The Resources and Services OSC recorded at its meeting on 21 June 2023 (minute 21 refers) that there was, in its view, value in inviting to each of its next several meetings, a different Portfolio Holder to address it on the focus for their Portfolio. For this meeting, Councillor Bush (Portfolio Holder for the Environment) has been invited to address the Committee in respect of his Portfolio. Previously, the Committee has been addressed by the Leader & Corporate Finance and Governance Portfolio Holder (Cllr M Stephenson), the Deputy Leader & Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism Portfolio Holder (Cllr I Henderson) and the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning (Councillor Baker). The purpose of the invitation is to enable the Portfolio Holder to provide a broad introduction to their Portfolio, including their current issues and challenges (as well as priorities for 2024/25).
Minutes:
This Committee had recorded, at its meeting on 21 June 2023 (Minute 21 referred), that there was, in its view, value in inviting to each of its next several meetings, a different Portfolio Holder to address it on the focus for their Portfolio. For this meeting, Councillor Bush (Portfolio Holder for the Environment) addressed the Committee in respect of his Portfolio. His introduction is recorded in summary immediately below.
Councillor Bush thanked the Committee for the invitation to come to this meeting and to give an overview of his portfolio. He explained how it was quite a diverse portfolio which included a focus on Environmental Protection, addressing complaints related to noise, smoke, bonfires, pollution, etc. His political oversight also encompassed various environmental permits, monitoring of air quality and managed private water supplies that were in the District. He explained that his Portfolio also covered food safety as well as some health and safety provisions and this work incorporated, but was not limited to, inspections related to health and safety, sanitation, food control, and funeral directors. He told the Committee that this was just a snapshot of a very varied Portfolio.
The Portfolio Holder also updated the Committee on the position of the new waste contract.
The Committee heard that the current waste contract was 12 years old and that, in that time, there had been a lot of change. To aid the Council in understanding that change, outside expert consultants had been engaged to aid in the development of a new contract specification. Solicitors had been also consulted on the legal aspects of its development of that specification.
The Portfolio Holder explained how a lot of input had been received from Members via a Portfolio Holder’s Working Group and the Waste Board.
He also told the Committee that a waste contract report would be submitted to the meeting of Cabinet on 26 July 2024, with recommendations that looked to start the new waste contract tender process later on in 2024. Subject to Cabinets decision, the tender process would combine the waste collection contract with the street sweeping contract with the potential of the addition of a glass doorstep collection.
Members heard that potential contractors, outside of the existing contractor, had already expressed interest in the new contract and that some of the difficulties in developing the new waste contract, was that it was an intedned 8 year-long contract, with the potential for an 8-year extension. With constant change in the landscape of waste collection, due to shifting legislation, this meant forward forecasting was complicated but necessary, but with the strong internal team at the Council and a strong team of external partners, the Council was in a good position to deliver a good value for money contract that met the statutory requirements for waste collection.
The Committee also heard how the implementation of a new Public Spaces Protection Order in respect of dog control and dog fouling, would aid the enforcement team, of 2 officers, to issue on the spot fines for offenders.
The Committee also heard how both Coastal Protection and Climate Change were under The Portfolios Holders remit and that there was a Members’ Working Group that had provided input into the Council’s Climate Action Plan. He also explained that the new textiles door step waste collection was in its infancy and that he would have to respond at a later date as to if there was any truth in the statements from the public, that this was effecting charity shops receiving donations of clothing.
The Chief Executive informed the Committee that going forward there would be All Members’ Briefings to update Councillors on the progress of the waste service contract specification and procurement process.
The Committee thanked the Portfolio Holder for his attendance and his update.