Agenda item

To consider the outcome of the enquiry undertaken by the Committee Members who formed the Task and Finish Group into this matter.  The Group met on 16 May 2022 and an oral report will be provided on the outcome of that meeting.  The enquiry was originally scheduled to be undertaken by the Committee itself on 1 November 2021 (Minute 34 of that meeting refers).

The Chairman reminded the Members of the Committee that they had all received a copy of the recommendations from the Task and Finish Group. There were discussions around looking at this topic again after it had been submitted to Cabinet. The Head of Democratic Services and Elections advised the Committee that this will eventually be added to the Recommendations Monitoring Report and this will provide a further opportunity for Members to be aware of developments in this matter. In addition, the Committee was also informed that, on the draft Work Programme, it had been proposed to undertake an enquiry into the specification for the 2026 contract for waste, recycling and litter services. As such this would be a further opportunity to enquire into this topic, provided the Committee agree to add this to the Work Programme for 2022/23.

It was RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND to CABINET:

In respect of the recycling elements of the enquiry:

(1)       That the capacity of the Street Scene Team to undertake a range of engagement and recycling promotion work with school age children, members of community organisations and the public through roadshows, Council Tax Bills etc. be assessed and plans brought forward to support this capacity.  The Committee believes that this work is vital to ensure we have a well-informed local population about recycling and the benefits of it and that the capacity of the team should provide for this work to be undertaken systematically and consistently;

(2)       That, in addition to the steps in (1) above, available data, or proxies for it, about recycling rates within the District be examined to identify those areas where recycling rates are lowest and that the available resources for promotional activity be targeted to those areas to increase recycling rates there.  The Committee is conscious of the need to use data to guide action and that this is an area where finite resources can be directed where the need for action is most required. 

(3)       That proposals for new style three chamber litter bins to separate out general waste from plastic/can recyclables and card recyclables be examined with a view to these being installed in the centres of towns in the District.  The Committee considers that these new style bins would help reinforce the message around recycling and further the Council’s commitment to it (and positively reinforce the Council’s Community Leadership role);

(4)       That the expected standards for cleanliness/removal of broken glass at the recycling bring sites in the District be developed and publicised and, alongside these, deployment response times for the cleaning/clearing of those sites be established for reports of issues at those sites when the standards are not being met.  This recording will include each incident of ‘fly tipping’ at the sites.  The Committee believes the recycling bring sites provide a valuable addition to the kerbside recycling collection service and believes that working with the public we can look to keep the sites in the best possible condition by sharing with them the standards they should expect, the means of reporting when those standards are not met and a response regime to those reports that can manage expectations while returning the site to the expected standards as soon as possible; and

(5)       That the introduction of an online (MyTendring) form to report a missed bin collection for garden waste collections (Brown bin) be pursued.  The Committee regards the availability of a missed bin collection online form for the general waste (Black bin) and recycling boxes (red and green boxes) as positive and that the same 24/7 reporting route should be provided for garden waste where there is a missed collection.

In respect of the public space litter elements of the enquiry:

(6)       That the proposals for uniquely coloured (purple) bags for those undertaking Community Litter picks (to distinguish these bags from other forms of waste/recycling) be warmly supported;

(7)       That the large blue litterbins used as part of the Summer Plan along the seafront should be retained throughout the low season to create a year round approach to litter collection in those spaces.  The removal of the litterbins means that out of season there is a reduced litterbin service along the seafront.  For residents in those areas and local individuals who use the seafront this reduced service is perceived as a lower standard for them than is provided for tourists.  Retaining the bins, even with a reduced emptying regime would demonstrate the obvious commitment of the Council to its residents;

(8)       That consideration be given to a pilot scheme along the stretch of the A120 from Ardleigh Crown to Horsley Cross to install high visibility litter bins in the laybys and evaluate the extent of their use (and any potential consequential fly tipping from their introduction) for a 12 months period (and that the experience be used to inform the approach along this road and the A133 going forward).  The Committee believes that the pilot approach will provide the Council with valuable information as to whether litter bins in the laybys of major roads in the District would be advantageous;

(9)       That the verge litter-picking schedule for the A120 from the new roundabout to the Auction roundabout be increased to six times a year.  The current frequency is, in the view of the Committee, demonstrably insufficient to keep the verges concerned clear of litter and this then could encourage further littering to take place by those who see the extent of litter that is not cleared sufficiently frequently to deter it taking place;

In respect of future service provision

(10)    The Committee welcomed the opportunity to input into the specification for the waste, recycling and street cleaning contract that will be the basis of service provision in those areas from 2026. 

[Note: Further to item (10) in the above recommendations, the Committee proposed the development of proposals for the waste, recycling and street cleaning contract specification from 2026 be included in the work programme of enquiries for the Committee for 2022/23 (Minute 16 refers).]