Issue - meetings

(1)       That Cabinet comments the current recycling performance and expresses thanks to the residents and employees for their performance; and

(2)       That Cabinet approves the commencement of a public consultation exercise on the Council’s Waste Strategy and the future direction of the waste and recycling services and encourages residents to engage with the survey.

Councillor Thomas introduced the report which proposed that the Council undertake a wide ranging public consultation exercise on the future provision of the waste and recycling service to better understand residents’ expectations and behaviours, and set the future direction for the service provision.

                        In 2011 the Council introduced a Managed Weekly Collection service (MWC) which changed waste collections in the County from a weekly black sack and back door service, to weekly recycling and food waste collections, with fortnightly collections of non-recyclable waste.  The change significantly improved the Council’s recycling performance and due to the engagement and efforts of residents, the Council continued to perform well, with the recycling performance for 2018/19 confirmed at 69.16%.  That was already above the 2019/20 target of 64% with the next significant target being 70% in 2025.

                        The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) said that the current recycling performance needed to be celebrated, but without operational and policy change, it was likely that performance would now stabilise and any future improvements in performance would become difficult to achieve. Whilst the current waste strategy did not come to an end until 2025, the target set within the document of 70% had been almost achieved and it was important that the Council started to plan for the future, considering what more could be done to increase recycling rates in the future and reduce residual waste.

                        The consultation would consider a number of aspects, including:

·         Informing service users on current success;

·         Informing service users on what happened to collected recyclable items;

·         Explaining the need for a review to be undertaken;

·         Gaining information on current recycling behaviours; and

·         Consideration for future service change options that would maximise recycling potential.

            In response to a question from Councillor Banks, the Chief Officer explained that the questionnaires would be available online for completion but a paper copy could be completed upon request.  A number of community drop in events had been organised and feedback from those would be received.

            RESOLVED:

(a)       That Cabinet notes the current recycling performance and expresses thanks to the residents and employees for their performance; and

(b)       That Cabinet approves the commencement of a public consultation exercise on the Council’s Waste Strategy and the future direction of the waste and recycling services and encourages residents to engage with the survey.