Issue - meetings

To receive an update on the progress in delivering the Green Waste subscription charge which is a key element of the Council achieving a balanced budget in the councils Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2023-27.

The committee received the report which detailed the progress in delivering the Green Waste subscription charge and how the charge will be implemented.

Cllr Liz Wardlaw spoke as a visiting member and raised queries including whether the Council is required to deliver a specified tonnage of waste, whether the reference to four new members of staff will include administrative positions to meet increased demand, how many instances of fly tipping there had been within the last 12 months and how many resulted in successful prosecutions. In response, the committee were advised that there was no guaranteed minimum tonnage within the Biowise contract, the additional staff would include two customer facing administrative positions and two waste education officers. Data on numbers of fly tipping and successful prosecutions would be provided in a written response.

Cllr Janet Clowes spoke as a visiting member and raised a number of points including that lower income households could be most affected if they do not have the space to compost in the way described, fly tipping was rarely prosecuted but was significant environmentally and contributed to the contamination of watercourses, and that the policy was looking at green waste as a problem when it should be seen as a resource.

There was significant debate which included the following points:

-       Some members felt that they did not have sufficient involvement in the production of the MTFS and were unable to make changes to the proposals

-       Green waste charging was controversial with residents and it was felt that many may choose not to pay

-       It appeared to be a change of course as there had been investment in encouraging residents to dispose of food waste in green bins

-       Instances of fly tipping may go unreported when on private land which would particularly affect rural areas

-       Concern that reducing the collection of green waste, as was done by Cheshire West, was not included in the proposal

-       The Council had to set a balanced budget by law and this was one of the few services within the committee’s remit that was not statutory

-       There was an opportunity to be environmental with the change, such as encouraging home composting and rewilding to reduce garden waste

It was requested that the minutes show that the following members voted against the proposal: Cllr Tony Dean, Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Cllr Becky Posnett, Cllr Lesley Smetham and Cllr Hayley Whitaker.

RESOLVED (by majority):

That the Environment and Communities Committee:

1.    Agree the proposals for delivering the Green Waste subscription charge as included within the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2023-27, including the initial annual subscription charge of £56.00, which in future will be agreed as part of the Council’s fees and charges regime.

2.    Delegate authority to the Head of Environmental Services in conjunction with relevant council teams to undertake all necessary actions to implement and deliver the Garden Waste subscription scheme.