Agenda item - City Environmental Management Modernisation Programme Update

Report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture

RESOLVED: That the Committee -

(i)            Noted the progress made on the delivery of the City Environment Modernisation Programme through the projects described in Section 3.

(ii)          Noted the actions taken following a requested internal audit of the commercial waste service as set out in paragraphs 3.7.1 to 3.7.3 and requests that a further report, setting out options and a full business case for growth of the commercial waste service, be presented to October 2018 Environment, Transport & Sustainability (ETS) Committee.

40.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture which provided an update on the projects being undertaken as part of the City Environmental Management (CEM) Modernisation Programme.

40.2    Councillor Wealls asked for assurance that the Big Belly bins would be rolled out as far as possible where the marginal cost equalled the marginal saving. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that under the Capital Programme agreed at Budget Council this year there was funding to roll out further Big Belly bins.

40.3    Councillor Wealls asked if the communal recycling bins would be rolled out as far as practically possible. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that the Authority would look at providing additional bins, but there would be consultation with all interested parties before any decision was taken.

40.4    Councillor Wealls wanted to ensure that communal recycling was being taken as far as possible. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that the next phase of the modernisation programme would be to look at improving the balance of on-street recycling/waste collection and communal recycling and there may be opportunity to do more, but ultimately it would be a decision for Committee.

40.5    Councillor Gibson referred to Table 1, which set out the commercial waste costs and income during 216/17 and 2017/8, and asked if allowance had been made for depreciation of the cost of vehicles had been included, and whether the figure of £160k which had been accrued and due to be billed should be included in the ‘income’ figure for the year it had been apportioned to. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said the depreciation cost of vehicles had been included, and the cost of purchasing and maintaining those vehicles would be included in any business case. With regard to the £160k, one area identified for improvement was the invoicing systems in place hence the accruals listed in the table.

40.6    Councillor Bell thanked the workforce in City Clean and the other agencies involved in waste collection, and appreciated the work they were doing. Residents were looking assurances that things would improve, and that there would be actual changes taking place.

40.7    Councillor Mitchell said the purpose of the report was to pull together and exemplify the support which had been going into a complex organisation which was working under huge pressure, and to look at income generating components which were needed to protect the front line services. The changes already implemented were making a difference. There had been problems with service delivery which had been caused by a number of issues such operational difficulties or access problems etc and this report set out what measures were being taken to address those issues and provide a better service to residents.

40.8    Councillor Mac Cafferty said that there had been problems with waste collection and he had received many complaints from residents. He said that he would support the recommendations, but was concerned that community confidence in the service was ebbing away.

40.9    Councillor Janio noted that this report provided an update to the CEM Modernisation Programme, and suggested it would have been useful if the initial programme had come to this committee first. He said that Digital First was going very well, and the improvements to the website etc. were very good. He suggested that a report on business improvements being undertaken needed to go to the Environment, Transport and Sustainability (ETS) Committee as a separate item rather than as part of the CEM Modernisation Programme so they could be fully discussed, and if money were needed that a report then come back to this committee for consideration. With regard to commercial waste he had been concerned that the Council would undercut other providers and by so doing put them out of business and then create a monopoly for that service and put prices up. That had happened with the collection of garden waste, and he asked for assurance that the Council would not suddenly increase their prices for that service. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that the Council wanted to provide a good service, and there had been no price increase this year, and if there were it would be need to be considered by the ETS Committee.

40.10  The Chair recognised the hard work of officers, and said the programme was about the operational delivery of services rather than a significant policy change.

40.11  Councillor Hamilton referred to the roll out of wheelie bins, and noted that there was an area in South Portslade where residents were still using black boxes and asked when they would be provided with wheelie bins. The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that they were currently auditing those areas where wheelie bins had been rolled out to ensure they were the most appropriate type of containers for those streets, and once that had been done they would look at other areas in the city.

40.12RESOLVED:-

(1)       That the progress made on the delivery of the City Environment Modernisation Programme through the projects described in Section 3 of the report be noted; and

(2)       That the actions taken following a requested internal audit of the commercial waste service as set out in paragraphs 3.7.1 to 3.7.3 and requests that a further report, setting out options and a full business case for growth of the commercial waste service, be presented to October 2018 Environment, Transport & Sustainability (ETS) Committee be noted.