Horsham District Council : Agenda item - Domestic Food Waste Weekly Collections

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, Recycling & Waste

RESOLVED

i) To approve the introduction of a weekly domestic food waste service before 31 March 2026 to all residents in Horsham District.

ii) To approve the collection frequencies, as follows:

• Residual Waste: fortnightly

• Dry Mixed Recycling: fortnightly

• Garden Waste: fortnightly

• Food waste: weekly

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

iii) That capital expenditure of up to £2,617,000 required to purchase the vehicles (to include in cab technology and CCTV), caddies and bins, is approved. This will be spent across 2024/25 and 2025/26 and profiled into the capital programme in the relevant year by the Director of Resources when the lead times for each capital items are known.

iv) That revenue expenditure of £25,000 in 2024/25 for route planning required for the transition to weekly food waste collection is approved.

REASON

i) The Environment Act 2021 set into legislation various requirements for local councils and specifically mandated for all waste collection authorities (WCAs) in England to provide a weekly collection of food waste from households. On 21 October 2023, Government announced ‘Simpler Recycling’ waste reforms which stated the new requirement must be provided by 31 March 2026.

ii) ii) The roll out of weekly food waste collections encompasses a number of projects as detailed in the report, which will all feed into achieving the delivery of the service by 31 March 2026.

iii) Full Council must approve capital and revenue expenditure.

Councillor Jay Mercer, Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, Waste and Recycling introduced the report on the Domestic Food Waste Weekly Collections. Following the Government’s Simpler Recycling announcement, the report set out the implications and processes for introducing a weekly food waste collection to all Horsham residents, including flats by March 2026.

A number of projects were required to introduce these collections which would include, vehicle and caddy procurement, vehicle storage, routing of rounds, communication and recruitment.

He explained that Members forums had taken place in February, and it had been accepted that fortnightly residual waste collections would be retained, however three weekly collections could be considered in the future if legislation changes.

The Government were due to release capital funding of £1,486,271 by 31 March 2024, however the funding provided would be nearly £1.2m short of the capital costs required. Additional revenue funding will be released during 2024/25 however current figures were unknown.

Councillor Collette Blackburn, Cabinet Member for Climate, Action and Nature Recovery was fully supportive of the proposals. It was felt that the scheme would be well received by residents, and that the community would be committed to combating unnecessary waste.

Councillor Ruth Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Local Economy & Place acknowledged the positive work undertaken by the consultants, however expressed disappointment in the restrictions and information received from Government. It was hoped that this would improve in the future.

In response to comments raised regarding the readiness of the Mechanical Biological and Treatment Plant (MBT) to process the additional food waste, the Cabinet Member gave assurances that the Head of Recycling & Waste met regularly with the MBT and any concerns will be addressed and collective action taken.

Further discussion included the requirement for further route planning, information on caddy collection and processing and joint working with West Sussex County Council at the Depot.