Agenda item

The Director of Environment, Transport & Planning to present a report which asks Executive to consider the results of a city-wide consultation on recycling and agree that these will inform the council’s response to the Government’s consultation on recycling, to be submitted by the deadline of 4 July.

Resolved:  (i)      That the 7,205 residents who took the time to complete the council consultation on recycling (one of the best consultation responses ever received) be thanked, and that the Government’s own intentions to increase recycling by funding local authorities to provide additional services be welcomed.

Reason:     To provide greater clarity on efforts to increase recycling across the country.

                   (ii)      That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment, Transport and Planning, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, to provide a response to the Government’s consultation on recycling collections based upon the resident response to the council’s consultation by the closing date of 4 July.

Reason:     To ensure that the council’s response to the Government consultation reflects the views of residents.

                   (iii)     That the implementation of the three-weekly recycling collections not proceed.

Reason:     Results from the resident focus groups showed that communicating the three-weekly collection was extremely difficult and this would therefore be a risk to success; in addition, the forthcoming Environment Bill may mandate fortnightly collections, meaning that any fundamental change is likely to result in a second change to collection methodology in the next few years, potentially leading to abortive costs.

                   (iv)    That the garden waste season be extended by one month, to run from the beginning of March to the end of October each year, starting in March 2022.

Reason:     While there was some support for a year-round green waste service this was not conclusive, and previous customer requests have shown a demand for an earlier start to the season; this change will ensure that residents have a service that meets their need and extends the collection season, which was a theme in the consultation.

                   (v)     That, in light of the vehicle replacement, a review be undertaken to determine whether current collection routes for recycling, refuse and garden waste are as efficient as possible and, if this results in proposals for a significant change, that a report be taken to the Executive Member for Environment & Climate Change.

Reason:     To ensure that an efficient and effective service is provided.

                   (vi)    That officers begin to implement the bags to bins policy (wheeled bins rather than black bags), bring this matter to future Decision Sessions of the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, and review the opportunities to extend the green waste collection to these properties.

Reason:     To help prepare the city for any future changes.

                   (vii)    That the sorting of dry recycling into two streams by the collection teams be formally adopted and that a communications campaign be launched to all householders that glass, cans and plastics can now be placed in the same box or boxes (2 boxes per household) but that paper and card must be kept separate.

Reason:     So that residents are only asked to source-separate their recycling to the required level.

                   (viii)   That it be noted that these decisions, and the previous approvals of a budget for waste vehicle replacement and adoption of the Future Fleet Management Policy, will allow officers to procure a fleet of twin stream recycling vehicles.

Reason:     The existing recycling vehicle fleet is beyond its economical and serviceable life.

The Director of Environment, Transport & Planning presented a report which set out the results of a city-wide consultation on recycling and proposals for future action.  These included responding to Government consultation on recycling, following the release on 12 May 2021 of further details of the Environment Bill.   Results of the council’s consultation, to which a very high number of responses had been received, were annexed to the report.

The following options were presented for consideration, as detailed in paragraphs 39-60 of the report:

Option 1 – recognise the consultation results and include them in the response to government consultation;

Option 2 – based on the consultation results, progress proposals for a 3-weekly recycling methodology as per Annex 4;

Option 3 – acknowledge the responses but do not make any changes to recycling;

Option 4 – acknowledge the responses, do not implement 3-weekly recycling but make changes to increase recycling rates, improve efficiency and prepare the city for future change.

Options 1 and 4 were recommended, to ensure efficient and effective collection routes and make service improvements, some of which had been requested by residents in response to consultation.

The Executive Member for Environment & Climate Change welcomed the report and commended the proposals to Members.  With reference to matters raised under Public Participation, officers confirmed that detailed work on routes would be carried out once the replacement vehicles had arrived.

Resolved:  (i)      That the 7,205 residents who took the time to complete the council consultation on recycling (one of the best consultation responses ever received) be thanked, and that the Government’s own intentions to increase recycling by funding local authorities to provide additional services be welcomed.

Reason:     To provide greater clarity on efforts to increase recycling across the country.

                   (ii)      That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment, Transport and Planning, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, to provide a response to the Government’s consultation on recycling collections based upon the resident response to the council’s consultation by the closing date of 4 July.

Reason:     To ensure that the council’s response to the Government consultation reflects the views of residents.

                   (iii)     That the implementation of the three-weekly recycling collections not proceed.

Reason:     Results from the resident focus groups showed that communicating the three-weekly collection was extremely difficult and this would therefore be a risk to success; in addition, the forthcoming Environment Bill may mandate fortnightly collections, meaning that any fundamental change is likely to result in a second change to collection methodology in the next few years, potentially leading to abortive costs.

                   (iv)    That the garden waste season be extended by one month, to run from the beginning of March to the end of October each year, starting in March 2022.

Reason:     While there was some support for a year-round green waste service this was not conclusive, and previous customer requests have shown a demand for an earlier start to the season; this change will ensure that residents have a service that meets their need and extends the collection season, which was a theme in the consultation.

                   (v)     That, in light of the vehicle replacement, a review be undertaken to determine whether current collection routes for recycling, refuse and garden waste are as efficient as possible and, if this results in proposals for a significant change, that a report be taken to the Executive Member for Environment & Climate Change.

Reason:     To ensure that an efficient and effective service is provided.

                   (vi)    That officers begin to implement the bags to bins policy (wheeled bins rather than black bags), bring this matter to future Decision Sessions of the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, and review the opportunities to extend the green waste collection to these properties.

Reason:     To help prepare the city for any future changes.

                   (vii)    That the sorting of dry recycling into two streams by the collection teams be formally adopted and that a communications campaign be launched to all householders that glass, cans and plastics can now be placed in the same box or boxes (2 boxes per household) but that paper and card must be kept separate.

Reason:     So that residents are only asked to source-separate their recycling to the required level.

                   (viii)   That it be noted that these decisions, and the previous approvals of a budget for waste vehicle replacement and adoption of the Future Fleet Management Policy, will allow officers to procure a fleet of twin stream recycling vehicles.

Reason:     The existing recycling vehicle fleet is beyond its economical and serviceable life.