Agenda item

7.1

The Executive Director, Place, submitted a report containing proposed amendments to the opening hours of the Household Waste Recycling Centres.  The report attached the Individual Cabinet Member Report of Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene, together with the relevant Equality Impact Assessment.  The report was supported by a presentation from Councillor Jack Scott. 

7.2

Councillor Scott reported on the reasoning behind the proposed changes, indicating that, following the changes made to the opening hours and days in 2012, further changes had been proposed to adjust the opening days at three of the Centres.  The changes had been proposed in the light of the Government budget cuts, accessibility and demand, and included the opening of the facility on Blackstock Road for an additional two days (Tuesday and Thursday) and the closure of the facilities at Deepcar and High Green for one additional day during the week. 

7.3

Councillor Scott reported on the current situation in terms of accessibility to and demand at the five Centres during 2012/13, and referred to the budget savings related to the proposed changes.

7.4

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                The income in terms of the sale of recyclable material collected at the Centres was shared between Veolia, who managed the sites, and the sub-contractor, which ran the sites.

·                All options had been explored to see if any other savings could be made as an alternative to closing Deepcar and High Green Centres for a further day, including changes to staffing levels.  Staffing levels at the Centres were continually monitored, to ensure that the Centres were being run efficiently. 

·                Considerable efforts had been made to look at an alternative to closing the Centres at Deepcar and High Green for a further day but, there was simply not enough funding available.  The fact that car ownership in rural areas was generally higher had also been a consideration.

·                The statistics regarding usage, together with customers’ comments, had provided proof that the majority of visits to the Centres were made on a Saturday and Sunday, followed by Friday and Monday.

7.5

The Committee noted the contents of the report now submitted, the information reported as part of the presentation and the responses to the questions raised.