Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee notes the risks posed and that safety was paramount for all Streetscene employees;

(b).      That the Committee supports, in principle, a proposed new policy for collections on unadopted and private roads and supports the establishment of criteria for assessing all roads and their conditions;

(c)        That the Committee notes that a reasonable and suitable indemnity agreement may be considered for acceptable roads;

(d)       That the Committee recommends that a workshop be arranged for all Members to review the draft policy;  and

(e)       That a further report be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee.

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) introduced the report  to present proposals for a new policy for waste and recycling collections for properties located on private or unadopted roads.  She provided background information and advised that the report gave an overview of the recently commissioned review of waste and recycling rounds and associated risk assessments, specifically focused on properties located on private and unadopted roads.   The report proposed changes for some properties to protect employees from injury and prevent risk of spending unnecessary money on vehicle repairs, maintenance, and damage caused where roads had fallen into disrepair. The report detailed the conditions that will need to be met for the private or unadopted road to be a suitable standard for waste and recycling collections to continue to take place from the property boundary.

The Service Delivery Manager reported on the key considerations as detailed in the report and gave a presentation which covered the following main points:

• risk review of waste and recycling collections on unadopted roads
• 586 sites assessed and rated as red, amber, green
• 1057 properties assessed as amber or red that could be impacted by the new policy
• next steps
• conclusion

Councillor Alasdair Ibbotson, speaking as an observer on behalf of the residents in his Ward, raised a number of objections to the proposals in the report and urged the Committee to vote against the recommendations.  The Chief Officer responded to the comments raised and emphasised the need to ensure a safe working environment for waste collection crews.

In response to comments from the Chair the Chief Officer agreed that the risk assessments of roads in individual areas could be shared with the relevant Ward Member if required.   

Councillor Bernie Attridge spoke in support of the proposals.

Councillors Dan Rose, Richard Lloyd, Mike Peers, Chris Dolphin, and David Coggins-Cogan, expressed a number of concerns and commented that further work and consultation was required.  Officers responded to the questions and points raised and explained that safety and collaboration was crucial to the proposals and the individual circumstances relevant in each area.    

Councillor Mike Peers proposed that an all-Member workshop be arranged to assist Members to consider the proposals in further detail and review the draft policy.  This was agreed by the Chief Officer and she also reiterated that a list of the unadopted and private roads could be provided to Members whose wards were affected by the proposals.

Councillor Peers also proposed that the recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

1.         That the Committee notes the risks posed and that safety was paramount for all Streetscene employees; and

2.         That the Committee supports, in principle, a proposed new policy for collections on unadopted and private roads and supports the establishment of criteria for assessing all roads and their conditions;

3.         That the Committee notes that a reasonable and suitable indemnity agreement may be considered for acceptable roads;

4.         That the Committee recommends that a workshop be arranged for all Members to review the draft policy;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45