Agenda item

Report No: OAS/SE/18/031

[Councillor John Burns left the meeting at 5pm after presenting the report to the Committee].

Councillor John Burns presented Report No: OAS/SE/18/031, which summarised the review of the Garden Waste Collection Service (GWCS) by a Joint Task and Finish Group and presents recommendations for the service moving forward.

On 6 and 7 June 2018, both St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath Overview and Scrutiny Committees resolved to establish a Joint Task and Finish Group (the Group) to review the progress of the GWCS and to consider the Motion put forward by Councillor Nettleton to introduce a sliding scale of subscription charges.  The Group met on five occasions to discuss the planned approach to the review and to consider the specific areas to be explored.  It was agreed that the review would explore the following areas:

-        Finance

-        Customer access

-        Service terms and conditions

-        Impact on residual waste

-        Communications and marketing

-        Operational changes

-        Impact of proposed changes

The report included the background to the review and progress to date; the review carried out by the Group and proposed recommendations.  Also attached to the report were a number of appendices, namely:

Appendix A – Summary of meetings

Appendix B – Financial modelling

Appendix C – Subscription charges of other councils

Appendix D – Subscriptions through the Customer Access Team

Appendix E – Information flow and process map

Appendix F – Examples of branding used

Appendix G – Summary of meeting content, observations, recommendations

Throughout the four meetings, the Group reviewed the various elements of the GWCS, experiences from other councils and the options moving forward.  At the final meeting the Group formulated its recommendations, which were set out in Section 4 of the report.  Subject to the approval of the recommendations, officers would then develop an Implementation Plan.

The Committee considered the report in detail and asked a number of questions to which comprehensive responses were provided.

In particular the Committee discussed the proposed increase to £43, and questioned why the Group decided not to go with an increase to £45.  In response members were informed that the Group had considered the size of the uplift, and felt a 12% increase to £45 would not be acceptable to customers.  The aim of providing the service was to ensure that it was financially self-supporting and not making large surpluses.

In response to a question raised regarding whether Suffolk County Council could increase fees, members were informed that the Council had an arrangement with SCC for a five-year period. The only variable would be gate fees and the number of subscribers to the scheme, hence why the Group was proposing an annual review of the fees as part of the budget setting process.

Councillor Mike Chester then moved the recommendation, this was duly seconded by Councillor Richard Rout, and with the vote being 7 for and 1 abstention, it was:

          RECOMMENDED: 

That the recommendations, as set out in Section 4 of Report No: OAS/SE/18/031, be approved by the Shadow Executive (Cabinet).

[Councillor Margaret Marks left the meeting at 5.05pm following the vote taking place].