Agenda item

8.1

The Committee received a report of the Director of Business Strategy and Regulation which provided background information to inform discussion on the reduction in opening hours of the City’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).  The report had been brought before the Committee as a result of petitions being presented to Council by the Socialist Party and the GMB Trade Union opposing the reduction in these opening hours.

8.2

In attendance for this item were Mick Crofts, Director of Business Strategy and Regulation and Alastair Black, Waste Strategy Officer.

8.3

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

·                    The market in recyclables was very volatile and there was uncertainty as to whether any further income could be generated from this.  The GMB had suggested that income could be generated from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment but there was a need to remove any hazardous parts.  However, this did remain the most opportune area for income generation.  The recommendations made by those working at the HWRCs to generate income had been shown to be ineffective.

·                    Detailed information on tonnages and prices could be made available but, following negotiations between the Council, Veolia Environmental Services, SOVA Recycling Limited and the GMB, the issue of income was no longer a problem.

·                    A minor reduction in tonnages had been experienced in the year up to August 2012.

·                    It was acknowledged that there were queues at the Blackstock Road site but it was difficult to compare tonnages after the opening hours had been reduced for that very reason.  It was a fair assumption that daily tonnages had increased.

·                    A representative of the GMB had been present at the meeting but had chosen not to stay for this item.

·                    Veolia Environmental Services were audited by the Council on a regular basis to ensure value for money.   Veolia also undertook market testing for the disposal of items for the same reason.

·                    The Council did have the option to bring the operation of the sites back in house, but it would be required to terminate that element of the contract with Veolia Environmental Services.  At the moment the Council had no reasonable grounds to do this.

·                    The decision to reduce the opening hours of the HWRCs was contained in the set of proposals connected with the reduced budget for 2012/13.

·                    People were already using the sites for the disposal of green waste and it was expected that this would continue.  It was considered that those experiencing a withdrawal of the green waste service would use a variety of methods of disposal.

·                    As part of the tendering process, each of the bidders were scored on employee rights.

·                    Detailed information on tonnages and prices would be provided in order to highlight any trends.

·                    SOVA Recycling Limited had proposed to use the Blackstock Road site for the acceptance of trade waste from Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and, in relation to the traffic issues there, communications were to be issued to hopefully reduce pressure.

·                    It had been difficult to bed in the new hours because of the industrial dispute and this had also made it difficult to monitor performance, but figures showed that tonnages were reduced at the Blackstock Road site.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       thanks the citizens who signed the petitions and voiced their opinion;

(b)       notes the report of the Council officers and the statement from the GMB Trade Union and thanks them for their contributions to this Scrutiny exercise; and

(c)        regrets the changes to opening hours which are necessary as a result of Government spending cuts.

(NOTE:  Having declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, Councillors Neale Gibson and Steve Wilson withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item and rejoined the meeting for the next item).