Environment Cabinet Member – Minutes – 13 July 2016

The corresponding report of the following item (Minute 4 refers) contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

4 (4) WASTE SERVICES REVIEW – The Director of Places submitted a report updating considering proposed changes to the structure of Waste Services.

The council had previously approved a Municipal Waste Management Strategy. A key aim of the strategy was to divert residual municipal waste from landfill. New contractual arrangements for the treatment of the council’s residual municipal waste would take effect during 2016. When fully implemented, these should achieve a landfill diversion rate of around 90% with waste used to generate electricity to feed into the National Grid. This solution aimed to achieve the lowest cost, best value option for local taxpayers.

These new arrangements required the associated provision of a Waste Transfer Station (WTS). This would enable the efficient disposal and bulk collection of waste to take place in support of the new contract. The WTS was currently under construction at Midland Road, Scunthorpe. Completion was anticipated during July 2016. The council’s Waste Services team would thereafter take on the responsibility for the operational management of the new facility. The WTS would operate seven days a week. This would require the creation of new jobs within the service.

Transferring the residual waste away from landfill and the operation of the WTS required some unavoidable changes to current waste collection round arrangements. While complex, the aim was to ensure that overall, any changes proved beneficial for customers, both domestic and commercial and that they were placed central to any proposals. These changes inevitably required amendments to staff working patterns and deployment of other key assets, such as vehicles. The proposed changes also needed to fully take account of the operational requirements for the new WTS.

Full details of proposals, including financial implications, were set out in the report.

Resolved – That the review of Waste Services, as set out in Option 1 of the report, be approved.