Agenda and minutes

Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.

There were none.

To propose new waste policies required to implement the new waste collection delivery model (report of the Director of Communities enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Communities which proposed new Waste Policies required to implement the new waste collection delivery model.

The Director of Communities, the Assistant Director – Neighbourhoods, the SELCP Group Manager – Waste and Fleet Services and the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services attended for this item.

The Assistant Director introduced the report and provided the panel with the legislative context, including the Environment Act 2021. Members were reminded that a new waste service delivery model for South Holland had already been approved in 2025 to meet the legislative changes. Appendix A set out strategic commitments, statutory responsibilities, 18 proposed new waste and recycling collection policies and governance information. Appendix B outlined a comparison with current policies.

Members considered the report and made the following comments against each proposed policy in turn, as outlined at point 3 of Appendix A:

3.1 Waste Collection

• Members were satisfied with this policy as written however one member suggested that communications reflect that that the Council decision to implement bins as the default receptacle, was not mandated by legislation.

3.2 Waste collection provision

• Members discussed the provision of kitchen and kerbside caddies for the weekly food waste collection, including the issue of liners. It was noted that a starter roll of 52 liners per household would be provided at roll-out. Views were expressed that ongoing provision of liners would drive participation and hygiene, with suggestions to allow residents to purchase additional liners if needed and for the Council to consider retailing extra rolls. Members ultimately agreed that the Council should endorse an ongoing provision of liners without an initial trial.

• Members debated whether the policy should require all food waste placed into the kerbside caddy to be bagged; some members supported a mandatory requirement, while others favoured encouragement rather than compulsion due to enforcement practicality.

• Some members suggested that the availability of 180L bins would be more appropriate for some households which may also reduce the need for some assisted collections.

 3.3 Bank Holiday collections and collection days

• Members noted the proposal to collect on Bank Holidays, with exceptions over the Christmas period (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) and sought assurance regarding staff consultation and remuneration for Bank Holiday and Saturday working, and the need for clear resident communications.

3.4 Properties exempt from bin collections

• Members discussed the circumstances under which properties may be exempt from wheeled bins, such as taking bins through a room, insufficient storage space, or where bins would be stored on the highway. 
  • The Assistant Director emphasised that exemptions would not be a matter of choice; residents would be required to accept the most suitable alternative arrangement offered by the Council. Where sacks were provided, these would be issued to match the capacity of the equivalent bin provision, ensuring fairness and supporting the Council’s aim to reduce waste.

• Members queried how the Council would ensure that waste was reduced rather than simply compacted, noting concerns that limiting capacity might  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

There were none.