Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Growth & Infrastructure

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/055

Contact: Amy Howard, Waste Contracts Officer Tel: (01865) 815349

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Growth & Infrastructure (CA6).

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) currently has eight Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) which all accept a full range of recyclables as well as residual waste.

The City and District councils have made excellent progress in recycling household waste through the expansion of kerbside collection services.  Every house in Oxfordshire now has a comprehensive kerbside collection scheme for a full range of waste and recyclables including food waste.

Residents are increasingly embracing these new systems and recycling rates are increasing across the County.  With the expansion of kerbside collection services the need for people to visit one of our HWRCs has reduced. The role and service that the HWRCs provide is changing. 

OCC as the Waste Disposal Authority has a statutory obligation to provide places for members of the public to deposit their household waste.  Improved kerbside services provide an opportunity to reform and reshape the current service provision. The aim is to build upon this success story.  The network of Recycling Centres needs to be refined in order to maintain an efficient and effective solution as part of the wider joint municipal waste management strategy.

The current network of sites requires significant investment to bring them up to date as the current infrastructure is deteriorating.  In addition in a number of locations the expiration of temporary planning permission requires action to be taken in order to provide an acceptable level of service.

A public consultation was undertaken in order to obtain feedback from Oxfordshire residents, Councillors and Parish, Town and District Councils and inform the strategy. The consultation was undertaken between 7th March and 4th April.

This report sets out and seeks approval for a strategy that will ensure that Oxfordshire has facilities fit for the future that are well located to the main centres of population. 

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)                 Approve the Household Waste Recycling Centre Strategy as detailed in this report;

b)                Authorise detailed implementation plans, including minor changes to the strategy, to be approved by the Director for Environment and Economy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure.

Cabinet considered a report that set out and sought approval for a strategy for

Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

Councillor Anne Purse, Shadow Cabinet Member for Growth & Infrastructure, welcomed the increase in the range of recycling and the possibilities for re-use at the Kidlington site. She referred to the existing problems of fly-tipping and expressed some concern, being anxious at anything which made it less easy to dispose of rubbish which would lead to an increased risk of fly-tipping. She noted the enforcement activity and hoped that surveillance would also increase. In response to a question from Councillor David Robertson querying whether she would support putting cameras into vulnerable spots, Councillor Purse replied that she would support any action that was proved to work. All options to take action should be looked at. Responding to a further question about the practicality of electronic chips in bins Councillor Purse indicated that that was not necessarily what she was meaning.

Councillor Shouler as the Efficiencies Champion referred to the reduction in the savings set out in paragraph 46 of the report. He expressed concern at a trend at this early stage of the budget year not to achieve the target savings as it could undermine the validity of the budget and he queried what alternative savings would be found. He also commented on the public consultation noting that the changes were not as a result of such consultation but that in any case where there were reductions in services then there was bound to be an adverse public reaction.

The Cabinet Member for Growth & Infrastructure in introducing the report highlighted that it was difficult to make assumptions about the level of household recycling at sites given the success of District Council collections. He stressed that the strategy was about household waste, noting that fly-tipping was often commercial in nature. He understood the concerns expressed by Councillor Shouler but felt confident that the savings target overall would be met by the Directorate. The Director of Environment & Economy reinforced the assurance given by the Cabinet Member that the agreed target savings for the Directorate as a whole would be met from within the Directorate:

During discussion Cabinet Members referred to recycling initiatives in their local areas and also commented on the level of facilities provided. The Cabinet Member for Police and Policy Coordination referred to the high degree of cooperation between District Councils and the County Council. There was some debate on the merits of surveillance cameras at fly tipping problem spots.

RESOLVED:                        to:

a)                 Approve the Household Waste Recycling Centre Strategy as detailed in this report;

b)                 Authorise detailed implementation plans, including minor changes to the strategy, to be approved by the Director for Environment and Economy in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure.