Agenda item

(Report of the Operations Manager, Joint Waste Service)

The Chair handed over to the Operations Manager for the Joint Watse Service to introduce the report to provide the Committee with an understanding of the Joint Waste Service’s bulky waste services, as requested highlighting that the report explained the service that is currently provided. And that if Tamworth had ideas about the service these would need to be put to the Joint Waste Board.

The following information was highlighted –

Ø  Last year there were 4831 requests made (2471 from Tamworth).

Ø  Two services – furniture and scrap metal and can be booked up to a month in advance.

Ø  Brings in an income, last year around £90,000.

Ø  Costs £18 per collection and £7.50 per additional item, up to 4 items for furniture, 2 for scrap metal.

Ø  There is a maximum size for manual handling reasons.

Ø  Items must be left outside the property and are collected kerbside.

Ø  Scrap metal is collected in a small van with a tail lift and items are taken to a household waste site or depot and are passed to Staffs County Council to reuse, recycle or dispose of.

Ø  Furniture is collected via the bin lorry and is then taken for incineration along with the residual waste.

Ø  Customer service staff are trained around what we can/cannot collected.

Ø  No data to confirm if the service had contributed to fly tipping if residents were unable to arrange a collection.

Ø  It is a low-cost service as items collected by bin lorries are tied in with collections and van collections are scheduled when they are delivering new bins or bags to properties.

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

1.     Areas where there is a higher proportion of disadvantage tend to have more fly-tipping which could be because of the cost.

Officers agreed that this appeared to be the case and that these areas also seem to have ‘white van men’ operating in these areas. The Officers highlighted the importance of getting the message out to residents to use reputable services

2.     How have the levels been decided, i.e. carpet, rolled up one room, when this size can differ significantly, limits on the number of collections, how can we better utilise the service?

It was confirmed that the levels were set at the beginning of the Joint Waste Service in 2010 and is worth reviewing.

3.     With regards to the scrap metal collections, is there any opportunity for this to be disposed of for an income?

The service receives recycling credit for items taken for recycling.

4.     The amount of ‘fly-tipping’ within properties suggest that residents either can’t afford, be bothered, or are not aware of the service.

Could we look at creating links with local community groups who could help with the removal of goods which could help people with the burden of cost as well as the burden on the service?

The Officer confirmed that this an area that could be explored.

It was noted the service has no jurisdiction over residents leaving furniture in their garden and that this would need to be a multi-service approach between waste, enforcement and environmental teams.

5.     Would it prudent to look at repair shops, which again could link with local groups?

The Officers confirmed that we need to get better as a society at re-using and repairing items, giving examples of this in Burntwood and at Lower Farm recycling centre.

6.     Is there any surplus in the £90k made from the service?

The income from the service contributes towards the costs of running the service.

7.     Clarification around the list of items that can be collected, an example given of being unable to take a suitcase.

The Officer confirmed that some items can’t be taken due to manual handling rules, i.e. American style fridge freezers as the scrap metal vehicle is a one-man crew, however acknowledged that the service did require a review.

8.     Could we look at service where periodically in different areas people could take their bulky items for disposal? This could help in problem areas and where there are properties storing residual waste that is not discovered until a property becomes void.

It was confirmed that Officers had seen this done with skips/bin lorries in different places and this can work with community engagement. There is a cost and does need to involve the County Council around the disposal, it was confirmed that this has been done in Lichfield where community teams have paid a charge for the service, and they have provided a van and staff on a Saturday.

9.     Whether some bulky waste is collected by street scene and therefore is not recognised in any data. It was confirmed that street scene now has a three man team that collect fly-tipped rubbish.

The Committee confirmed that they wished to set up a working group to look further at the issue of bulky waste within the Borough.

No further recommendations were made at this stage.

Councillor Bailey left the meeting at 19:20.