Cotswold District Council - Agenda item - Waste and Environment

Purpose

This report sets out a package of waste and recycling service design options to support a cohesive, compliant, and efficient approach to service delivery. It enables Cabinet to consider the removal of some services alongside the introduction and simplification of others, recognising that reductions in recycling income can be mitigated by reduced operating costs and operational efficiencies.

The report describes the rationale, impacts and risks associated with:

· demobilising the Council-provided bring bank service;

· introducing kerbside collections of Plastic Bags and Wrapping in line with Simpler Recycling requirements, including the proposed approach to resident presentation of material; and

· moving to the combined collection of paper and card to simplify collections and improve operational resilience.

Recommendations

That Cabinet resolves to:

1. Agree to the withdrawal of the bring bank service.

2. Agree to the proposed approach for how residents will present the new recyclable plastics at the kerbside (i.e. in a tied, self-supplied, single-use sack).

3. Agree to a reduction in the size of the standard issue refuse bin (from 180 litre to 140 litre) on a replacement/phased basis.

4. Agree to the new arrangement for the combined collection of paper and card.

5. Notes the financial implications.

6. Grant delegated authority to the Director of Communities and Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment & Regulatory Services to take the required steps to implement the recommendations above. In terms of timeline: The withdrawal of the bring sites would take place within this financial year, with savings realised at the start of next year; The collection of additional plastics (plastic bags and wrapping) is planned in line with the requirement of Simpler Recycling i.e. to be in place by 1 April 2027. The reduction in the standard bin size would occur at the same time; A shift to mixing paper and card would occur when replacement recycling vehicles start to be used on the collection services.

The purpose of the item was to set out a package of waste and recycling service design options to support a cohesive, compliant, and efficient approach to service delivery. The report had been produced to enable Cabinet to consider the removal of some services alongside the introduction and simplification of others, recognising that reductions in recycling income can be mitigated by reduced operating costs and operational efficiencies.

Councillor Andrea Pellegram, Cabinet Member for Environment and Regulatory Services, introduced the report and explained that the proposed changes were required to inform the specification of the Council's new waste collection vehicles and to align future service provision with legislative changes, including the introduction of Simpler Recycling requirements from 1 April 2027.

Cabinet was advised that the recommendations would remove the remaining Bring Bank sites across the district, as the materials collected at those sites were now largely collected through the kerbside recycling service. The changes would reduce operational costs, address issues associated with fly-tipping and misuse of facilities, and were not expected to adversely affect residents' ability to recycle.

The Cabinet Member further explained that the Council proposed to introduce a collection service for plastic bags and wrapping from April 2027 without issuing additional containers initially, as modelling indicated that uptake would be limited in the early stages. The arrangements would be monitored and reviewed alongside approaches adopted by other Gloucestershire authorities.

Cabinet was also advised that paper and card collections would be combined into a single recycling stream to simplify the service for residents and reflect changes in the composition of recyclable materials.

In addition, it was proposed that the standard residual waste bin size for new properties and replacement bins would be reduced from 180 litres to 140 litres, reflecting the district's strong recycling performance. Existing bins would not be replaced as part of this change.

Reference was made to comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had emphasised the importance of a comprehensive communications plan to support residents through the changes and to minimise any unintended consequences, particularly following the removal of Bring Bank facilities.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Andrea Pellegram and seconded by Councillor Juliet Layton.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1. Agree to the withdrawal of the Bring Bank service.

2. Agree to the proposed approach for how residents would present the new recyclable plastics at the kerbside (i.e. in a tied, self-supplied, single-use sack).

3. Agree to a reduction in the size of the standard issue refuse bin (from 180 litre to 140 litre) on a replacement/ phased basis.

4. Agree to the new arrangement for the combined collection of paper and card.

5. Note the financial implications.

6. Grant delegated authority to the Director of Communities and Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment & Regulatory Services to take the required steps to implement the recommendations above.

Voting record:

7 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.

Councillor Dale, attending virtually, was not eligible to vote.

The purpose of the item was to set out a package of waste and recycling service design options to support a cohesive, compliant, and efficient approach to service delivery. The report had been produced to enable Cabinet to consider the removal of some services alongside the introduction and simplification of others, recognising that reductions in recycling income can be mitigated by reduced operating costs and operational efficiencies.

Councillor Andrea Pellegram, Cabinet Member for Environment and Regulatory Services, introduced the report and explained that the proposed changes were required to inform the specification of the Council's new waste collection vehicles. They would represent a significant investment by the authority, and align future service provision with legislative changes, including the introduction of Simpler Recycling requirements from 1 April 2027. She noted that the proposals also provided an opportunity to review a number of legacy service arrangements and ensure that the Council's waste and recycling services remained efficient, sustainable and cost-effective.

Cabinet was advised that the recommendations would remove the remaining Bring Bank sites across the district, as the materials collected at those sites were now largely collected through the kerbside recycling service. The changes would reduce operational costs, address issues associated with fly-tipping and misuse of facilities, and were not expected to adversely affect residents' ability to recycle.

The Cabinet Member further explained that the Council proposed to introduce a collection service for plastic bags and wrapping from April 2027 in response to new legislative requirements. It was proposed that no additional containers would be issued initially, as modelling indicated that uptake would be limited in the early stages and issuing containers to all households could create unnecessary waste. The arrangements would be monitored and reviewed alongside approaches adopted by other Gloucestershire authorities.

Cabinet was also advised that paper and card collections would be combined into a single recycling stream to simplify the service for residents and reflect changes in the composition of recyclable materials, particularly the increasing proportion of cardboard within the waste stream. The changes would initially utilise the Council's existing recycling containers and would not result in additional collection costs.

In addition, it was proposed that the standard residual waste bin size for new properties and replacement bins would be reduced from 180 litres to 140 litres, reflecting the district's strong recycling performance and reduced reliance on residual waste capacity. Existing bins would not be replaced as part of this change.

Reference was made to comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had emphasised the importance of a comprehensive communications plan to support residents through the changes, particularly in relation to the introduction of plastic bags and wrapping collections and the removal of Bring Bank facilities. The Committee had also highlighted the need to minimise any unintended consequences and ensure that residents were aware of the alternative recycling options available.

There were no questions for clarity, so the chair moved to the debate.

Members debated the item and made the following points:

· Members welcomed the report and commended officers and the Cabinet Member for the thorough analysis undertaken in developing the proposals.

· Clarification was sought regarding the future treatment and recycling of plastic bags and wrapping, with discussion focusing on the capacity of the recycling industry to process the material and the importance of ensuring suitable end markets were available.

· Members discussed the proposed co-mingling of paper and card and emphasised the need for clear guidance to residents on how materials should be presented to minimise contamination and weather-related issues.

· Support was expressed for the phased reduction in residual waste bin sizes, noting that the change would apply only to new properties and replacement bins and would reflect the district's strong recycling performance.

· Members acknowledged the rationale for removing Bring Bank facilities, recognising that the service was no longer widely required due to the availability of comprehensive kerbside recycling collections.

· The importance of effective communications was reiterated to ensure residents understood the changes and how to continue recycling materials appropriately.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Andrea Pellegram and seconded by Councillor Juliet Layton.

Voting record:

7 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstentions.

Councillor Dale, attending virtually, was not eligible to vote.

Agenda item

Waste and Environment - Service Design Options

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