Agenda item

To consider a report on progress in the delivery of the re3 Joint Waste

PFI Contract and the re3 Strategy and to receive a presentation from Hampshire Services on the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan for Central and Eastern Berkshire.

The Board received a presentation from Ilina Todorovska, Hampshire Services on the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan for Central and Eastern Berkshire – 2036 and the links to Re3 work.

The Joint Minerals and Waste Plan for Central and Eastern Berkshire were being developed with four of the Berkshire Authorities. These were; Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire Council and The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Slough Borough Council were keeping a watching brief but were not involved in the plan.

The presentation would be circulated to Member’s and Officers after the meeting by Oliver Burt.

As a result of the Members’ questions and comments, the following points were made:

• The call for sites was issued in the 13 March 2017 and would end on 5 May 2017.
• If sites weren’t submitted in the call for sites, then sites would need to be sought and landowners convinced to put sites forward.
• The timeline was fluid but the plan needed to be adopted by all four Councils by 2020.
• West Berkshire Council had already undertaken some work previously on the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan and were slightly ahead of the other Authorities.
• The plan would project future transport links across Central and Eastern Berkshire.
• Members raised concerns about the financial contributions to the Plan.
• There were links to Governments Policy on recyclable packaging such as tetra packs; the Government had more ability to set UK policy on packaging.
• It was hard to predict the changes that could occur due to Brexit.
• The national trends for waste indicated that there would be an increase in the future.
• The increase in tonnage linked to the increase in housing within the Boroughs.
• Concerns were raised about the lack of cycling facilities available in flats. This is something that needed to be conditioned at Planning stage of the developments.
• Hampshire had three incineration sites which had been developed in partnership between Hampshire County Council and the private sector.
• All Local Authorities had a duty to co-operate with exporting minerals.
• There were small pockets of land at Smallmead and Longshot Lane that could be identified in the call for sites.
• Councillor Angus Ross was the Chair of the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan Board. Councillor Mrs Hayes MBE also sat on the Board and Oliver Burt attended representing re3. Any comments, questions or concerns from the JWDB could be fed in to Joint Minerals and Waste Plan Board through these channels.

The Joint Waste Disposal Board received a report briefing them on the progress in the delivery of the re3 Joint Waste PFI Contract and the re3 Strategy.

re3 were aiming to be more self sufficient with planning underway to ensure that Oxfordshire would take less waste from 2031.

‘Black bag’ recycling had been introduced as part of the changes at Recycling Centres during 2016, with staff intercepting waste bags before they were deposited over the wall for disposal. These bags are taken aside and opened with any items that can be recycled treated accordingly. There were performance differences at the two sites and a report would be brought to the next JWDB in July to outline any steps that could be taken to improve recycling at the sites.

In January 2017 a formal Change Notice had been submitted to the contractor requiring the contractor to consider and propose processing plastic pots, tubs and trays.  A number of trials were underway and due to conclude in May.  A report from Officers was proposed for the next meeting of the JWDB in July updating the Board on the conclusion and outcomes of the trials.  Any changes could result in Council investment as there may be a need for a change of facilities to process the Pots, Tubs and Trays. There would be a 60/40 share in any revenue which would be reflected in the business case. 

Members’ emphasised that the contractor’s proposals needed to look at future changes to ensure any implemented changes were fit for purpose over the long term, not just in 2017.

RESOLVED that:

1. Members note the content of this report.

2. Members request the proposed future reports be added to the agenda for the next Joint Waste Disposal Board meeting.