Council and councillors

To receive Report No. 108/2021 from Penny Sharp, Strategic Director of Places.

Appendix A – Presentation of Stage 1 Modelling Results (To follow)

Report No. 108/2021 was received from Councillor Lucy Stephenson and a presentation was given by Penny Sharp.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

·         A copy of the presentation would be distributed with the minutes.

·         Penny Sharp stated that the re-procurement deadlines were tight and did not align with the meeting dates of the Scrutiny Committee but that information was shared with Members as and when it was available.

·         One of the objectives of the re-procurement was to ensure a 10% cost saving.  However, the original contract was procured in 2008 so the costs associated to that contract were over 10 years old.

·         Contract would go live on the 1^st April 2024.  This date could not be extended.

·         It was expected that the collection of food waste would become mandatory in the future.

·         Three main approaches had been investigated:

1. Option 1 (a, b & c) was the system currently used in Rutland for waste collections whereby the household did not separate the waste and recycling.  This option did not meet the minimum legislative requirements.
2. Option 2 (a, b & c) would require the household to separate the cardboard/paper from the recycling and waste.  This would be the most cost-effective option.
3. Option 3 (a, b & c) would require the household to separate all waste into individual streams e.g. cardboard/paper, glass, plastic, food waste etc.  This option would not be operationally feasible and did not meet the cost objective.

·         Option 2b was the preferred option for Rutland County Council.

·         Households would have two containers; one for cardboard/paper and one for all other recycling, which would be collected on an alternate fortnightly basis.  There would also be a weekly food waste collection.

·         Glass and plastics would continue to be collected and recycled.

·         Green waste would continue to be a separate tendered service.

·         Cost details regarding adding the food waste collection on to the contract later were requested by Councillor Begy for comparison.

·         Penny Sharp confirmed that Biffa owned the bins so the Council was investigating the most cost-effective options i.e. bins, boxes or bags.

·         Councillors Brown and Ainsley asked why there were no details of the cost implications for each of the different options and why the information (including Appendix A and the presentation) had not been shared earlier with the Scrutiny Committee.  Councillor Oxley also stated that it would have been beneficial to have seen the presentation before the meeting.

·         Penny Sharp reported that information was provided to the Committee as soon as it had been collated and was available for distribution.

·         Penny Sharp also stated that she had explained the situation regarding the tight procurement and information deadlines with the Chair and Vice Chair in the agenda setting meeting and that it had been agreed by them that a verbal update in the Scrutiny Committee meeting, would suffice.

·         Councillor Waller stated that the main aim of the strategy should be to save money.  She also asked if the size of the black bin would be reduced once the food waste collection had been instigated and requested that the separated cardboard/paper be stored in a bin rather than a sack/bag or box.

·         Councillor Ainsley thanked Penny Sharp and officers for all the hard work in producing the reports and strategy.

·         Councillor Stephenson informed the Committee that as the Portfolio Holder, she had received and read all the relevant information and had, following agreement with the Director, put forward the best option for the Committee to endorse.  She also informed attendees that 674 Rutland residents had responded as part of the public consultation and 86.4% of those believed that the strategy would deliver a green, clean and sustainable county.