Issue - meetings

Purpose of report: To provide an outline programme of work for the development of strategic waste infrastructure, to support a resilient and efficient waste management service for residents.

Witnesses:

·         Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property and Waste

·         Katie Stewart, Executive Director for Environment Transport and Infrastructure

·         Steven Foster, Interim Director for Waste

·         Rob Macpherson, Waste Contract & Project Officer

·         Jodi Johnston, Waste Contract Management Project Officer

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. The Chairman noted that several components of the strategy involved other entities and asked if alternative plans had been considered if agreements could not be reached. The Executive Director for Environment Transport and Infrastructure explained that third party market capacity would be considered if agreements could not be reached.

2. A Member asked how the council work with districts and boroughs in a more collaborative way to provide resilience, security and value for money for the future of waste services, as outlined in the councils vision. The Interim Director for Waste noted the good level of horizontal cooperation between the districts and boroughs through the Surrey Environmental Partnership (SEP) and explained that the districts and boroughs, provided frontline resilience, the statutory obligations of the council provided security of service and value for money resulted from more efficiency around recycling by having a Surrey County Council (SCC) owned Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to reduce costs. The Cabinet Member for Property and Waste noted the differing levels of services provided by the districts and boroughs and said that the SEP would work with them to provide support to implement change going forward.

3. A Member asked what responsibility the council had to engage with residents. The Waste Contract Management Project Officer said that in addition to the districts and boroughs having their own communications plans, quarterly meetings took place between waste and recycling officers to agree communications strategies which were produced by the Surrey Environmental Partnership.

4. A Member queried how the proposed introduction of a new operating model for the Community Recycling Centre (CRC) network would improve network efficiency and effectiveness and provide greater control over the quality of the materials collected. The Interim Director for Wasteexplained that the long term ambition was to rebuild six sites that were currently substandard rather than introduce a new operating model. The Waste Contract & Project Officeragreed that there were plans to redevelop the six sites to improve safety and efficiency with no new operating model proposed.

5. A Member queried if the recycling credits offered to the districts and boroughs were progressive. The Interim Director for Wastesaid that from April 2023, with SEP members agreement, action plans would be in place for all 12 authorities to drive forward initiatives to reduce waste arisings and increase recycling. Progress against these plans would be assessed without penalties or deductions in the first and second year, however deductions to credit payments could be implemented in the third year if an authority is assessed as making insufficient progress to deliver on their stated actions.

6. A Member queried if some disposal could be dealt with by the council in partnership with relevant third parties to reduce transportation costs. The Interim Director for Wastenoted the industry focus  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14