Agenda and minutes

Please contact Julie Dean (Tel: 01865 815322) to give apologies and advise of attendance by the named Deputy Member).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, Cllr James Macnamara and Linda Watson (Oxfordshire Rural Community Council).

Councillor David Harvey declared a personal interest on account of him being a board member of USEA (United Sustainable Energy Agency).

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Environment Partnership Committee held on 25 March  2011 (EP3). (Please note that you are required to approve Minute no’s 21/11  - 26/11 inc.)

The Minutes of the Environment Partnership (Minute numbers 21/11 – 26/11 inc.) were approved and signed.

9:30 am

There will be a presentation by Tom McCulloch from Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

Tom McCulloch, Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, gave a presentation on the Low Carbon Communities Programme – Community Climate Action in Oxfordshire.

The Partnership thanked Tom McCulloch for his presentation.

9:55 am

As indicated at an earlier meeting, Oxford City Council will present their ongoing work to reduce carbon emissions. A report is attached at EP5.

The Environment Partnership is RECOMMENDED to note the report.

As indicated at an earlier meeting, Oxford City Council presented their ongoing work to reduce carbon emissions. A report was submitted at EP5.

The Environment  Partnership thanked Councillor John Tanner and John Copley for their  report and presentation and congratulated Oxford City Council for their work to reduce carbon emissions.

There were no requests.

10:15 am

To update the Partnership on the tendering of the Environmental Education Services funded by Oxfordshire Waste Partnership and Oxfordshire County Council (EP7).

The Environment Partnership and Oxfordshire Waste Partnership are RECOMMENDED to note progress to date and to approve that, subject to suitable consultation with officer groups, that Oxfordshire County Council be authorised to enter into contract on behalf of Oxfordshire Waste Partnership for the provision of Environmental Education Services.

The Partnerships considered a report (EP7) that gave an update on the tendering of the Environmental Education Services funded by Oxfordshire Waste Partnership and Oxfordshire County Council.

A member of the Partnership queried the funding of the Wild Waste Bus for a further two years, in accordance with the proposed contract, when it had been discussed at a former meeting to fund it for one further year only. Mr Lewis responded that there were no plans to offer a bus as part of the new contract. However, this was a timely opportunity to assess the costs of a service against the benefits of jointly procuring the ‘Energy Bus’.

Following further discussion, the Environment Partnership  and the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership RESOLVED to

(a)   note progress to date;

(b)   authorise Oxfordshire County Council to continue with the procurement;

(c)   call a special meeting in September 2011 to consider the returned tenders and reach a decision on the contract award; and

(d)   to ensure that the Energy aspects of the service can be procured independently of the Waste Management Service if needs be.

10:25 am

There will be an oral report on Oxfordshire 2030. A copy of the draft ‘2030 Refresh – Guidance for Partnerships’ is attached at EP8 (a), the Oxfordshire Environmental Partnership’s proposals is at EP8(b) and those of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership at OWP8(c).

The Partnerships are asked to endorse the attached proposals.

Susie Ohlenschlager gave an oral report on the proposals contained within Oxfordshire 2030 for both Partnerships. A briefing note  on the Government Review of Waste Policy in England was circulated.

It was AGREED to endorse both Partnerships’ proposals in relation to Oxfordshire 2030 and to note the briefing note given on the Government Review of Waste Policy in England.

To approve the minutes of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership Joint Committee held on  25 March 2011(OWP9). (Please note that you are required to approve Minute no’s 27/11 – 38/11 inc.)

The Minutes of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership held on 25 March 2011 were approved and signed (Minute numbers 27/11 – 38/11 inc.)

 (Please contact Julie Dean (Tel: 01865 815322) to give apologies and advise of attendance by the named Deputy Member).

As above.

As above.

10:35 am

To present an annual report and statement of accounts for 2010/11. A covering report  is attached at OWP 12(a) and the Audit Commission Annual Return for 2010/11 at OWP12(b).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is RECOMMENDED to approve the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2010/11.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership were presented with the Annual Report (OWP12(a))and Statement of Accounts (OWP 12 (b)) for 2010/11.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership RESOLVED to

(a)               approve the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for 2010/11 and to thank the officers for their excellent work; and

(b)               submit the Audit Commission Annual Return.

10:45 am

To receive the internal audit report for 2010/11 detailing a review of the financial and management systems employed by Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP13). A covering report is also attached at OWP13(a).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)  agree the recommendation as summarised in table 1 and detailed in Appendix 1;  and

(b)  appoint Cherwell District Council as the OWP Auditing Authority for 2011/12 and 2012/13

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership had before them the internal audit report for 2010/11 which detailed a review of the financial and management systems employed by the Partnership (OWP13). A covering report was also attached at OWP13(a).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership RESOLVED to:

(a)               agree the recommendation as summarised in Table 1 and detailed in Appendix 1;

(b)               appoint Cherwell District Council as the OWP Auditing Authority for 2011/12 and 2012/13; and

(c)               thank West Oxfordshire District Council for their work as OWP Auditing Authority during the last two years.

10:50 am

To update the Partnership on the public consultation findings and future plans for Household Waste Recycling (OWP14).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is RECOMMENDED to note the new Household Waste Recycling Strategy.

The Partnership were updated on the public consultation findings and the future plans for Household Waste recycling (OWP14).

Councillor John Tanner extended his thanks to Oxfordshire County Council for making the Redbridge accessible to the public at the week-end. He added that the City Council were in discussion with the County Council regarding the possibility of running their own recycling centre adjacent to the site.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership noted the new Household Waste Recycling Strategy and the findings of the public consultation.

11:05 am

To advise the partnership on the outturn position for the OWP Financial Arrangements for 2010/11 and to agree the forecast residual waste allowances for 2011/12 (OWP15).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is RECOMMENDED to

(a)              note the 2010/11 outturn position as set out at Appendix 1; and

(b)              agree the residual waste allocations for 2011/12 as set out at Appendix 3.

The Partnership had before them a report (OWP15) which advised on the outturn position for the OWP Financial Arrangements for 2010/11 and which sought agreement to the forecast residual waste allowances for 2011/12.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership RESOLVED to:

(a)               note the 2010/11 outturn position as set out at Appendix 1; and

(b)               agree the residual waste allocations for 2011/12 as set out at Appendix 3.

11:10 am

To update the Partnership on the progress of the residual waste treatment procurement project (OWP16).

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is RECOMMENDED  to note and support the progress made on the procurement of residual waste treatment.

The Partnership had before them a report (OWP16) which gave an update on the progress of the residual waste treatment procurement project.  

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership noted and supported the progress made on the procurement of residual waste treatment.

(Please note that Oxford City Council noted the progress made and recognised the significant improvements made in relation to the project, but did not support it).

11:20 am

The report (OWP 17) considers what performance information should continue to be managed by Oxfordshire Waste Partnership now that national indicators are no longer used.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership are RECOMMENDED that:

   (a)            the information required by central government as set out in table 1 of the report continues to be reported to OWP on a quarterly basis;

   (b)            the district councils give consideration to using, as a minimum, the free of charge elements of the new LEQs Pro reporting package developed by Keep Britain Tidy; and

    (c)            NI 195 scores and NI 196 gradings are no longer reported to OWP.

The Partnership had before them a report (OWP17) which considered what performance information should continue to be managed by Oxfordshire Waste Partnership now that national indicators were no longer used.

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership AGREED to:

(a)               note that the information required by central government, as set out in Table 1 of the report, and that this information continues to be reported to OWP on a quarterly basis;

(b)               that the District Councils give consideration to using, as a minimum, the free of charge elements of the new LEQS Pro reporting package developed by Keep Britain Tidy; and

(c)               NI 195 scores and NI 196 gradings are no longer reported to OWP.