Decision details

Purpose of Report: This report will set out the current approach to waste collection methodology, the steps taken to increase the recycling rate and a proposed route to undertake a study to look at models to increase the recycling rate.

Decisions about waste collection methodology impact upon the specification of replacement waste vehicles, the replacement of which is imperative to the sustainability of the service. It will seek to confirm the approach to collection methodology to allow the procurement process to be prepared to procure a new fleet.

The Executive are asked to:

·         Confirm collection methodology applied to a new fleet.

·         Approve a study into options to increase the recycling rate.

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 3 be approved; that is, to:

a)   continue with source separated recycling as per the current model and monitor the impact of increasing the range of plastics collected;

b)   commission a review of council owned; recycling bring banks, to include materials not collected at the doorstep; and

c)   commission a more fundamental review of the cost impact of changing the collection methodology for all materials.

(ii)      That the preparation of a procurement process based on a new waste fleet be commenced, and a report brought to a future Executive meeting to approve the vehicle and service specification.

Reason:     To ensure that the council can improve the resilience of waste services by replacing a life expired fleet whilst exploring the environmental, budget and partner implications of changing the collection methodology.