Issue - meetings

This report presents options for making efficiency savings in the council’s waste management operation, specifically with respect to waste collection and disposal. This work represents the initial outcome of the Gold Review, as part of the council’s Improvement and Efficiency Programme. The report offers service change recommendations for implementation in the period to July 2011. The report also addresses proposals to repeal the £25 charge for bulky household waste collections. This report seeks permission to consult on the Draft Waste Strategy.

(Appendix also referred to below)

(i)         that the detailed outcomes from the Waste Strategy Review as described in this report be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given to the consultation on the preferred scenario for waste collection as set out in Sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the report from the Director of Environment and Culture;

(iii)       that approval be given to the consultation on the revised Waste Strategy for Brent as set out in Appendices A and B of the Director’s report;

(iv)       that the financial implications of repealing the £25 charge for bulky household waste collections, as set out in paragraph 6.14 of the Director’s report be noted;

(v)        that approval be given to the introduction of a free bulky waste collection service and that this should be introduced from 1 October 2010;

(vi)       that the Director of Environment and Culture be authorised to develop proposals for the street cleansing service in discussion with the Council’s service provider – Veolia ES (UK) Limited, and that these proposals be reported back to the Executive.

Councillor Powney (Lead Member, Environment and Culture) introduced the report from the Director of Environment, Planning and Culture which presented proposals that were central to the policy programme of the new Administration namely an increased focus on sustainability and environmental improvement which included a number of specific goals relating to waste including increasing the recycling rate to 60% and restoring the free collection of bulky waste items for householders. This would also help deliver long term efficiency savings in excess of £1 million each year.  The report proposed a programme of public consultation on the draft waste strategy and the revised collection and recycling arrangements the outcome of which would report back in November. Councillor Powney drew members’ attention to the implications of repealing the £25 bulky waste charge and proposed that the free service be reintroduced with effect from 1 October 2010.

The Executive also had before them an appendix to the report which was not for publication as it contained the following category of exempt information as specified in Schedule 12 of the Local Government (Access to Information Act) 1972: 

Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that the detailed outcomes from the Waste Strategy Review as described in the report from the Director of Environment and Culture be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given to the consultation on the preferred scenario for waste collection as set out in Sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the report from the Director of Environment and Culture;

(iii)       that approval be given to the consultation on the revised Waste Strategy for Brent as set out in Appendices A and B of the Director’s report;

(iv)       that the financial implications of repealing the £25 charge for bulky household waste collections, as set out in paragraph 6.14 of the Director’s report be noted;

(v)        that approval be given to the introduction of a free bulky waste collection service and that this should be introduced from 1 October 2010;

(vi)       that the Director of Environment and Culture be authorised to develop proposals for the street cleansing service in discussion with the Council’s service provider – Veolia ES (UK) Limited, and that these proposals be reported back to the Executive.