Agenda item

That this Council:-

(a)       recognises that the introduction of fortnightly black bin collections will increase the pressure for householders to recycle their waste;

(b)       recognises the valuable service provided by the 5 recycling centres across the City which allow members of the public and small businesses to dispose of waste in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and that a reduction in this service may lead to more fly-tipping;

(c)        recognises that, due to global resource depletion, the value of materials is increasing and the profit to be made from re-using and recycling is rising;

(d)       would prefer any such profit to be used to maintain and improve the service to the public and the business community and to create local job opportunities rather than boost the income of profit-making national or multinational companies and their share-holders;

(e)       recognises that the front line workers and their union representatives can provide inside knowledge about services and make useful suggestions about more efficient and innovative ways of running services;

(f)         is therefore disappointed that the recent retendering of the recycling centre service is based on reduced opening hours and loss of jobs and believes that there has been a failure to set up sustainable and future-proof  arrangements; and

(g)       notes that similar mistakes are being made across the whole field of waste management and urges the new Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Streetscene to undertake meaningful discussions with the GMB Union and to visit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in waste management and recycling in the City.

It was moved by Councillor Jillian Creasy, seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, that this Council:-

(a)       recognises that the introduction of fortnightly black bin collections will increase the pressure for householders to recycle their waste;

(b)       recognises the valuable service provided by the 5 recycling centres across the City which allow members of the public and small businesses to dispose of waste in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and that a reduction in this service may lead to more fly-tipping;

(c)        recognises that, due to global resource depletion, the value of materials is increasing and the profit to be made from re-using and recycling is rising;

(d)       would prefer any such profit to be used to maintain and improve the service to the public and the business community and to create local job opportunities rather than boost the income of profit-making national or multinational companies and their share-holders;

(e)       recognises that the front line workers and their union representatives can provide inside knowledge about services and make useful suggestions about more efficient and innovative ways of running services;

(f)         is therefore disappointed that the recent retendering of the recycling centre service is based on reduced opening hours and loss of jobs and believes that there has been a failure to set up sustainable and future-proof  arrangements; and

(g)       notes that similar mistakes are being made across the whole field of waste management and urges the new Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Streetscene to undertake meaningful discussions with the GMB Union and to visit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in waste management and recycling in the City.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor David Baker, seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

(1)       the addition of a new paragraph (b) as follows:-

(b)       therefore regrets the Administration’s decision to reduce recycling services by ceasing the free garden waste service and imposing additional cuts to household waste recycling centres;

(2)       the relettering of original paragraphs (b)-(f) as new paragraphs (c)-(g); and

(3)       the addition of new paragraphs (h) and (j) as follows and the relettering of original paragraph (g) as new paragraph (i):-

(h)        expresses further disappointment that reductions in opening days have been distributed using what it believes to be a favoured areas formula, rather than fairly across the City;

(j)         furthermore urges the Administration to reconsider its decision to cease the free garden waste collection service.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

It was then moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Ibrar Hussain, as a further amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the substitution of the following words therefor:-

(a)       regrets that the Council has had to reduce spending by £55 million in 2012/13 and that by 2015/16 the Council will have £170m less to spend than it did in 2011/12;

(b)       notes that to meet this unprecedented financial gap in the budget, the Council has had to make changes to waste services through the introduction of Alternate Week Collections and changing the opening hours of the five Household Waste Recycling Centres;

(c)        acknowledges that moving to Alternate Week Collections will save the Council £2.5 million per year and the altered opening times will save the Council £478k and believes that this move is unavoidable due to the budget position imposed by Central Government;

(d)       notes that the Council makes every effort to provide the best possible waste service, including sufficient opening hours at the Household Waste Recycling Centres to offer a sustainable service, working within the severe financial constraints imposed by the Government; 

(e)       further notes that under current plans, Sheffield's five Household Waste Recycling Centres will be open a total of 23 days every week;

(f)         further notes that despite claims that unaccounted or undeclared profit is being made on recyclable materials from the Centres, no evidence has been provided to substantiate such claims and that if any evidence is forthcoming then claims will be investigated thoroughly;

(g)       believes that unless and until such evidence is provided, the Council must make the saving outlined in the budget and has no option but to continue with the changes to opening hours at Household Waste Recycling Centres; and

(h)        notes that in their budget, the smallest opposition group did not propose to reverse the savings to Household Waste Recycling Centres and believes that to act responsibly they should come forward with the required savings if they wish to reverse the reduction in opening hours.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

(At the request of the mover of the amendment (Councillor Leigh Bramall) and with the consent of Council and the seconder, Paragraph (a) of the above amendment, as presented on the list of amendments submitted to the Chief Executive and circulated at the meeting, was altered, as follows:

The replacement of the words “Conservative-led Government is reducing Sheffield Council's budget”, with the following words: “Council has had to reduce spending”.)

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       regrets that the Council has had to reduce spending by £55 million in 2012/13 and that by 2015/16 the Council will have £170m less to spend than it did in 2011/12;

(b)       notes that to meet this unprecedented financial gap in the budget, the Council has had to make changes to waste services through the introduction of Alternate Week Collections and changing the opening hours of the five Household Waste Recycling Centres;

(c)        acknowledges that moving to Alternate Week Collections will save the Council £2.5 million per year and the altered opening times will save the Council £478k and believes that this move is unavoidable due to the budget position imposed by Central Government;

(d)       notes that the Council makes every effort to provide the best possible waste service, including sufficient opening hours at the Household Waste Recycling Centres to offer a sustainable service, working within the severe financial constraints imposed by the Government; 

(e)       further notes that under current plans, Sheffield's five Household Waste Recycling Centres will be open a total of 23 days every week;

(f)         further notes that despite claims that unaccounted or undeclared profit is being made on recyclable materials from the Centres, no evidence has been provided to substantiate such claims and that if any evidence is forthcoming then claims will be investigated thoroughly;

(g)       believes that unless and until such evidence is provided, the Council must make the saving outlined in the budget and has no option but to continue with the changes to opening hours at Household Waste Recycling Centres; and

(h)        notes that in their budget, the smallest opposition group did not propose to reverse the savings to Household Waste Recycling Centres and believes that to act responsibly they should come forward with the required savings if they wish to reverse the reduction in opening hours.

(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy and Robert Murphy voted for Paragraphs (a) and (e), against Paragraphs (c), (d), (g) and (h) and abstained from voting on Paragraphs (b) and (f) of the Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)