Agenda item

1.     Depot and Transfer Facility

 

The Head of Waste and Recycling provided details to Members in relation to the proposed new layout for the depot. Members were requested to consider approving specific elements of the plan that were required in order for the plans to proceed. There areas that required approval were:

 

•           Procurement for new weighbridge

•           Procurement for structural building changes to large shed

•           Procurement for storage bays and sorting equipment

•           Submit changes for Planning Approval (Planning will be determined by NBC)

•           Submit changes to the Waste Permit for approval to the Environment Agency (EA)

 

It was anticipated that all changes to the depot will be in place by early 2016.

 

Members queried whether officers were looking at procuring a sonic weighbridge which would take up less space. Officers confirmed that this was one of the options that was currently being considered and that any weighbridge decided upon would need to be capable of managing the largest type of vehicle on the road.

 

Resolved:

 

a)         That Officers implement the operational and structural changes to Knutton Lane depot within the capital envelope agreed by the Cabinet.

 

b)         That Officers provide required updates to the Panel at subsequent meetings.

 

2.     Staffing

 

Following the report undertaken by the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) regarding the new service, there were a number of staffing related changes that would be required prior to start of the service change. These changes included the TUPE transfer in of staff from the current recycling service contractor to the Council and secondly changes to staff terms and conditions to support new service.

 

Members requested that any issues relating to TUPE be reported to Members as soon as they arise.

 

Resolved:

 

c) That Officers continue to develop and work through the project plan for the transfer in of Acumen staff.

 

d) That Officers provide regular updates to the Panel of progress with this and highlight any delays that may occur.

3.  Changes to in-house staff terms and conditions

 

In order to deliver the predicted revenue savings from the new service, there would need to be a number of changes to staff terms and conditions. It was important that these changes were made to enable efficiencies to be delivered. A summary of changes required were as follows:

 

•           Change from the current 4 day operation to 5 day operation. This reduces the working day from 9.25 hours to 7.4 hours. This will support efficiency in vehicle management and improve safety of staff.

 

•           Introduction of flexible start times ongoing between6am to 7am. This will reduce the number of vehicles leaving and returning to the depot at the same time; improve the operation of the waste transfer facility and increase safety.

 

•           Review of Christmas and Bank Holidays working arrangements to ensure that the service can operate during these times with the minimum disruption to residents.

 

Resolved:    

 

e) That Officers commence a consultation process with staff and trades unions to ensure that they are fully engaged with changes to terms and conditions to support the service changes as detailed above. It is planned to consult on these changes in April 2015 as agreement is required prior to developing new collection rounds.

 

 

4.            Recycling Collection Vehicles

 

Within the report undertaken by WRAP, consultants for WRAP had looked at the number of collection vehicles required for the service.

 

Based on a 5 day collection service, the service would require 13 operating vehicles for the collection of recyclate on a weekly basis and 1 operational spare. Therefore a total of 14 vehicles would need to be purchased. It was noted that additional vehicles would be required if the change from a 4 day working week to a 5 day working week was not implemented.

 

Resolved:

 

f) That Officers develop specification and procurement documents to ensure that orders for vehicles can be placed by July 2015.

 

g) That Officers report the outcome of the procurement exercise prior to orders for the fleet being placed.

 

 

 

5.  Communications

 

At the last meeting, the Panel had been presented with a Service Change Identity Document. The document challenged the Council’s current branding for the service in terms of container colouring, design of icons and resident information.

 

The views of the Cabinet Panel were sought in respect of whether the Council should change from the currently service iconology and move to revised iconology.

 

The decision on the colours for each box would be required by September 2015, however at this stage, consideration was being given to whether the boxes should be blue, green and black or blue, green and red.

 

Members did express some concern regarding the rolling out of the smaller bins. Officers agreed that a further briefing would be sent out to members explaining the situation in order to help educate the public further regarding what they were able to request from the Council.

 

Members suggested that adverts regarding how to recycle could be put on the side of the vehicles, officers confirmed that this would be looked at once the communications strategy was put into action. Officers also considered whether an update briefing might be useful for elected members and that this could be done at a meeting of the Full Council.

 

Members considered the existing WRAP iconography in relation to alternative icons provided by Officers. Members agreed that the icons needed to be as clear as possible (especially in relation to plastics) and that officers consider updating the current designs.

 

Resolved:

 

h) That Officers develop a communications sub plan for the rolling out of the new service.

 

i) That Officers develop suggested box colours and associated rationale for consideration by the Cabinet Panel at a subsequent meeting.

 

 

Members thanked The Head of Waste and Recycling for a clear and concise resport.