Decision details

The Executive Member (Customer and Advice Services) presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital that sought approval for fundamental changes to the waste collection service provided to households in the borough in order to generate future savings and to simplify paper and card recycling. An amendment to the proposals was also highlighted to Members.

The report also sought approval for commencing the work required in procuring the new waste collection contract effective April 2019.

From April 2018 the Council would no longer receive waste cost share funding from Lancashire County Council so fundamental changes to the waste collection service need to be made to mitigate the impact of this reduction.

The Council is in year eight of a ten year contract with Veolia for household waste and recycling collections, which will end in March 2019 so it is considered prudent to make these changes now in preparation to align with the awarding of a new contract commencing April 2019.

The proposals sought to introduce a number of changes to the collection service that included:

·         A charge for all new and replacement wheeled bins to be introduced in April 2017.

·         A subscription based garden waste collection service to be introduced with a proposed effective date of May 2017, and

·         Co-mingled paper and card collections to be introduced in July 2017. The brown bins currently in circulation will be used for this purpose. Collection and frequency would change to four weekly for this collection stream.

Decision:

1.    That Council be recommended to adopt the following proposals:

a. The introduction of a charge for all new and replacement wheeled bins to be introduced in April 2017 (excluding new garden waste bins)

b. A subscription based garden waste collection service to be introduced with a proposed effective date of May 2017.

c. That co-mingled paper and card collections are introduced in July 2017 and that the brown bins currently in circulation are used for this purpose. Collection frequency will change to four weekly for this waste stream.

2.    Approval of the following recommendations in relation to the procurement of the new waste disposal contract commencing in April 2019:

a.    Preparation for the new waste contract commences with an options appraisal report to be provided to Members in 2017.

b.    The appointment of external consultants to provide procurement support to enable the Council to secure the best value waste contract.

c.    The creation of a new graduate trainee post to support the implementation of significant changes to waste services over the next two years.

3.    Approval that the proposed cost will apply to requests made across all access channels.

Reasons for recommendation(s)

The Council needs to make changes to how waste and recycling are collected and charged for in order to mitigate the loss of the waste cost share funding circa £900k from Lancashire.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The Council is limited by legislation on what waste types it can charge for. It is required to provide a waste and recycling collection service to households. It can stop providing a garden waste collection service.