Agenda item

(Report of the Operations Manager, Joint Waste Service)

The Chair welcomed Steve Gee and Victoria Woodhouse from the Joint Waste Service to introduce the report of the Operations Manager of the Joint Waste Service to provide the Committee a quarterly update of the Joint Waste Service. This is a shared service that Lichfield District Council (LDC) deliver on behalf of both authorities.

The Operations Manager introduced the report and explained for any new Members that this is a legacy report from the Dual Stream Recycling Service. The service was described as a good service that works and key information within the report was highlighted to the Committee as well as the launch of the new recycling campaign.

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

1.     Clarification around the £154,000 overspend.

It was confirmed that the costing model is based around the number of properties and currently sits at a 38%/62% split between Tamworth and Lichfield, therefore £64,000 is Tamworth’s proportion of the overspend.

2.     Whilst the overspend is described as in proportion for the budget, what measures are in place to try to bring that down?

Officers confirmed that this is an ongoing process. The recycling campaign could help reduce costs by reducing the residual waste; rounds can be changed over time, making these as efficient as possible; looking at use of labour; looking at driving styles to increase fuel efficiency as well as looking at contracts and the quality of the product. Some factors cannot be controlled such as global process in places like China and Taiwan which can have an impact on commodity prices.

It was highlighted that it would be helpful to have a plan each year for how this service were looking to keep costs down within the updates.

3.     Are the crew employed by the service?

It was confirmed that it is an in-house operation; Lichfield are the employing agent. There are 88 frontline staffs plus the back-office support. Agencies are used due to fluctuating volumes. Whilst agency volumes are currently higher than they would want they work based on 85% staff and 15% agency.

4.     How much is spent on agency staffs and how the costs compare to an employee, whether it is worth employing more permanent staffs rather than relying on agency staff and whether the quality if affected by agency staff?

This year potential agency costs could be around £500,000. Costs of agency staff against employed staffs is quite equal. The problem with employing more staff is ensuring that in quiet periods there is enough work so there is a balancing act. Whilst employed staffs should be better trained/more reliable etc, many of the agency staff used are long term and it would be difficult to pick out agency from employed staff.  A hidden cost of agency workers can be time for training.

The Committee requested a comparison of the costs for agency against employed staff.

5.     Whether staff could be cross trained to work in other areas such as street scene when the service is quieter?

Whilst multi-skilling makes sense, this would be difficult as the Joint Waste Service is Lichfield and Tamworth whereas Lichfield and Tamworth have their own street scene departments.

6.     Are there any proposals to put in multi-use bins in public spaces such as the castle grounds?

It was confirmed that this sits outside of the Joint Waste Service but that Lichfield have a similar problem, they are trialling recycling at an upcoming event and the data could be shared with Tamworth. It was confirmed that a study was being undertaken around bins in the borough.

7.     Are there any proposals to look at if Tamworth could have its own recycling centre?

Household recycling sites come under Staffordshire County Council.