residents that needed it, and that attention would be drawn to the policy

·         That a list of the wards affected had been circulated for phase one and would be for phase two

·         That relative uniformity of collections was efficient and reasonable

Members generally supported the proposal, subject to understanding the effectiveness of the exceptions policy over time.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling on a review of the collection points for restricted access properties

            RESOLVED

            That the revised collection points for properties serviced by small capacity vehicles that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks, difficult access or secure property entry systems be agreed.

            REASON

            The Council spends approximately £40,000 per annum repairing damage to vehicles sustained travelling down unmade access tracks that landowners do not maintain to a suitable standard.  This results in vehicles being off the road and presents service delivery challenges.  In addition, third party claims are made against the Council for damage to property (grassed lawns, paving damage, trees etc) due to restricted access and manoeuvring arrangements.  Many private driveways (including those with secure property entrance systems) require vehicles to be reversed on to the highway which puts staff at risk.  Collection from secured properties can often add several minutes wait time on the highway for gates to be opened/permissions given to enter a property which is inefficient and increases disproportionately the cost of waste collection at these properties.

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing advised Cabinet that the Council provided waste and recycling collections to approximately 127 properties across the District that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks or had secure property entrance systems (e.g. electric gates and intercoms).  Council vehicles sustained significant damage when accessing such properties and the cost of providing waste collections to these properties was also much greater due to the loss of productivity time, challenging and often dangerous vehicle manoeuvres on to the highway and the high risk of damage to private property.  When the Council’s small capacity vehicles sustained damage it was difficult to source temporary replacement hire vehicles, which caused service disruption and inconvenience to customers.

Eighty-eight properties with unmade tracks or poorly surfaced driveways which had or could cause potential damage to vehicles or presented a hazard to collection crews undertaking delivery of the service and a further 39 properties with secure property entrance systems had been identified.

In order to improve crew safety, reduce damage to waste collection vehicles, eliminate damage to third party property and improve service efficiency, it was proposed to write to the owners of the properties identified and either inform them of new collection points at the highway or give them 28 days’ notice to undertake driveway/access improvements.  The Council would continue to provide assisted collections for those residents who met the relevant criteria.

Whilst the number of properties affected by these proposals was currently 127, this would need to be kept under review as driveways could deteriorate and more properties were adding secure access systems.

The Waste, Recycling and Cleansing Policy Development and Advisory Group supported the proposal.

Cabinet discussed the issue of poorly maintained private roads which could also potentially cause damage to vehicles and agreed that this should be investigated.

            RESOLVED

            That the revised collection points for properties serviced by small capacity vehicles that were accessed by poorly maintained driveways, unmade tracks, difficult access or secure property entry systems be agreed.

            REASON

            The Council spends approximately £40,000 per annum repairing damage to vehicles sustained travelling down unmade access tracks that landowners do not maintain to a suitable standard.  This results in vehicles being off the road and presents service delivery challenges.  In addition, third party claims are made against the Council for damage to property (grassed lawns, paving damage, trees etc) due to restricted access and manoeuvring arrangements.  Many private driveways (including those with secure property entrance systems) require vehicles to be reversed on to the highway which puts staff at risk.  Collection from secured properties can often add several minutes wait time on the highway for gates to be opened/permissions given to enter a property which is inefficient and increases disproportionately the cost of waste collection at these properties.