Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing on proposed changes to Household Waste Collections

RESOLVED

(i)         That alternate weekly collections for residual household waste be introduced from Spring 2018 and the estimated financial savings associated with this of approximately £730k per annum compared to the projected budget for 2018/19 be noted.

(ii)        That a rear-loading vehicle fleet be procured to deliver the revised service and the estimated financial saving of approximately £270k per annum compared to the projected budget for 2018/19 be noted.

(iii)       That the changes to the council’s waste policies required to implement the new service as detailed in the report be approved.

(iv)       That the draft implementation timetable be agreed.

(v)        That the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing, be authorised to make necessary arrangements as required.

REASONS

(i)         Legislation requires a reduction in the amount of waste currently going to landfill and an increase in recycling, 50% by 2020. The introduction of AWCs would following assessment from Ricardo encourage additional levels of recycling estimated at 4%; although other councils have observed up to a 9% increase in recycling rates and up to a 16% decrease in residual waste produced. Councils are required to deliver “good quality local services as efficiently as possible within their financial constraints”.  The council must therefore set that requirement against action to mitigate a forecast funding gap of £4.2m in its medium term financial strategy (MTFS).

(ii)        The current ageing waste collection vehicles require replacement.

(iii)       Dispensations will ensure the implementation recognises households which will find AWC more challenging due to receptacle capacity.

(iv)       Agreement to the approach and key milestones to implement both a revised collections methodology and procure a new fleet of refuse vehicles.

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing reported on proposed changes to household waste collections.

The collection of household waste (residual waste and recycling) was one of the highest profile and most highly valued services provided by the Council.  Household waste was defined in Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as waste that originated from private homes and was collected by Waste Collection Authorities (Horsham District Council).  Legislation required the Council to take action to increase the percentage of household waste that was recycled to at least 50% within three years, therefore reducing the proportion of waste disposed at landfill.  This could not be achieved without implementing the recommendations detailed in the report.

In addition, the Council was facing significant financial pressures with a need to find savings to address a £4,200,000 projected budget gap in 2019/20.  This was combined with the loss of a specific Government grant made to the Council to maintain the weekly collection of household refuse which would expire in November 2017.

The District currently had the highest recycling rate of any West Sussex authority and the Council had long taken a forward-looking approach to household waste collection.  In 2008 the Council had taken what was then seen as an innovative move to purchase a fleet of side-loading waste collection vehicles.  Alongside this, the Council also introduced the simple blue and brown lidded collection system for recycling that was much praised by residents.  The side-loading vehicles were now nearing the end of their useful life, becoming expensive to maintain and in need of replacement.

In response to this situation the Council had commissioned Ricardo Energy & Environment Consultants to undertake a full review of the waste collection service.  Their task had been to assess the current provision and advise on the way forward, suggesting how a high-quality service could be maintained and how financial efficiencies could be generated with a particular focus on increasing recycling rates.  Ricardo worked with Members in a series of seminars to develop an agreed vision for the Waste & Recycling Service and concluded that the alternate weekly collection of waste, similar to schemes operated successfully in Chichester and Mid-Sussex District areas and in over 75% of other local authorities across the country, was the recommended service model for this area.

In presenting the report, the Leader advised Cabinet that the proposed new exceptions policy had been amended slightly from that published in the report and would provide additional bin capacity for households meeting at least one of the following criteria:

·        Medical needs

·        Households with five or more permanent residents

·        Households with three or more children in nappies

                   RESOLVED

       (i)      That alternate weekly collections for residual household waste be introduced from Spring 2018 and the estimated financial savings associated with this of approximately £730k per annum compared to the projected budget for 2018/19 be noted.

       (ii)     That a rear-loading vehicle fleet be procured to deliver the revised service and the estimated financial saving of approximately £270k per annum compared to the projected budget for 2018/19 be noted.

       (iii)     That the changes to the council’s waste policies required to implement the new service as detailed in the report be approved, subject to the amendment noted above in respect of the exceptions policy.

                   (iv)    That the draft implementation timetable be agreed.

       (v)     That the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing, be authorised to make necessary arrangements as required.

                   REASONS

       (i)      Legislation requires a reduction in the amount of waste currently going to landfill and an increase in recycling, 50% by 2020. The introduction of AWCs would following assessment from Ricardo encourage additional levels of recycling estimated at 4%; although other councils have observed up to a 9% increase in recycling rates and up to a 16% decrease in residual waste produced. Councils are required to deliver “good quality local services as efficiently as possible within their financial constraints”.  The council must therefore set that requirement against action to mitigate a forecast funding gap of £4.2m in its medium term financial strategy (MTFS).

                   (ii)     The current ageing waste collection vehicles require replacement.

       (iii)     Dispensations will ensure the implementation recognises households which will find AWC more challenging due to receptacle capacity.

       (iv)    Agreement to the approach and key milestones to implement both a revised collections methodology and procure a new fleet of refuse vehicles.