RBC ES 29.06.16 Runnymede Borough Council ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE 29 June 2016 at 7.30pm Members of the Councillors J J Wilson (Chairman), I A Chaudhri (Vice-Chairman), Committee present: Mrs L M Gillham, T J F E Gracey, Mrs M T Harnden, B W Pitt, P I Roberts and Miss J K Sohi Members of the Committee absent: Councillors M T Kusneraitis and S M Mackay Councillor Mrs E Gill also attended 103 FIRE PRECAUTIONS The Chairman read out the Fire Precautions. 104 NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP The Group mentioned below had notified the Chief Executive of its wish that the change listed below would be made to the membership of the Committee. The change was for a fixed period ending on the day after the meeting and thereafter the Councillor removed would be reappointed. Group Remove From Membership Appoint Instead Runnymede Independent Councillor D J Knight Councillor Mrs L M Residents’ Group Gillham The Chief Executive had given effect to this request in accordance with Section 16(2) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. 105 MINUTES The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 March 2016 were confirmed and signed as a correct record. 106 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillor M T Kusneraitis 107 BRING SITES: PROPOSED CLOSURE The Committee was advised of (i) the success of the kerbside collection scheme and (ii) the increasing costs overall in maintaining RBC’s Bring Sites. With these factors in mind, the Committee was invited to consider whether or not the Bring Sites in the Borough should now be closed. Currently, there were 32 recycling Bring Sites in the Borough situated as follows: - 66 - RBC ES 29.06.16 Table 1 – List of Bring Sites Site Name Town Wagon & Horses Addlestone Chertsey Cricket Club Chertsey Hare Hill Social Club Surrey ROAB Club Addlestone Egham Social Club Egham Addlestone Leisure Centre Addlestone Egham Leisure Centre Surrey United Services Club Egham St Peters Hospital Chertsey Penton Park Mobile Homes Chertsey Surrey Towers Addlestone Ottershaw Club Ottershaw Abbey Rangers FC Addlestone Moor Chertsey Club Chertsey Royal Holloway Collage Englefield Green Golf Club - Addlestone Addlestone Camping & Caravan Addlestone Bridge Wharf Chertsey Hazelbank Court Chertsey Thorpe Park Chertsey Egham United Services Egham Broadway New Haw New Haw Tesco - Addlestone Addlestone Tesco – Egham (Hummer Road) Egham Sainsbury - Chertsey Chertsey Victoria Pub New Haw Murray Road Ottershaw New Haw Club New Haw Wentworth Golf Club Virginia Water Sainsburys Staines Staines Bourne CP (Closed week ending 17/06/16) Virginia Water Heriot Road CP Chertsey Most of these Bring Sites had been in operation for several years and had been set up at time when the majority of households did not have access to kerbside recycling collection. The materials which could be taken to each of the sites included glass, paper and textiles (site dependant). The need/requirement for banks had last been reviewed in September 2012. At that time, the number of sites had been reduced reflecting the introduction of kerbside co- mingled collection. Currently, over 28,000 of properties in the Borough now had access to the kerbside scheme which, last year (2015/16), had collected more than 7000 tonnes of co-mingled recycling material. Thus, Bring Banks were now under- used with very minimal amounts of tonnage being obtained in comparison. Due to the current market value of the materials collected, the Bring Sites were costing more in terms of clearance costs and street cleansing maintenance than RBC actually - 67 - RBC ES 29.06.16 received in payment from the recycling contractors for the materials collected. Members noted that in 2015/16, street cleansing had re-charged some £18,400 on to recycling for the upkeep (cleaning and clearing fly-tips) of the 33 Bring Sites around the Borough. This would increase by some 2% in 2016/17 to £18,800. This projection, however, did not take into consideration the possible removal of recycling credits due to changes in recycling payments by SCC, as the Waste Disposal Authority, to the Boroughs this Autumn. The removal of recycling credits would drastically affect the overall Bring Site costs by increasing the deficit still further. In addition to these concerns about costs there were other factors. The Bring Sites were also creating environmental health problems associated with rodent infestations and fly tipping. There was also evidence that some traders were misusing the Bring Sites to dispose of their trade waste such as cardboard. With the removal of Bring Banks there was a potential to supply trade contracts with these traders and otherwise reduce misuse of these facilities. In terms of Officer time resources, some 10% of the Recycling Officer’s time was currently spent on the general upkeep, maintaining communications, organising new banks and the reporting of Bring Site data. This time could otherwise be utilised on raising the overall recycling percentage in the Borough, which would have future financial implications, as well as improving liaison with residents’ associations to ensure that all flats had access to a kerbside recycling collection which was both less expensive operationally as well as reducing environmental issues. The potential reduction in fly-tipping and street cleansing demand at the Bring Sites would also provide more time resources for the street cleansing teams that could be applied elsewhere in the Borough. Accordingly, the Committee was therefore asked to consider closing the Bring Sites and for RBC to now concentrate its resources on increasing the kerbside collections still further. During the resulting discussion, Members acknowledged that Runnymede residents were doing a wonderful job of recycling and keeping recyclable materials out of landfill by utilising the kerbside collection service. The removal of these sites would help deter the frequent fly-tipping incidents and the associated environmental health problems thus making a substantial improvement to the character and environment of the affected areas for the benefit of residents. If the Banks were to be removed, Officers would need to ensure that appropriate methods of public notification and consultation took place with residents. A reduction in the number of trips by residents to and from the Bring Sites, whilst possibly small in number, would nevertheless contribute to the Council’s Air Quality Strategy of reducing the number of vehicle movements throughout the Borough. The closure of the Bring Sites would also result in a direct saving to the Council of over £4,000 per annum by the cessation of collection contracts that operated in deficit. It would also remove an unnecessary duplication of service provision to residents resulting in overall improvements of efficiency within the Direct Services Organisation. An amended Recommendation, different to that published in the Agenda report had been tabled. In essence, this had simply proposed a general phased closure programme of Bring Sites to be determined in consultation with the Chairman but with no specified time limit for their closure or reference to geographical location. Several Members did not support this approach and believed that immediate action should take place to close all the Bring Sites as soon as possible. However, Officers advised that appropriate methods of public notification and consultation were first required, and, as ten of the 32 Bring Sites were particularly situated, these required - 68 - RBC ES 29.06.16 prior liaison with residents and other groups respectively. Accordingly, Members proposed that closures should be carried out in two phases with the intention that the Bring Sites in the first phase would be closed within 3 months of the date of this decision with the second phase of 10 sites, listed below, as soon as possible following a further update report to the next meeting of the Environment and Sustainability Committee. Amendments to the tabled Recommendations were then duly proposed, seconded and approved and it was finally - RESOLVED that – i) The phased closure of Bring sites be agreed with concentration on the kerbside collection methods already in situ and to develop recycling collections within flatted development; and ii) authority be delegated to the Corporate Head of Planning and Environmental Services, in consultation with Chairman to agree the final list of Bring sites to be closed in each phase and the appropriate methods of public notification and consultation. Closure shall be carried out in two phases with the intention that the first phase to be closed within 3 months of the date of this decision and the second phase of 10 sites (listed below) as soon as possible following a further update report to the next meeting of the Environment and Sustainability Committee. Table 2 - Phase 2 Sites Penton Park Mobile Homes Mixnams Lane Surrey Towers Garfield Road Camping & Caravan Bridge Road Hazelbank Court Mead Lane Broadway New Haw Tesco - Addlestone Station Road Sainsbury - Chertsey Central C.P. Murray Road Ottershaw Sainsburys Staines The Causeway Heriot Road CP Chertsey (N.B. The full list of 32 sites are set out in the first table above) 108 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1990: ENFORCEMENT OF PART II – WASTE ON LAND A most comprehensive and detailed report advising the Committee of the current legislation was presented for Members consideration. The purpose of the report was to inform Members of recent amendments to Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in relation to the use of FPNs under Sections 33ZA) (fly tipping) and 46A (receptacles for household waste) of the Act. The Council being a waste collection authority, under the Act, had been given additional powers to deal with the Section 33(1)(a) offence of fly-tipping via the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice(FPN). Whilst, the ability of the Council to prosecute persons who failed to comply with the requirements of a Section 46 notice had been removed they had been replaced with a system of written warnings and FPN’s.