Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure outlined the proposals to develop a proposed Waste Transfer Station and Biomass production / storage facility on land adjacent to the existing Housing Recycling Centre in Greenfield.

Details of two successful bids were provided, and a third bid which would be considered in May 2015, were provided.

A robust business case could be made to construct a second bulking up facility in the North of the County, which would only be used when vehicles were collecting in the local area.  The business case identified two benefits:

1.    Direct financial benefit from fuel savings which would deliver the savings identified in the 2016-17 Portfolio Business Plan

2.    The proposals would deliver additional capacity to the current waste rounds, which would negate the need to introduce an additional waste round to deal with the ever growing number of properties being constructed in the County

In addition, the facility would offer the opportunity for neighbouring authorities to operate into the facility.

The remaining area of the site could be surfaced to provide a storage area for the timber material which was currently brought to Household Recycling Centre sites for disposal.  The timber would need to be covered to allow it to dry before being chipped or shredded to form Biomass.  The Biomass material would become available for use in an appropriate boiler at a Council owned facility or sold directly to merchants for use nationally.

In response to a question from the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) explained that the business case was not dependant on neighbouring authorities utilising the facilities.  If the opportunity was to be offered to neighbouring authorities, a report would be submitted to Cabinet.

The Chief Executive added that if the third bid outlined in the report was unsuccessful a further report would be submitted to Cabinet on how the project could be funded.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the continued development of the proposed Waste Transfer Station proposals in Greenfield be approved;

(b)       That the continued development of the proposed Biomass storage and production facility in Greenfield be approved; and

(c)        That the use of the prudential borrowing funding previously allocated to Household Recycling Centre and waste improvements to part fund the scheme be approved.