Issue - meetings

This report considers the practical application of the existing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on re-use credits considering both the opportunities and obstacles for the scheme successfully contributing to the Waste Strategy for York. 

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)         Note the report and the current facilities in York.

(ii)        Support the options detailed in paragraphs 28 and 29 of the report.

(iii)       Agree to receive an update report at a future meeting.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member of the current opportunities to re-use and to support the Government’s objectives to make greater use of “third sector” expertise in waste management and to capitalise on the multiple benefits (Social, Economic and Environmental) it can bring to communities.

Members received a report seeking consideration of the practical application of the existing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on re-use credits considering both the opportunities and obstacles for the scheme successfully contributing to the Waste Strategy for York.

The report presented the following options for consideration:

(a)       The Executive Member notes the contents of the report.

(b)       The Executive Member continues to support the “third sector” reuse organisations who increasingly need to find sources of sustainable material, thus contributing to the achievements of the local waste strategy.

(c)        The Executive Member receives reports on specific organisations who both contribute to the local waste strategy, but also provide a wider society benefit by providing employment, training and volunteering opportunities to the vulnerable or socially excluded people of the City.

Further to the information contained within the report, the Assistant Director (Environmental Services) updated Members on current initiatives. He reported that in respect of the Choose2Reuse campaign, the Green Santa event would take place again this year to encourage people to donate unwanted presents to charity shops with the event coming to York sometime between the 6^th and 16^th January 2009 and based in Parliament Street. He also advised Members that the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership were organising an event at the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Harrogate on 10^th December to intercept all items coming onto the site which could be reused/sent to a charity shop and explained that this would be good research to consider a similar event at York’s sites.

Councillor Taylor, who had requested the report, questioned whether the Household Waste Recycling Centres could work more closely with the Furniture Reuse Organisation and whether the Council could allow “totting” (removing materials from skips). He stated that although it was useful to know the current position in terms of re-use, he had hoped that the report would be more visionary and asked for stronger measures to be investigated in line with the Recycling and Reuse Scrutiny Sub Committee report dated 18 September 2006.  

The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised Members that he could provide a further report at a future meeting to provide an update if required and suggested that it may be beneficial for certain Members to meet with the Waste Team to discuss reuse initiatives.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)         Note the report and the current facilities in York.

(ii)            Support the options detailed in paragraphs 28 and 29 of the report (see above b and c)

(iii)       Agree to receive an update report at a future meeting. ¹

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member of the current opportunities to re-use and to support the Government’s objectives to make greater use of “third sector” expertise in waste management and to capitalise on the multiple benefits (Social, Economic and Environmental) it can bring to communities.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44