Agenda item

Following a recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to adopt the Tewkesbury Borough Council Domestic Waste and Recycling Collection Services Policy and Procedures.

That the Tewkesbury Borough Council Domestic Waste and Recycling Collection Services Policy and Procedures be ADOPTED.  

65.1           The report of the Head of Community Services, circulated at Pages No. 82-96, attached a waste and recycling collection services policy which aimed to ensure waste and recycling services operated effectively and efficiently in order to maximise recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill in line with the waste and recycling hierarchy. Members were asked to approve the policy.

65.2           The Head of Community Services explained that the Council did not currently have a waste and recycling policy. The policy before the Committee provided a set of rules and standards that the Council would use to deliver regular and reliable collections in a customer-focused way, taking into account the need to protect the health and safety of the public and the staff that operated the scheme. The policy covered a number of elements including: waste and recycling containers; frequency of collection; how to present waste and recycling for collection; assisted collections; clinical waste services; bulky waste collections; issues with collections; and complaints, as well as providing contact details. The policy had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to being submitted to the Executive Committee and that Committee had asked that it be made clear the policy was for household waste rather than commercial waste.

65.3           During the discussion which ensued, a Member noted that the waste bins were smaller than the recycling bins and he questioned why this was. In response, the Head of Community Services indicated that the Council was actively encouraging residents to recycle rather than send waste to landfill which was the reason for the difference in sizes. In addition plastic recyclables were quite bulky so a larger bin was helpful; there was also an extra blue bin offered should residents wish to have one. A Member questioned whether this was the case given that she knew of someone who had previously been told they could only have an extra blue bin if there were at least five people in the house. In response, attention was drawn to Page No. 95 which set out that “the Council encourages households to maximise the quantity of materials for recycling. Residents that have additional recyclables on a regular basis can request an additional recycling wheeled bin or food waste caddy free of charge”. The Head of Community Services undertook to speak to the Member outside of the meeting to get further details so he could ensure all staff understood the process. A Member expressed concern that knowing what could and could not go into the blue bin was the main issue and he questioned whether anything could be done to make this clearer for residents. Another Member advised that the Council would never be able to get to 100% recycling as there were some people who were dedicated recyclers and some that just would not recycle. There was an annual campaign in the Borough News about recycling which served as a reminder for residents and the Council also issued calendars which contained information about recycling. In addition, the new waste collection vehicles showed pictures of what could and could not be recycled. Any further ideas on educating residents would be gratefully received.

65.4           Accordingly, it was