Issue - meetings

1.    That the draft Project Integra Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Corporate Head of Programme, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery to make minor amendments to the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy prior to final publication by the Project Integra Partnership.

Councillor Tod introduced the report which sought approval of the Project Integra Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy which had been developed in response to the Environment Act 2021.  The issue was considered at the Health and Environment Policy Committee on 19 January 2022 where members were broadly in support of the proposals. 

Councillor Tod summarised the points raised for consideration by Cabinet as follows:

·         suggestion that future reports be more explicit about the carbon impact of proposal;

·         the council should work with its partners to develop actions in response to the 2021 Act as soon as possible;

·         the council should work with relevant voluntary organisations across the district to help educate people to recycle more effectively.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Pearson addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

Agreed that there had been general support for the proposals from the Health and Environment Policy Committee but queried why the Project Integra Strategy had not been submitted for consideration?  Emphasised that the Environment Act 2021 part 3 contained mandatory requirements for local authorities and it would be of vital importance to educate householders as they would be responsible for the primary sorting of recyclable materials. Highlighted the current shortage of facilities for collecting food waste and the need to ensure the next environmental services contract was able to respond to the new Act’s requirements.

The Service Lead – Environmental Services and Councillor Tod responded to comments made including confirming discussions had begun with the Council’s current contractors in preparation.  It was also highlighted that, although the Strategy was not formally submitted to the Health and Environment Committee, the Cabinet report had been published in December and the Strategy was available for all members’ to refer to if they wished.

Cabinet agreed the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RESOLVED:

1.            That the draft Project Integra Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy be approved.

2.            That authority be delegated to the Corporate Head of Programme, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery to make minor amendments to the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy prior to final publication by the Project Integra Partnership.

Decision deferred.

The Leader announced that the item had been due to be considered at the Health and Environment Policy Committee the previous evening, but that meeting had been postponed.  Consequently, it was agreed that this report be deferred to a future meeting of Cabinet to enable it to be considered by the rearranged Policy Committee prior.

RESOLVED:

That the report be deferred.