Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendation with the exception of the following:

·         To allow for further public consultation and discussion with the new member for the Caergwrle ward, a discussion about the future of Hope Household Recycling Centre be deferred until June 2015

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure introduced the revised Waste Collections Policy following the 2015-16 Business Planning process.

                        In June 2010 the Council adopted its Municipal Waste Strategy which contained a number of key actions which were needed to meet the challenging recycling targets set out in the all Wales National Waste Strategy ‘Towards Zero Waste’. 

He explained that if the Council failed to meet the Welsh Government (WG) National Strategy landfill targets, infraction charges could be levied against the Council totalling £200 for each tonne of waste land filled above the defined allowance.

                        In addition, the service was partly funded by WG through the Sustainable Waste Management Grant (SWMG).  The level of the grant had been reduced by approximately 5% during 2013-14, 3% in 2014-15 and indications were that further reductions were to be expected in 2015-16 and beyond.

                        A summary of the following main changes to the existing policy were highlighted and detailed in full in the report:

• Missed collections
• Household Recycling Centres (HRC’s)
• Garden Waste Collections (brown bins)
• Deliver of new waste containers
• Bulky waste collections

On HRC’s, the Cabinet Member explained that, on the basis of the higher visitor numbers, the facilities in Flint and Connah’s Quay would open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday only from 1 June 2015 which reflected the higher footfalls at those sites on those days.  The sites would also open on the day following Bank Holidays.

Considerations for the site in Hope when compared to national WG guidelines included:

1.    The site had the lowest footfall of all of the current HRC sites with only 4.5% of all HRC users visiting the site

2.    The site had the lowest cost per tonne for material handled

3.    The site was the worst performing site in terms of recycling with the lowest recycling rate

4.    The site had the smallest footprint which restricted the amount of available space for new recycling containers

An option to restrict the site at Hope to receiving recycled material only had been considered but given the poor performance and restrictions on space at the site, the option was not affordable.

Member workshops, including representatives from Town and Community Councils, had taken place prior to the report being submitted to Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance said the report had been discussed in a number of places.  However, he queried the level of consultation that had taken place with adjoining ward Members whose residents would also be affected by the closure of the site in Hope and suggested that direct consultation would be of benefit.  In addition, he said that there was a by-election taking place on 7 May for the Caergwrle Ward and the newly elected Member should also be consulted on the proposals.  However, he added that if a decision on the closure of Hope HRC was deferred, it would have implications for the budget with the identified savings being required from elsewhere. 

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure moved an amendment to the recommendations that, to allow for further public consultation and discussion with the new Member for the Caergwrle ward, a discussion about the future of Hope Household Recycling Centre be deferred until June 2015.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment supported the amendment and handed in a petition he had received from residents to keep the HRC in Hope open.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development also supported the amendment but added that, during such a time of austerity, it would be unfair to favour one community over another when the whole of the Council faced cuts of 30%.

            RESOLVED:

That the new Waste Collection Policy be approved with the exception of the closure of Hope Household Recycling Centre which is deferred until June 2015 to allow for future public consultation and discussion with the new Member for the Caergwrle ward following the by-election on 7 May 2015.