Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Service Delivery

Lead Cabinet members: Councillors Jonathan Dow and Colin Swansborough

(This report contains an exempt appendix. Any discussion of this must take place at item 15 following exclusion of the public.)

(Key decision):

(1) To approve an alternate weekly refuse and recycling collection service as standard across the borough.

(2) To agree to certain areas and dwellings remaining on a weekly refuse collection with operational flexibility to adjust rounds as required.

(3) To authorises the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Place Services and the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, to develop and progress operational plans to ensure new service arrangements are in place for April 2021.

(4) To approve the business case as set out in section 6 and exempt Appendix 4 of the report.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery, regarding proposed adaptations to the waste collection service. The adaptations were proposed to improve the town’s recycling rate and to contribute to meeting the council’s carbon reduction and financial objectives.

Eastbourne’s current recycling rate was 35%, with the government recycling target for local authorities in 2020 set at 50%. Evidence had shown that in many towns where councils collected on an alternate weekly basis, residents recycled more of their household waste.

The council undertook an extensive consultation exercise, asking residents for their views about waste and recycling and that feedback had been invaluable in shaping the new plans for refuse and recycling.

The Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 8 February 2021 recommended that the Council’s communications, including changes to the Waste Service, be made publicly accessible and be provided in an ‘easy read’ format. The Cabinet confirmed that this had already been actioned.

Thanks, were conveyed to officers for their work in producing the report.

Resolved (Key decision):

(1) To approve an alternate weekly refuse and recycling collection service as standard across the borough.

(2) To agree to certain areas and dwellings remaining on a weekly refuse collection with operational flexibility to adjust rounds as required.

(3) To authorise the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Place Services and the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, to develop and progress operational plans to ensure new service arrangements are in place for April 2021.

(4) To approve the business case as set out in section 6 and exempt appendix 4 of the report.

Reason for decisions:

Eastbourne Borough Council’s ambitions for higher recycling rates and increased resource efficiency, alongside helping to meet challenging financial and carbon reduction objectives.