Agenda item

(For Members to note/discuss the Committee’s current work programme)

Introducing the report the Lead Officer for the committee confirmed the item was to enable members to consider the quarter 4 performance data to assist in informing any future discussions or future subject matters committee may wish to see on the agenda.

The Committee’s next meeting scheduled for the 8^th September 2020 currently tabled four reports, which included the Q1 performance reporting and the Council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Chairman would provide an update on the Task and Finish Review, which was currently in abeyance, at the end of the item. 

Two further items were due awaiting scheduling to member briefings.  The first being the Kerbside Twin Stream Recycling initiative due to be rolled out over the next three years and the second being the Boston Alternative Energy Facility, which was paused due to the pandemic, which had undergone a fundamental redesign and as a result would commence Phase  4  public consultation.  The committee would be invited to provide feedback as part of the Council’s formal response to the consultation.

The Transformation and Performance Manager presented the Quarter 4performance report to the committee focusing specifically on Corporate Priority 1 and Corporate Priority 3 both of which aligned to the committee.   Should members identify any suggestions under Corporate Priority 2 or 4 then they would be referred to the Corporate and Community committee.

Following the last meeting, two inquiry evenings had taken place as requested by the committee:  one held in respect of car parking and the other in respect of fly tipping. 

Noting the report, members’ were advised that the data provided areas to celebrate of consistently good performance for planning, economic development and car parking along with events and commercial waste, all of which returned a good financial outturn compared to last year.  However, the figures were pre covid and members should note that the information would look very different at the next meeting under Q1 performance.  Overall 19/20  had shown well managed performance

Member questioning and comment followed which included:

In response to a members’ question in respect of the new fleet of refusevehicles and issues with breakdowns of the existing fleet, the Head of Environmental Operations advised that the new fleet had been ordered in August 2019 and were scheduled for delivery for November 2020 to align with the new fleet maintenance contract.  Despite the pandemic, the supplier had confirmed that delivery of the fleet would not be affected.

The existing maintenance contract provided replacement vehicles in the event of any breakdown at no additional costs to the Council.

The vehicles ordered being Dennis Eagle 26 tonne units manufactured in Warwick.

The replacement 7.5 tonne freighter, also ordered in August last year, had been delivered as soon as it was available, to replace the existing freighter which was beyond economical repair.

A member questioned the financial data relating to the collectable business rates and the differential between the gross and nett figures provided. The Transformation and Performance Manager advised that whilst she could have sourced the information ahead of the meeting, she could not answer on behalf of the Head of Finance and therefore she would send the information to members after the meeting.

(It is noted this information is appended to these minutes following dispatch to members following the meeting)

In answer to a question in respect of the residual household waste performance target and how the target was calculated, the Head of Environmental Operations advised that the focus of the county wide waste strategy was to reduce overall weight of household waste collected and promote the waste hierarchy of Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.  Reductions in household waste could be achieved if residents reduced consumption, reused goods and recycled waste. This would reduce the overall weight of waste being disposed of.

A number of members voiced strong concerns at the significant increases in fly tipping incidents over recent months and recognised that lockdown and the closure of the waste recycling sites had impacted the number of incidents.  However, there were still concerns as fly tipping was prolific within the borough. Members questioned if covert operations had taken place: the success rate in identifying culprits and issuing of FPN’s.  The levy of the fines also needed to be increase substantially to act as a deterrent.  The opening hours of the waste sites combined with the restrictions on types of rubbish and changing opening times were further questioned as they had exacerbated the problem with instances of members of the public booking a slot, queueing and then being turned away due to the site having received its quota of a certain product being referenced by members.

As green waste had been the only item accepted when the sites opened, members agreed that too had contributed to fly tipping.  Complaints by residents in respect of the HWRC was common with requests for improved up to date information needed to stop wasted trips and people being turned away.

Reiterating an idea tabled at a previous meeting a member referenced a system used successfully in Australia whereby once a month everyone put items they no longer used on their drive and anybody was free to pick them up (up cycling).  Goods remaining at the end of the day were then collected by the Council later in the evening.

The Head of Environmental Operations confirmed that incidents of fly tipping had escalated during the pandemic and in June 2020, the amount had quadrupled against June 2019, with incidents doubling in April and May 2020 against 2019.

It was a national problem and a major focus of the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership.

The Council had not undertaken and covert operations but it had undertaken overt operations, which had resulted in evidence being secured and submitted to the courts to prosecute offenders. 

It was a course of action the Council would continue to follow using either its’ own resources or using contractors.  Fines were set by the Government, but increases in the fines was something that the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership would look to lobby on.

Various actions were also ongoing including the scrap campaign; days of action and operation clean sweep whereby agencies deployed resources to one location for stop and search activities for illegal transportation of waste and follow to illegal sites.

Fly tipping was ASB and an Environmental Crime that the Council considered very seriously.  The local enforcement partnership team who returned from furlough in June had already issued 57 FPNs last 4 week for fly tipping offences.

The Council did what it could through communications for the public, which had included the purple bin trial and supporting local and countywide initiatives.  It was felt the site now accepted all types of waste, but on certain days of the week, and the HWRC site remained closed on Wednesday and Thursday.  It was fully functional but did not receive all waste on all days and members of the public needed to check the website for latest updates on what it accepted on what days.  In addition, there was a no van policy and trailers of specified maximum size.

At this point in the proceedings, the Chairman advised that she felt minded to invite Lincolnshire County Council to come to the committee and advise on its HWRC waste policy.  The Head of Environmental Operations agreed it could prove to be a useful piece of work for the committee.                                        It was agreed to put on the agenda for a meeting.

A member asked if the committee could look at car parking figures once the free trial period had ended to see if the scheme was viable or if alternative schemes were possible with options of using smaller car parks and offering certain days suggested. 

A further request to re-visit a request for better car parking signage discussed both at committee previously and at a member briefing to be included within the same reporting.

It was agreed to put an item in respect of the car park trial on the agenda for a meeting in the new year once the figures were available

The Chairman provided an update on the Task and Finish Group confirming that she had met with the Vice Chairman to look at ways to take the review forward following the pandemic.  They had agreed four options, which had been tabled to the group members for reference.

RECOMMENDATION FOR TASK AND FINISH GROUP ONLY

1. That a re-cap meeting be convened to allow the group to review the work to date and to agree a way forward taking into consideration the impact of the pandemic on the original scope of the review.

The Chairman thanked all in attendance for their time and input and closed the meeting.

TO DO:

1. That an invitation be issued to Lincolnshire County Council to attend the next meeting of the committee to provide a report on Fly Tipping and overall waste disposal.  CA.

2. A Report by scheduled onto the work programme for Car Parks on completion of the trial free period.  KR in liaison with SR

3. That a Member Briefing be scheduled for the Kerbside Twin Stream Recycling initiative.   CA / KR