Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/15/051 TO FOLLOW

Cabinet Member: Peter Stevens      Lead Officer: Mark Walsh

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: That

(1)     the exclusion of food/kitchen waste from the brown bin scheme - to commence following procurement of the new treatment contract, be agreed;

(2)     a subscription charge of between £35 and £50 per year for the brown bin service, as detailed in Section 1.4.3 to 1.4.8 of Report No: CAB/SE/15/051, be introduced; and

(3)     a future report be received outlining the results of the procurement exercise and the Suffolk Waste Partnership’s agreed actions to deliver recommendations 1 and 2 above.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/15/051 (previously circulated), which sought approval for changes to the current brown bin collection scheme in West Suffolk, which was in response to revisions to the organic waste service provided across Suffolk.

The report provided background information and how the Suffolk Waste Partnership, which co-ordinated, managed and integrated waste collection and disposal services across the county, had been considering options for the future of organic waste service for the past 2-3 years, including the reasons for this change.  Specific options for the future of West Suffolk’s brown bin scheme and the implications relating to each were considered in detail.  Option 3 was the preferred option of officers, which would be to introduce an annual subscription charge and exclude food/kitchen waste, which would potentially generate an income to ensure that the service was cost neutral.  The justification for the proposal was provided in the report.

Councillor Peter Stevens, Portfolio Holder for Operations, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet.  He explained that the service would be provided on an opt-in basis at a cost of approximately £1.35 per collection, which was value for money when compared to the cost of a bulky goods collection at £35 a time. 

The Cabinet acknowledged that this was difficult decision to make; however if the scheme was to continue in its current format, West Suffolk would be faced with an estimated budget increase of approximately half a million pounds per year in comparison to current costs.  If not implemented, savings would therefore need to be found from elsewhere with potential impacts on services across the two West Suffolk councils.

Members also recognised that it was not conducive to  potentially increase Council Tax by approximately 6% to continue the existing service.  Such an increase would command a referendum and consideration would therefore need to be given to the potential cost implications of that.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: That

(1)    the exclusion of food/kitchen waste from the brown bin scheme - to commence following procurement of the new treatment contract, be agreed;

(2)    a subscription charge of between £35 and £50 per year for the brown bin service, as detailed in Section 1.4.3 to 1.4.8 of Report No: CAB/SE/15/051, be introduced; and

(3)    a future report be received outlining the results of the procurement exercise and the Suffolk Waste Partnership’s agreed actions to deliver recommendations 1 and 2 above.

(Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger left the meeting at the conclusion of this item.)