Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on the York Community Recycling Fund and other initiatives to minimise fly tipping.

Resolved:  (i)      That the update on the York Recycling Fund and the other initiatives to reduce fly tipping be noted.

                   (ii)      That officers be requested to prepare a report on the roll out of mobile CCTV to help enforcement to prevent fly tipping.

(iii)     That approval be given for a pilot of free boxes for recycling, to include home delivery by the council in the absence of a suitable partner for the provision of free boxes on a collection only basis.

Reason:     In order to capture any lessons that can be learnt and to improve waste prevention and recycling in York.

The Executive Member considered a report which provided an update on the York Community Recycling Fund (YCRF) and other initiatives to minimise fly tipping, as requested by the Executive Member on 6 March 2017 and by Full Council on 22 March 2018.

All projects receiving funding from YCRF had demonstrated success in terms of their social benefits and contributions to diverting waste from landfill, as detailed in paragraphs 8 to 12 of the report.  Nearly all were set to continue in some way, thus supporting the fund’s aim of sustainability.   The Neighbourhood Enforcement team, working with council colleagues and external partner agencies, had secured 5 successful prosecutions and 13 formal cautions for fly tipping in the past 2 years and in February launched the Crime Not To Care campaign, highlighting to residents their duty of care in relation to domestic waste.  Other initiatives included ‘Operation Eyeball’ – cross-county work with police to reduce fly-tipping - and the procurement of portable CCTV cameras for use in fly-tipping hotspots, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas. 

In June, the Executive had agreed funding for the provision of free recycling boxes if collected by customers themselves.  Since Yorwaste and St Nick’s had now confirmed they were unable to act as a distribution point for free boxes, approval was sought to pilot free home delivery of the boxes by the council instead.

The Executive Member welcomed the work by officers and the wide range of schemes across the city that helped to promote recycling. 

Resolved:  (i)      That the update on the York Recycling Fund and the other initiatives to reduce fly tipping be noted.

                   (ii)      That officers be requested to prepare a report on the roll out of mobile CCTV to help enforcement to prevent fly tipping.

(iii)     That approval be given for a pilot of free boxes for recycling, to include home delivery by the council in the absence of a suitable partner for the provision of free boxes on a collection only basis.

Reason:     In order to capture any lessons that can be learnt and to improve waste prevention and recycling in York.