Agenda item

Joint Waste Disposal Board Project Update

To receive an update on progress since the last meeting of the Joint Waste Disposal Board.

Minutes:

The Green Machine’s Dawn Cannon, provided the Board with an update on the performance of Green Machine, the Community Repaint Scheme.  It was noted that the Green Machine had only received notification of its underperformance in October 2012 and that  since the notification had been received the number of collection visits made to the Household Waste Recycling Centres had been increased.  As a result more paint was now being collected and staff were working to build up relationships with the site staff.  Monthly performance figures were also being requested to ensure that performance was fully monitored and it was stressed that the Service had only been operational on a practical level for the past six months.  The Board noted that there had been issues with rubbish being left in the paint collection bins and officers were instructed to look into the matter.

 

The Green Machine now had a good stock of paint and were working to market its availability to organisations and the general public.  At the current time, the distribution outlet in Bracknell was the only distribution centre and Green Machine aspired to have outlets in both Reading and Wokingham. 

 

The Board stressed that they were supportive of Green Machine’s operation and were keen to see them contribute a saving to the Councils.  It was agreed that officers would help Green Machine develop a pr and marketing plan and that the Green Machine would be asked to the Board’s march meeting to discuss this in more detail.

 

The Board received a report providing an update on progress made since its last meeting on 2 October 2012.   The report included an update on Environment Agency guidance on street sweepings and gully emptying, the results of the 2012 Transfer Station User Satisfaction Survey of Council Crews ands the development of the re3 Waste Strategy.

 

It was reported that as part of the Environment Agency’s Street Sweepings Trial.  

leaf litter samples would be collected from each local authority area and sent for analysis to a ascertain the levels of contaminants in them and whether they were suitable for composting.

 

The Board expressed concern that the percentage of Council dustcart drivers who thought that the 20 minute turnaround policy was insufficient had risen to 14% in the User satisfaction Survey, compared to 3% in 2010, and that anecdotal evidence suggested that waits of 30 minutes or more were not uncommon.  The Board acknowledged that officers were trying to resolve this issue but stressed that the core of the Council service provided the core part of the contract and that council dustcarts should be given priority.  It was agreed that officers would draft a letter to FCC setting out the Board’s concerns and FCC would be invited to the Board’s March meeting to  discuss the matter in more detail.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

  1. Green Machine be asked to the Board’s March meeting to discuss the operation of the Community Repaint Scheme
  2. Officers to investigate issues with non-paint rubbish mixed into paint recycling collection point
  3. Officers be instructed to draft a letter from the Chairman to FCC setting out their concerns arsing from the User Satisfaction Survey

 

Supporting documents:

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk