Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs Tickner.

The Chairman welcomed the new Members, Councillors Mrs Hayes and Mrs Tickner, and thanked Councillors McKenzie and North for their previous contributions to the board.

Members are invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests and to state the nature of such interest on any items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To notify the Board of any items of business authorised by the Chairman on the grounds of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business declared.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 28 March 2007.

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 28 March 2007 were accepted by the Board, and signed by the Chairman.

(Project Director)

The Board considered a report which provided an update on project activities since the last meeting on 28 March 2007.

Unfortunately the operation of the Longshot Lane Transfer Station and Civic Amenity Site was not satisfactory over the period covering Easter weekend and the May Day Bank Holiday. WRG Berkshire Ltd (WRG) failed to move the increased volume of waste out of Longshot Lane at the equivalent rate to the deliveries. WRG had failed to heed warnings about preparation for the busy period and this culminated in:

• A backlog of waste at both Transfer Station and Civic amenity Site;
• The Transfer Station being closed to trade waste for a week; and
• Green waste that was destined to be composted at Planners Farm being diverted to an alternative site as the time lag had meant it had decomposed beyond the quality threshold at Planners Farm.

The Board noted that a new member of staff had been appointed at Longshot Lane site to assist the Operations Manager and that haulage capacity had been increased.

The Project Director had written to the Board of WRG detailing concern over the specific areas of service failure but explained to the Board that the penalties within the contract did not cover this sort of failure.

The Board were reassured that there had been no discernable increase in fly-tipping during the period when trade waste facility was closed and that the build-up of waste had not been a factor in the long queues during this period. It was noted that the planning conditions for the new facility included the installation of a web cam and the requirement to create plans on how to manage queuing and co-ordination this information on all three authority’s websites. It had been proposed that information regarding progress of the Longshot Lane site refurbishment would be kept updated on the front page of the Bracknell Forest Borough Council website.

RESOLVED that

i)                    the progress made since the last meeting on 28 March 2007 be noted;

ii)                   the Board agreed to receive a further report on communications at the next JWDB meeting ; and

iii)                 the Chairman of the Board would write to WRG expressing the concern and dissatisfaction with performance over this period and asking for clarification on plans to cope with the next anticipated increase in demand.

(Project Director)

The Project Manager updated the Board on progress of the project. Since the last Board meeting the joint venture between Earthtech and Clugston had continued to make significant progress in the construction of the Smallmead facility in reading. Most of the concrete work of Phase 1 of the construction was completed and structural steelwork was beginning to be erected.

Unfortunately the company undertaking the civil concrete works had gone into administration however delays had been avoided by the prompt action of the Clugston Project Manager. The construction was 5 weeks ahead of the contract schedule. It was anticipated this would result in a three month overlap of facilities. The Lakeside facility (Grundon) was progressing to programme and should be consuming waste in the second half of next year.

A revised Planning Application for the redevelopment of Longshot Lane had been submitted on 28 March 2007 and subject to finalising appropriate conditions was close to being granted permission.

RESOLVED that the progress made in the areas of the EPC Contract and Planning since the last meeting on 28 March 2007 be noted.

(Project Director)

The Project Manager informed the Board of the joint authority project to produce a new Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy which would be a roadmap for waste policy to cover a 5 year period. Janet Dowlman, Waste and Recycling Manager from Bracknell Forest borough Council, had been successful in securing £45K funding to update the original Strategy which the re3 councils had published in 2002/03. Enviros had been appointed as consultants and were working with waste managers from each re3 council to draft the new Strategy that would take note of the new Waste Strategy for England.

Key points within the Waste Strategy for England 2007 included:

• Incentives for individuals and businesses to recycle waste;
• Following further analysis and consultation, banning land filling of biodegradable and recyclable waste; and
• By 2020, government to reduce its waste arisings by 25% and also use it’s procurement policies to stimulate the marker for recycled products.

It was explained that the underneath the Government’s Waste Strategy the re3 statement would also take into account the Berkshire Waste and Minerals Plan and each authorities waste strategies. It was noted that issues such as incentives would cover under the local remit of collections and each authority would have autonomy on such decisions.

RESOLVED that the new Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy be presented to each authority’s Executive Member or Executive as appropriate prior to public consultation and the collated comments and final strategy be brought back to the JWDB for endorsement and adoption at the next meeting should this be possible.

(Project Director)

The Project Manager informed the Board of a joint authority project on Business Continuity and Emergency Planning for the Joint Waste PFI Contract. Whilst the Contract does foresee the impact of unavailability it does not tie the theory to actual practice. The re3 councils and WRG are intending to create a working protocol that will be owned, updated and tested to prepare for contingencies being put in place.

RESOLVED that

i)                    the work on Business Continuity and Emergency Planning be noted; and

ii)                   the Board agreed to receive a further report on the completion of the project at an appropriate, subsequent meeting.

As part of Item 5 Members had discussed the issues relating to Planners Farm and the recent complaints regarding an odour problem caused by wet green waste. Only the freshest material was being taken to the site but the weather conditions had caused an increase to the smell and impact upon local residents. Environmental Health, the Environment Agency and officers from Bracknell Forest Council had been involved in trying to resolve the problem. Waste had been processed on Friday 15 June to remove the immediate problem but Members were concerned that this could be repeated.

It was noted that Bracknell Forest Borough Council was committed to Planners Farm until 2011 and that while planning and licensing approval existed for the site only an abatement notice could change the way in which it operated. It was also highlighted that the Waste Strategy would require local authorities to deal with green waste locally and this was the only facility in the three authorities. 

Whilst progress was being made to mitigate issues the Board had concerns and supported local Members in their frustration in the situation. The Board urged the Project Director to do as much as possible to keep the situation under control.

The Annual Meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board would be held at 6pm on Wednesday 5 September and would be hosted by Wokingham Borough Council.