Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

Councillor Kevin Jones introduced the Review of Household Recycling Centre (HRC) Provision report which provided details of the progress made in identifying suitable sites for HRC.

            It was clear from feedback on a report submitted to Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee that residents and elected Members valued a more localised HRC provision and officers were asked to provide alternative options which balanced the expectations of communities and the need for the Council to achieve higher levels of recycling performance to meet very challenging statutory recycling targets set by Welsh Government (WG).  The expected outcome was a solution which would provide customers with modern local facilities to recycle their waste with reduced waiting times and improved safety arrangements.

            Suitable land in Mold and Buckley had not been identified and as an alternative option to the single “super site” officers were exploring options to improve the current facilities in those areas along similar lines to the new facility recently opened in Sandycroft.  This would include:

·         Clear separation of operational and service user areas – removing the requirement to close the site when skips were emptied

·         Easy step free access to skips

·         Clear entrance and exits and good traffic management arrangements

Options to replace the existing Flint and Connah’s Quay sites with a single facility, also with similar characteristics to the Sandycroft facility, were being progressed, with a number of potential sites being considered.  Until such a time that a satisfactory solution was found, the existing facilities in Connah’s Quay and Flint would continue to operate in their current format.

These solutions would balance the twin objectives of meeting the needs of the communities whilst driving up recycling performance towards the recycling targets.  Positive discussions were continuing with WG on the provision of capital grant to develop the network of local sites and the Council had received notification that funding would be made available to develop the Mold and Buckley sites to the same high standard as the existing facility in Sandycroft.  Further discussions would take place for funding for the full proposal. 

The original savings proposal consisted of two elements:

(1)  Savings in operational costs from reduced site numbers; and

(2)  Savings from reduced landfill cost through improved recycling.

As the savings from the first element would be significantly reduced by the revised proposal, the second element would become critical if the majority of the projected Business Planning proposed savings were still to be achieved.

The target of 90% recycling at all of the facilities was achievable and the support of all parties and a slogan of “TARGET 90%”, together with a clear communications plan for launching the new proposals would be recommended in a report to Cabinet in October.  Members supported this and commented on the importance of relaying the message to the public of the significance of achieving the 90% target.

In response to a question from Councillor Bithell, the Waste and Ancillary Services Manager said that a number of authorities did achieve 90% recycling rates and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48