CDW/12/27 Authorities Waste Reduction and Recycling Joint Committee 25 October 2012

Devon Community Composting Network

Report of the Devon Community Composting Network Co-ordinator

Please note that the following recommendations are subject to consideration and determination by the Committee before taking effect.

Recommendation: It is recommended that members approve the proposed budget of £38,346 for 2013/14

1. Summary

This report contains: • An outline of recent activities • Proposed activities for 2013/14 • Proposed budget for 2013/14 (app II)

2. 2012/13 Activities

Composting in Schools 154 schools now have cooked food waste composting equipment in Devon (including and ). Since October, 67 Devon schools have been visited by the DCCN Co-ordinator (and the new Composting Education Assistant from Easter onwards), several more than once, mostly to help with teething problems. On these visits, various activities were undertaken including assemblies, troubleshooting, fixing equipment, training staff, gathering important data and advising on gardening and other waste minimisation activities. See App I for a full list of schools visited.

Cost savings Since the DAWRRC meeting in October 2011 more school cost saving data has been gathered. It is still far from straightforward assessing the benefits in purely financial terms but, for example, the case studies reveal one school, primary reporting savings of £960 per annum after putting in composting and other waste saving measures; College reports saving £410 a year and Whipton Barton £320.

Compost Special The second, and improved ‘Compost Special’, how to start and maintain a food waste composting system in schools, was produced by the Co-ordinator with help from and Resource Futures. It is being sent to named contacts in schools as both a paper and e-mailed PDF copy and on demand to interested schools. It can be downloaded from the home page of the DCCN website www.dccn.org.uk

Community composting In 11/12, 1,941t of green waste was composted by the 20 Community Composting groups in Devon which avoided landfill costs of £174,690 (at £90 p/t).

New Post Melissa Harvey started work after Easter and she has already made herself invaluable. She has packed in over 30 school visits already, produced a Google map to plot visits, designed an e-mail bulletin for schools and created a new PowerPoint assembly for schools.

Conference It was decided not to have a conference this year and instead have a strategy day which will invite representatives from the organisations that currently work in Devon’s schools and are involved in waste, sustainability and gardening. Consequently an event is being held on 9 October at Embercombe to explore ways in which we can work together more effectively and have invited; Food for Life Partnership, Garden Organic, Resource Futures, Devon Gardens Trust, Koru Education and other members from the Devon Education for Sustainability Working Group as well as teachers, head teachers and catering staff.

Junk Mail/website The newsletter for Devon Community Recycling and Composting Networks is produced by Richard Gomme DCRN and Nicky Scott DCCN. Request for paper copies can be made to either co-ordinator or the complete archive can be accessed on line at www.dccn.org under the ‘newsletters’ tab including the ‘special’ school’s compost editions.

Time (visits) with districts (schools in districts mostly) Oct 2011 to Aug 2012

East Devon 8 14 Mid 27 North 33 Plymouth 27 26 31 Torbay 17 Torridge 30 West 21

3. Proposed main activities

DCCN will continue to maintain its core activities of: representing, supporting and informing the community composting in Devon, strategic development, and encouraging partnership working with Local Authorities.

• Quarterly editions of newsletter ‘Junk Mail’. • Continuing to develop schools composting in Devon with the co-ordinator and assistant visiting a target of 20 schools per month. • Developing closer networking with Resource Futures, Food for Life and other organisations working along complementary lines. • Promoting our school’s work to other Local Authorities that are beginning to be interested in developing food waste composting systems. • Update the DCCN website www.dccn.org.uk . • Represent the interests of composting in its links to climate change and associated activities where appropriate, and work with the DCRN co-ordinator in developing opportunities for the Devon Community Networks.

4. Sustainability Considerations

The work of DCCN contributes towards: • waste reduction, in Devon, transforming an often wasted resource into valuable compost. • developing the capacity and expertise of social enterprise and community businesses with environmental, social and local economic objectives • helping every school to become a sustainable school.

• achieving the new Local Authority Performance Indicator N191 for a ‘thriving third sector’. • developing joint strategies and partnership working with Local Authorities. • more sustainable communities with better participation & access to local facilities and services.

5. Equality and Diversity

Community composting is socially inclusive. Composting in schools engages children of all academic abilities, ties in with curriculum and teaches them about life skills.

6. Legal Considerations

The implications of the recommendations and proposed course of action have been taken into account in preparing the report.

7. Options/alternatives

Devon is unique in having a Community composting network and as a consequence has more community groups than any other county and is unrivalled in its pioneering schools work. Without the network there would be no development and support for new schools and community projects.

Nicky Scott Electoral Divisions: All

Local Government Act 1972: List of Background Papers

Contact for enquiries: Nicky Scott – Co-ordinator Devon Community Composting Network: [email protected]

Tel No: 01647 433148, www.dccn.org.uk

Background Paper Date File Ref.

None

ns171012dwr sc/cr/devon community composting network 01 171012

Appendix I To CDW/12/27

List of schools visited – October 2011 to September 2012

School District Marlborough Plymouth Brixington Mount Street Plymouth Broadclyst East Devon Oakwood primary Plymouth Exeter Road East Devon South Hams East Devon Bidwell Brook South Hams East Devon Ermington South Hams West Hill East Devon Newton Ferrers South Hams Alphington Exeter Park School South Hams Stoke Hill Infants Exeter South Hams Stoke Hill Junior Exeter The Erme South Hams Walter Daw Exeter South Hams South Hams Cheriton Bishop Mid Devon South Hams Cheriton Fitzpaine Mid Devon Woodlands Park South Hams Mid Devon Ashburton Teignbridge Mid Devon Canada Hill Teignbridge Haywards Mid Devon Denbury Teignbridge Landscore Mid Devon Doddiscombesleigh Teignbridge Mid Devon Sands Teignbridge Sandford Mid Devon Torridge Spreyton Mid Devon Bradford Torridge Mid Devon Torridge Yeoford Mid Devon Torridge Bishops Nympton Torridge North Devon Holsworthy Primary Torridge Caen North Devon Torridge North Devon Torridge North Devon Gulworthy North Devon West Devon Infants North Devon Whitchurch West Devon Ilfracombe Junior North Devon North Molton North Devon South Molton CC North Devon

South Molton Primary North Devon

Swimbridge North Devon Umberleigh North Devon Brook Green Plymouth Lipson Vale Plymouth

Appendix II To CDW/12/27

DCCN funding proposal 2013-2014

2012/13 2013/14 Salary 14,415 14,417 NI 801 672 Super 2,844 2,847 Training Officers Mileage/travel Expenses 1,100 1,700 Officers subsistence 100 50

DCCN Administrator 50% Costs 3,000 2,200 Office Equipment for Administrator 100 50 Additional post 16 hrs p/w 8,490 8,800 Additional post mileage 1,000 1,000 Additional post equipment 500 60 Grant Money 3,500 3,500 Technical Equipment 100 100 PR/Advertising 100 100 Newsletter 1,400 1,600 Telephone Charges 300 450 Subscriptions 100 350 Annual DCCN/DCRN conference 350 350 Research and Development 100 100

Balance of budget: 38,300 38,346