To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor P Davies declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 5, Waste Services, because he had a family member working at Kier, Tondu.

To receive for approval the minutes of the meeting of the 23/07/2018

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the meeting of Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3 dated 23 July 2018 be approved as a true and accurate record.

The Corporate Director Communities introduced a report advising the Committee in relation to the delivery and performance of the Council’s Waste Services Contract. He explained that since the introduction of the new waste and recycling collection service on 5 June 2017 there had been   gradual yet significant improvement. There were challenges to the service from time to time in isolated locations but officers and the contractors were working closely to overcome them. He explained that responses to the specific questions raised at the last meeting were included in the report and they provided evidence to the improvement in performance. He added that the performance overall was now considered to be consistent with industry standards although he recognised there were some issues not yet fully resolved. He explained that BCBC had previously ranked 21 out of 22 but now BCBC was ranked 2 out of 22. This did not reflect a full years collections and it was anticipated that the recycling rate would be more than 70%. He added that the current level of missed collections was also below the 2016 level.

The Regional Manager for Kier, Mr Maz Akhtar provided some statistics supporting the improvements to the service. He explained that there appeared to be a correlation between requests for containers and households exceeding 2 bags of waste. Requests were higher than in previous years but starting to settle. The Regional Manager reported that call centre volumes were now in line with the original contract and more than 7000 events had been raised on the website since the new system went live. This method was being promoted and a help leaflet had been circulated in June with the calendars.

He explained that there had been a 15% increase in the registration for the absorbent hygiene product service. The uptake for garden waste collection had increased and the online portal had attracted more than 1800 customers. When the statistics for the last three years were analysed, the recent figures were the best to date (apart from a blip in February due to inclement weather).

The Committee noted the rise is the recycling rates following the introduction of the new waste and recycling collection services in June 2017 and thanked the public of Bridgend for embracing and taking part in the new recycling scheme.

A Member referred to garden waste collection and the confusion resulting from two calendars being issued, showing different collection days. The Regional Manager explained that it had been difficult to estimate the take up of the service with more than 650 customers in one area and only 7 in a neighbouring area. Because of this they had had to change the days resulting in a second calendar being issued. The take up would be established earlier next year and this would allow them to plan more effectively.  

Members referred to the specific questions raised at the 22 November 2017 meeting and the responses provided in the report and asked additional questions or for certain points to be clarified.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None