Agenda item

7.1

Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene, gave a presentation which provided an overview of the key issues and priorities within his Portfolio.  He made particular reference to climate change and sustainability, the Streets Ahead contract, heat and energy and recycling and waste, together with a number of other areas of responsibility including emergency planning, drainage, food hygiene, pest control and rivers and reservoirs.

7.2

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions in relation to the presentation, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·               In the light of reduced amounts of waste going to landfill, a conversation was required with the operators of the Parkwood Landfill site with regard to an end date for operations there.

·               It was anticipated that approximately half of the City’s 35,000 trees would be replaced over the life of the Streets Ahead contract and it was a challenge for the Council as to how the timber could be used.

·               It was acknowledged that there had been a mismatch with the work of Sheffield Homes in relation to the provision of waste collections from blocks of flats and any black bins being stockpiled by households would be recovered and returned to the rightful property. 

·               In relation to the Streets Ahead contract, the Council would receive reports on the work undertaken on items such as gully cleaning and would also run independent checks in order to monitor performance.

·               The Community Assembly Stewards would be able to assist in co-ordinating the implementation of small schemes within the works being undertaken on the Streets Ahead contract.  In addition, the client team would check on progress in this respect and keep Members informed and co-ordination would also be facilitated through the Streets Ahead Opportunities Team.

·               As a result of the introduction of the Alternate Weekly Collection of waste, the Energy Recovery Facility would be receiving less waste and this fall off would continue when Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham had their own facilities operating in 2014.  Cabinet Members across the region were to meet in an attempt to co-ordinate this process and join up any opportunities which could be identified.

·               It was acknowledged there was an issue with the fitness for purpose and user friendliness of the blue recycling boxes.

·               Where roads were unadopted, their resurfacing was not included in the Streets Ahead contract, but the Council could make available its standing list of contractors for residents or road owners to make their own arrangements to repair their roads.

·               Councillor Scott was aware of the ratings system being used by Sheffield Homes to indicate whether properties had recycling facilities and it had been found that more flats now had recycling facilities.  There was an issue around building bin sites, but it was hoped that all properties designated as red under the system would be amber within six months.  A green rating indicated that properties had access to appropriate recycling facilities.

·               There were 96 Snow Wardens in total and this mirrored the levels of volunteering in different parts of the City.  It was necessary to involve more people, but it was important to do this in a fair way.

·               The Blackburn Meadows plant was presently under construction and there would be sufficient demand for the energy generated from organisations and works in the Lower Don Valley.  If the decision to use the plant as a heat source in that area proved to be the wrong one, there would still be a pipeline through the valley connected to the Energy Recovery Facility to which  businesses could connect in the future.

7.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       thanks Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene, for his presentation; and

(b)       notes the contents of the presentation.