Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Place Services.

That the revised Dorset Waste Strategy be approved.

Reason for the decision

To ensure that the strategy remains a valid, high-level document which would provide a framework for future decisions regarding waste management in Dorset.

The Head of Service for Commercial Waste and Strategy presented the report and set out the reasons for the review of the strategy. It was noted that the strategy had been considered and endorsed by the Place and Resources Overview Committee.

The strategy confirmed the strategic vision and framework for how the council would deal with waste in Dorset in the longer term, but also focused on the actions that would be undertaken over the next 5 years due to the significant legislative changes that were anticipated in that timeframe.

In response to a comment regarding landfill and the burning of waste, members were reminded that policy objective 3 aimed to ensure that residual waste treatment considered the waste hierarchy and cost in maximising the value recovered from waste in terms of resources and energy.

In response to a question regarding cross boarder household recycling centres (HRC’s) relationships, the Head of Service for Commercial Waste and Strategy confirmed that once the strategy was in place, HRC’s was one of the workstreams that would be focused on, including them being fit for purpose and their wider infrastructure.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr R Biggs

Decision

That the revised Dorset Waste Strategy be approved.

Reason for the decision

To ensure that the strategy remained a valid, high-level document which would provide a framework for future decisions regarding waste management in Dorset.

To consider a report of the Head of Service for Commercial Waste and Strategy.

The committee considered a report of the Head of Service for Commercial Waste and Strategy, which presented the Dorset Council Waste Strategy to set out the strategic vision and framework for how the council would deal with waste in Dorset in the longer term, but with a focus on actions over the next 5 years due to the significant legislative changes anticipated.

Councillors reviewed the issues arising from the report and during discussion the following points were noted:

·       Link with the review of fleet requirements

·       Acknowledgment of future challenges from changes in legislation and a request that councillors be kept informed

·       Reference to fly tipping and action being taken in this area linking in with the Police and Crime Commissioner

·       A suggestion was made that, in respect of tackling issues with commercial waste in holiday lets, there could be a link with parish and town councils for notifying where premises were

·       Issues raised regarding missed bin collections and the implications of road closures on collection rounds

·       Engagement would be undertaken with ward members ahead of any changes to collection routes

·       There would be a future review of household recycling centres (HRCs) across the council area and this would include engagement with councillors

·       Further work was required in respect of policy objective 4 – Develop and enhance a network of local waste management facilities that enables Dorset to collect, deliver, store, transport and treat waste efficiently and effectively

·       The infrastructure for waste management represented a key challenge which linked to a wider depot review and the strategic asset management programme

·       How HRCs outside of the Dorset Council area were reflected in the council’s strategy was raised

·       It was noted that the Waste Strategy was the high-level document that other work streams such as the HRC Strategy sat underneath

·       An assurance was sought in respect of the importance of HRCs within the council’s strategy in this area.

Recommendation to Cabinet

That the revised Dorset Waste Strategy be approved.