Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Economic Development and Transformation introduced the report and advised that the Somerset Waste Partnership were moving towards their new waste contracts. 

Mr Mickey Green, Managing Director of the Somerset Waste Partnership, drew Members attention to the main points in the Business Plan 2019 – 2024.  He advised that a new resource policy was expected from the Government which would make producers responsible for the recyclability of their packaging, rather than council tax payers for disposing of it.  He also provided Members with a power point presentation on the new materials to be collected under Sort-It Plus, the approach to risk sharing with the new contractors and the move to 3 weekly collections of residual waste.

In response to questions from Members, the Managing Director of the Somerset Waste Partnership advised that:-

·         New refuse collection vehicles were not expected until March 2020.

·         Some new housing developments were not being planned with roads wide enough for the refuse vehicles.

·         The Waste Partnership’s developer guidance would be re-circulated to Councils with a request that it be integrated into their Local Plans.

·         It was proposed to work actively with the residents in blocks of flats to encourage more recycling.

·         The Waste Partnership would continue to monitor their budget and the risk around recyclate value and discuss this with their Partner Authorities Section 151 officers.

·         The Waste Partnership had not invested any money in the Avonmouth Resource Recovery Centre but they had an anchor-contract to give them their residual waste.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Chairman thanked the Managing Director of the Somerset Waste Partnership for attending to answer Members questions and the recommendations of the report were confirmed.