Agenda item

That this Council:-

(a)       understands that as a result of this Administration’s decision to end free collections of green bins, up to 30,000 bins could be shredded;

(b)       believes this is a complete waste of an asset which originally cost £600,000;

(c)        understands that many residents who do not currently benefit from a green bin, may appreciate the offer of a green bin, even at the current charge, which is believed to be extortionate; and

(d)       calls on the Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Streetscene to write to Veolia to ask that the green bins and the green bin collection service be offered to residents across the City.

It was moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Denise Reaney, that this Council:-

(a)       understands that as a result of this Administration’s decision to end free collections of green bins, up to 30,000 bins could be shredded;

(b)       believes this is a complete waste of an asset which would now cost £600,000;

(c)        understands that many residents who do not currently benefit from a green bin, may appreciate the offer of a green bin, even at the current charge, which is believed to be extortionate; and

(d)       calls on the Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Streetscene to write to Veolia to ask that the green bins and the green bin collection service be offered to residents across the City.

(At the request of the mover of the Motion (Councillor Colin Ross) and with the consent of the Council and the seconder, Paragraph (b) of the Motion, published with the Summons for this meeting, was altered by the replacement of the word “originally” with the words “would now”.)

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Jack Scott, seconded by Councillor Harry Harpham, as an 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 the 2012/13 budget and that by 2015/16 the Council will have £170m less to spend than it did in 2011/12 and regrets that the main opposition group continue to fully support the level of cuts imposed on the Council by the Conservative-led Government;

(b)       further regrets that to meet this unprecedented financial gap in the budget, the Council can no longer afford to provide a green waste collection service free of charge;

(c)        notes that following the Council’s withdrawal of funding for the green waste service, Veolia have come forward with a charged for service, however, this has not extended the green bin collection service city wide;

(d)       notes that in light of this, the main opposition group are proposing to give green bins to people who would not be able to have them emptied or collected in the foreseeable future;

(e)       -

(f)         confirms that the present Administration would like to see a more equitable green waste service with green bins offered to residents across the City and have contacted Veolia to confirm this, however, acknowledges with regret this is now a service no longer funded by the Council due to the Government cuts and ultimately this decision rests with Veolia as the service provider or other providers which come forward.

(At the request of the mover of the amendment (Councillor Jack Scott) and with the consent of the Council and the seconder, Paragraph (e), published in the list of amendments submitted to the Chief Executive was withdrawn from consideration.)

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

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-