Agenda and minutes

Members are required to declare any personal or prejudicial interests and the nature of that interest, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the minutes of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 12 December 2007.

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 12 December 2007 were accepted by the Board and signed by the Chairman.

It was noted that the Re3 partnership was 10 years old and the Chairman wished to thank all of those who had been involved during that time.

It was also noted that this was Councillor Waite’s last meeting and on behalf of the Board the Chairman thanked him for his contribution and wished him well for the future.

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

There were no urgent items.

(Project Director)

The Project Directot gave a presentation to the Board in recognition of the work of the Re3 partnership over the past 10 years.  In particular the Board noted:

(i)         the partnership was made out of a shared problem where the landfill infrastructure was not sustainable following the local government reorganisation in 1998;

(ii)        the Re3 partnership was formed in 1999 with the contract being signed in 2006.  Drivers for the partnership were the increasing cost of waste treatment and collection, landfill tax escalator, costs of maintaining and increasing performance to achieve recycling and landfill diversion targets, increasing population and increasing awareness about the global environment; and

(iii)       the successes from the partnership had been Smallmead, Longshot Lane and Lakeside Energy from Waste.

(Project Director)

The Board considered a report which provided an update on project activities since the last meeting on 12 December.  The Project Director highlighted the following:

(i)         the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Island Road in Reading had opened on 11 January 2008, 2 months ahead of schedule;

(ii)        construction of Phase 2 at Smallmead was progressing well with the majority of the Material Reclamation Facility building now in place;

(iii)       construction at Longshot Lane was due to commence on 31 March 2008; and

(iv)       the latest projection for 2007/08 indicated a total overspend of just £16,437.

RESOLVED that progress made since the last meeting on 12 December 2007 be noted.

(Project Director)

The Project Director updated the Board on the progress of the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) and Planning since the last meeting of the Board on 12 December 2007:

(i)         work at Longshot Lane was due to commence on 7 April 2008 with the first phase (Transfer Station) finishing around the end of 2008 and the second phase finishing in June 2009.

(ii)        representatives of Prudential were satisfied with the removal of the encroaching earthworks at the flood relief channel alongside the Smallmead development.

RESOLVED that Members noted progress made in the areas of the EPC Contract and planning since the last meeting on 12 December 2007.

(Project Director)

The Board considered a report recommending the endorsement of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy for the three Re3 councils.  The purpose of the document  was to plot a course to achieve statutory targets and the financial and environmental objectives of the PFI contract.  The accompanying Action Plan has been written to reflect the direction in the Government’s Waste Strategy 2007 and identifies the Council’s objectives and steps to be taken to achieve them.

Following discussion by Members it was

RESOLVED that, taking into account any amendments, the current version of the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy including the Action Plan be endorsed and recommended to the individual Councils for formal adoption.

(Director of Corporate Services)

The Board considered a report proposing a schedule of meetings for the municipal year 2008/09.

RESOLVED that meetings of the Joint Waste Disposal Board be held at 6.00pm on the following dates:

·         Wednesday 18 June 2008

·         Wednesday 17 September 2008 (Annual Meeting)

·         Wednesday 17 December 2008

·         Wednesday 18 March 2009