Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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 approve as a correct record the minutes of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 24 February 2010.

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board held on 24 February 2010 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive a presentation on the Re-Use Trial.

The Board received a presentation from Ella Clark, WRG on the Re-Use trial. 

Ella updated the Board on the re-use trial taking place at the recycling centres. She explained that the aims for the trial were to increase the reuse of waste and reduce the amount sent to landfill. Re-usable waste comprised mainly of different household items such as; televisions, vacuum cleaners, game consoles, pictures, bikes and other general bric-a-brac. Some of these items were suitable for refurbishment and could be sold, with local charities being involved in the project.

Ella added that once the trial had been completed a permanent solution would be created. This would include developing relationships with re-use partners, creating an on-line directory and undertaking further publicity. A Community Repaint scheme would also be investigated, linking in a national community repaint network. There were aims to work with The Green Machine and discussions were currently taking place.

The Project Manager  added that a progress report regarding the discussions with The Green Machine would be brought to the next Joint Waste Disposal Board meeting.

The Board thanked Ella for the presentation and the progress being made at the recycle centres.

Action Project Manager

The Project Manager updated the Board on a violent  incident that had taken place at Smallmead between a member of the public and a member of staff. The Project Manager said that there would be a press release regarding the incident explaining the pressures on staff at the sites.

The Board were very concerned to note this incident had happened and deplored behaviour to a member of staff and confirmed that this would not be tolerated.

Action Project Manager

To inform the Board of progress since its last meeting on 24 February 2010.

The Board considered the Project Director’s latest progress report which covered the following topics:

·         Operations and Facilities

·         Finance and Performance

·         Risk Register

·         Use of re3 Facilities by West Berkshire Residents

·         Lakeside Energy from Waste Facility

During the discussion the Board noted that:

·         Waste output from the Lakeside Energy from Waste (EfW) facility with Bottom Ash from the process equivalent to 19% of total inputs is recovered and used in the production of building blocks. The Board requested that information on the ferrous content of Bottom Ash be provided.  Fly Ash forms the equivalent to 3% of total inputs and is sent to a landfill. 

·         A new regime for residents to deposit asbestos would be limited to 2 hours a day, this was due to on-site staff having to wear protective equipment and would not have to repeatedly get changed into this.

·         Works would begin in July for improvements to the fire detection and prevention systems at Smallmead MRF.

·         Draft amendments were being made to the PFI Project Agreement in relation to the approval of the proposed procurement by DEFRA.

·         There had been an under-spend for the project of £940,000 for 2009/10.  Reasons for this included; a fall in waste tonnage, recycling and composting under forecasted, a low inflation rate, and a reduction in the estimated business rates cost.

The Board discussed what would happen if the overall waste tonnage fell below 190,000 tonnes and requested that the Project Director brief the Waste Board on the implications.  The Board also requested that a break down of consultancy costs be provided  to the Waste Board.  

It was noted that the budget for 2011/12 was being drafted and this would be brought to the next meeting.

The Board also discussed the use of re3 facilities by West Berkshire residents, an update regarding the matter would be brought to the next meeting.

RESOLVED that

1          Progress made on the Project since the meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board on 24 February 2010 be noted.

2          That information be provided on the ferrous content of Bottom Ash from the Lakeside Energy from Waste facility be provided.

3          The Project Director provide details of implications  of the overall waste tonnage falling below 190,000 tonnes.

4          That further details, regarding  consultancy costs, be reported to the Board. .

5          That the Project Director bring the draft budget proposals for 2011/12 to the next meeting.

6          An update regarding the use of the re3 facilities by West Berkshire residents be brought to the next meeting.

To note the performance of the re3 councils for 2009/10 and the action plans for 2010/11.

The Board considered a report on the performance of the re3 councils for 2009/10.

The Project Manager  informed the Board that there had been a reduction in waste and that  could result in financial implications.  The tonnage of refuse collected by the Councils had fallen on average by 3.3% and for mixed dry recyclables (MDR) by 6.3%.  Influencing the performance levels included contamination of MDR and rejections at the Material Reclamation Facility (MRF) at Smallmead.  The Project Manager  added that the contractor would be undertaking a trial to test the MRF rejections and determine whether  recirculation could be introduced.  It was noted that further information regarding the MRF trial would be brought to the next Joint Waste Disposal Board meeting.

Action - Project Manager

The National Indicator (NI) targets gave percentage details for the re3 Councils during 2009/10 on the waste per household; reuse, recycling and composting; and municipal waste landfilled. The Project Manager reported that, both in performance and financial terms, the focus for the future should be on less landfill and more recycling.

The performance of the re3 councils for 2009/10 and improvement plans for 2010/11 were discussed and outlined as follows;

Bracknell Forest – Results were below target for waste, with recycling at 37.05%.  The percentage of landfilled waste had dropped due to the use of energy from waste plant in Colnbrook.  During 2009/10 campaigns and events had taken place with articles in local papers, and road shows promoting and educating the public on waste issues.  This work would continue in 2010/11 with focus on badly performing areas and promotion of recycling, reuse and waste minimisation.

Reading – The amount of residual waste per household had exceeded the target and winter  weather had an affect on the amount of waste recycled and reused.  During 2009/10 the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign had been promoted alongside recycling events and activities.  Extra bottle banks and battery collection points had been established across the community, and work had taken place with students at the University of Reading which would continue into 2010/11.  Future activities would include focus on contamination, collection rounds reorganisation, target of poor performing areas, and redesign of the website to link postcodes to recycling opportunities.

Wokingham – There had been a reduction in residual waste per household and a reduction in  the amount of waste sent to landfill.   Work had taken place in promoting the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign, and there had been continued talks and visits to community groups to promote recycling.  Participation with the collection contractor to address contamination had been undertaken.  A ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ card scheme would be developed to address recycling and contamination. Future work would continuing in promoting waste minimisation and increased recycling.

The Board discussed ways to promote recycling with focus on education and promotion.  It was suggested that food waste could also be considered, it was noted that this had previously been investigated but was deemed too costly.  However ongoing work was being reviewed regarding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

To note the progress to review the recommendations of the three internal audits carried out on the re3 Joint Waste PFI to date.

The Board considered a report on the three internal audits undertaken on the re3 Joint Waste PFI.  The first audit was undertaken by Reading Borough Council in 2008, by Wokingham Borough Council at the end of 2008 and then by Bracknell Forest in March 2010.

The Project Manager informed the Board that three of the fourteen recommendations from the audits had not yet been addressed however these would be dealt with by the Joint Waste Disposal Board at the AGM in September 2010.

The Board discussed the report and noted that the terms of reference would be updated.  It was noted that future audits would be undertaken by all three councils at the same time.

RESOLVED that

1          The progress made in responding to the recommendations from the three audits carried out on the re3 Joint Waste PFI to date be noted.

2          The Internal Audit Teams from the re3 council investigate both the potential for future audits to be undertaken together and the principles by which they will be undertaken, as described within the report.  The findings would be presented to the Joint Waste Disposal Board at the 2010 Annual General Meeting.

To note the shared services proposals.

The Board considered a report regarding the potential process involved in the consideration of a shared waste collection service for the re3 councils.

The report outlined a suggestion for one contract for the three councils, for the collection of waste, which would be able to take effect from 1 April 2019.  The Council would need to agree on any changes to service and implement these changes in stages.

It was noted that Bracknell Forest were currently engaged in the tender process for their new refuse collection contract. Information received as part of that process could inform future discussion on this topic.

The Project Manager  said that further information regarding the contract would be investigated and brought to a future meeting.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted and that Officers update the Members at a subsequent meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board.

To consider the following motion:

That pursuant to Regulation 21 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) Regulations 2000 and having regard to the public interest, members of the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of item 11 which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information under the following category of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

(3)       Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person.

That pursuant to Regulation 21 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) Regulations 2000 and having regard to the public interest, members of the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of item 11 which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information under the following category of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

(3)        Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person.

To note the updated Risk Register.

The Board noted the exempt information detailed in the Risk Register.

The dates of the next Joint Waste Disposal Board meeting are -

21 September 2010 - AGM

21 December 2010

22 March 2011