Agenda and minutes

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 21 November 2017 were confirmed by the members present and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Anderson, Barrett and Riddick.

Councillor Howard chaired the meeting in the absence of Councillor Anderson.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

There was no public participation.

None.

C Thorpe and E Walker gave a presentation regarding the budget for their service areas.

Councillor Timmis referred to the recycling programs in schools and asked if there had been any thought given to restaurants and businesses who produce a lot of food waste.

C Thorpe said commercial waste recycling has been discussed previously at this committee but currently, the department has to pay to dispose of waste. If the council were to offer commercial waste recycling then a charging mechanism would need to be developed to make sure the council doesn’t lose money. The council has a statutory obligation to provide a commercial waste service.

Councillor Timmis said that sending waste to landfill must have a cost.

C Thorpe said commercial waste does.

Councillor Birnie referred to the provision for comingled recycling in flats and asked if this was as a result of the task and finish group.

C Thorpe said the task and finish group were provided with a number of options.

Councillor Birnie asked if any progress had been made.

C Thorpe said they are currently surveying flats across the borough and a group is being set up with housing and finance as they will be involved in any development work.

Councillor Birnie asked if they had received any feedback from the public.

C Thorpe said tenants were not currently aware of the arrangements.

Councillor Hicks said that C Thorpe had previously mentioned that customers are moving to private companies to provide their commercial waste collections. He asked what they were doing that the council wasn’t.

C Thorpe said that the private companies are not gaining customers for recycling, they are offering a cheaper price to sign customers up and then increasing the cost. He said that a lot of customers return after 12-15 month.

Councillor Timmis asked if the landfill site was in Dacorum.

C Thorpe said it goes to a site in Watford first and is then distributed to other landfill and incineration sites and this is controlled by Herts County Council.

Councillor Timmis asked if the heat generated from incineration is used to produce energy.

C Thorpe said the heat from the food waste is used for energy but not residual.

Councillor Birnie referred to the overhaul replacement of the fleet and equipment in the department. He asked if the washing facilities were a part of this.

C Thorpe said this had already been paid and would be completed this week.

Councillor Birnie asked about the fleet replacement program.

C Thorpe said the department has 25 large refuse vehicles which cost £185,000 each. They are replaced every 5-7 years in line with the capital program.

Councillor Birnie asked if a new vehicle would need to be designed for the flat recycling project.

C Thorpe said they would need more than one vehicle as there are flats all over the borough. It would be a case of route optimising to ensure the best value for money.

Councillor Birnie asked if there was any progress in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 161.

J Doe wanted to add the South West Herts Growth and Transport Plan Consultation by Herts County Council to the work programme with the date to be confirmed as HCC has not issued it for consultation yet. It could either come to the committee or done as a separate member development session.

The committee agreed the work programme.