Agenda item

Melanie Fitzpatrick, Head of Service Waste, Recycling & Neighbourhoods, and Dale Sparks, Head of Service Commercial and Operational Service Support were welcomed to the meeting.

Members were provided an overview of the vision and priorities of the service, and made aware of key staff in the team.  Members noted the continuous efforts to improve service delivery as part of its ethos.

Those present heard of key success in waste collection, which included the rebalancing of grey bin collection rounds, improved communications and engagement, and the implementation of performance dashboards.  In the Central Area 1.92million bin lifts were completed per year with 99.95% right first time (99.7% for assisted bin collections).  96.2% of bin collections were completed as scheduled. Members heard how 53.1% of waste was recycled and 97.6% diverted from landfill.   It was noted that regional and national benchmarking was now being undertaken as part of Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), in order to compare levels of performance.

Members heard of key successes in relation to Neighbourhood Services including asset tagging street bins, improving the grass cutting cycle to 21 days and improved customer online reporting.  Within the Central Area 739 incidents of flytipping had been reported since the start of the municipal year, with 100% cleared within the agreed timescales. 5208 grass plots in the Central Area on average were cut within 21 days.  Within Central Area 78 streets had been cleared of weeds weighing 4.5 tonnes and Members noted that 357 street bins were emptied weekly.

Members noted that the clearing of weeds was focused on principal towns, the town centre and gateway routes. In addition there was also a reactive service which responded to requests.

Those present were provided with examples of the performance data being collected, with an example of fly-tipping being used. This showed hot-spots, the average size of waste collected and the type. Also noted was the procurement of in-cab technology which enables real time reporting of grey bin and street bin collection. Members heard how this type of data would enable greater understanding of issues and allow for more tactical deployment of resources.

As the use of in cab technology was new, it was noted that this would be reviewed at 6 and 12 month intervals in order to measure performance.

Members noted the next steps planned as part of the continuous improvement of the service, which included a Clean and Green Visioning Conference, consideration of delivery models, engaging communities and improving communications.

Questions were raised about missed bins, and Members were asked to notify officers of any bins which were repeatedly missed for further enquiries to be made.  It was noted that if a full street was not collected then this would normally be recorded as a service failure, which could be due to incidents, accidents etc.  Members discussed how in-cab technology could show real time information, but that this was still reliant on human input, so there would need to be mechanisms for residents to report issues to be investigated.  Members raised the inconsiderate placement of bins following emptying and it was noted that this issue was being raised with crews.

Discussions took place about waste processing in Manvers and how this resulted in the small percentages going to landfill.  This included processing food waste.

Members mentioned issues around collection of grass cuttings and leaf waste. Members noted a reactive service was in place to address issues such as this, but officers were looking at identifying priority areas. Members suggested in areas where there were high numbers of elderly or vulnerable, who may slip. It was noted that future planting of trees ought to take account of this.  Members also noted that gritting teams were in place in high priority areas to avoid accidents.

RESOLVED:-

(i)            That thanks be given for the presentation and responses to questions; and

(ii)          That Members continue to work with the service to assist improvement.