Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

24/JW

Minutes of Last Meeting pdf icon PDF 157 KB

To confirm as being a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Collection Services Committee held on 1st December 2022.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Waste Collection Services Committee held on 1st December 2022 be approved as being a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

25/JW

Declaration of Interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

26/JW

Quarterly Performance Report pdf icon PDF 369 KB

To consider a report summarising the recycling performance of the partner authorities during the third quarter (September to December 2022) of 2022/23.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report summarizing the position of the joint contract in respect of recycling and operational performance at the end of the third quarter (October to December 2022) of the 2022/23 financial year.

 

It was reported that across the joint contract area there had been decreases in tonnages of three of the main material types monitored (Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR), food and residual waste), a trend that was reflected across all Surrey authorities.  The suspension of the garden waste service during 2022 continued to impact on rolling annual tonnages however a comparison of monthly data for December 2022 and December 2021 showed that garden waste tonnages had returned to seasonally normal levels in all partnership areas.  The following key data for each partner area was noted:

 

Tonnages collected as at December 2022 (Rolling rate year on year comparison)

 

DMR

Food Waste

Garden Waste

Residual Waste

12 month Rolling Recycling rate

Elmbridge

-13%

-12.4%

4.9%

-5.9%

52.9%

Mole Valley

-10.8%

-8.6%

-2.6%

-4.6%

54.3%

Surrey Heath

-8.6%

-17.5%

-15.3%

-5.9%

60.4%

Woking

-6.2%

-9.8%

6.4%

-3.9%

53.6%

 

It was confirmed that no specific causes could be identified in respect of why waste tonnages were currently lower than they had been before the pandemic restrictions.  There was anecdotal evidence to suggest increasing pressures on the budgets  was impacting on people’s decisions and this could influence the levels of waste being generated.  The impending introduction of the packaging tax was thought to be another potential contributory factor as manufactures started to change the way products were packaged ahead of the legislation’s introduction.

 

The Committee noted the report.

 

27/JW

Amey Contract Improvement Update

To receive a presentation from Amey on the work taking place to meet the aims and objectives set out in the Contract Improvement Plan.

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation on the progress made by Amey towards achieving the aims, priorities and objectives set out in the contract improvement plan.

 

It was reported that recruitment had stabilised across the contract area and vacancies were now being filled without too much difficulty and a new Assistant Manager had now started at the Woking Depot.  Pay review discussions between Amey employees and the unions were taking place and the outcomes and expectations would be discussed with the GMB on 16th March 2023.

 

Crew performance continued to be monitored and live dashboards were being shared with Depot Managers to enable them to engage with collection crews and encourage improved performance. 

 

Initial discussions had taken place over the possibility of replacing those caged vehicles and road sweepers which were due for renewal with electric vehicles although the final decision would depend on whether the technology and infrastructure was suitable. In addition, the additional weight of the batteries could make vehicle heavy enough to require drivers to have HGV licences to drive them. 

 

It was clarified that the garden waste collections did not have access to any narrow access vehicles, consequently some areas were reliant on the single super narrow 7.5tonne collection vehicle and this was not always readily available. 

 

It was agreed that data pertaining to the numbers and percentages of residents taking up and renewing subscriptions to the garden waste service would be circulated.

 

The Committee commended Amey on their work to improve standards and thanked staff for their work.

28/JW

Quarter 3 (September to December 2022) Budget Update pdf icon PDF 160 KB

To receive a report summarising the budgetary position of Joint Waste Solutions at the end of the third quarter (September to December 2022) of the 2022/23 financial year.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report sumarising the financial position of Joint Waste Solutions (JWS) at the end of the third quarter (October to December 2022) of the 2022/23 financial year.

 

It was reported that the year-end expenditure on the Contract Management Office budget was projected to be £2,154,864 which represented an overall projected underspend of £235,986 against the agreed budget of £2,390,850.  A variance that was attributed to a £94,974 underspend on the salaries budget, a £49,000 underspend on the Legal budget and a £51,036 on the communications budget. 

Due to inflationary pressures, the Core Contract budget was projecting an overspend at the end of the 2022/23 financial year of £329,607.

 

The Committee noted the report.

 

 

29/JW

Additional National Insurance Claim pdf icon PDF 137 KB

To consider a report setting put a claim for the payment of increased National Insurance employer contributions.

Minutes:

The Group considered a report setting put a claim from Amey for funding to cover the increased cost of employers National Insurance Contributions that had been incurred following the Government’s decision to increase these from 13.8% to 15.05% 1st April 2022 until this change was reversed from the 6th November 2022.

 

Amey had calculated these increased costs to be £47,727.24 however they were also claiming a further £5,059.09 as margin.  It was considered that the claim for increased National Insurance costs were claimable however the margin was not.

 

RESOLVED that the claim for increased National Insurance Contributions, but not the additional margin on the costs, be approved.

 

 

30/JW

Additional 2022 Bank Holiday Claim pdf icon PDF 141 KB

To consider a report setting out  acclaim for additional funding to cover the costs incurred due to the creation of additional bank holidays in 2022.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report summarising a claim for funding made by Amey to cover the additional costs incurred due to the additional bank holidays in 2022 which had resulted from the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and the Queen’s funeral. 

 

The first bank holiday had been planned and, in line with the contract, Amey staff had worked the bank holiday in exchange for either double or triple pay and an additional day’s leave.  With regards to the second bank holiday, it had been decided that staff would not work on the bank holiday with the following Saturday being used as a catch up day with staff being paid triple time.

 

It was felt that although Amey had had to pay additional costs due to the bank holiday, they would still have had to pay staff for the day’s work without the bank holiday if the jubilee had not been declared a bank holiday. Consequently, it was considered that only the additional uplift should be claimed for.  Adjusting Amey’s claim by deducting normal salary costs reduced the addition claim from the £174,843.35 originally claimed by Amey to £143,228.27. 

 

RESOLVED that Amey’s claim for increased additional costs resulting from the qualifying change in the law be approved.

 

 

31/JW

Joint Waste Solutions Work Programme 2022/23 Progress Report pdf icon PDF 201 KB

To receive a report summarising the work taking place to achieve the aims and objectives set out in the Joint Waste Solutions Work Programme for 2022/23.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report providing an update on the progress made on individual projects and activities within the Joint Contract Work Programme during the third quarter (October to December 2022) of the 2022/23 financial year.  The following key areas of work included:

 

·         The initiation of a  comprehensive review of the litter and dog poo bins managed by Amey in Elmbridge, Mole Valley and Surrey Heath; work that included reviewing the condition and distribution of bins as well as work to simplify the process for residents to report problems with bins through the use of QR codes.

·         Analysis of food waste collection trials at flatted properties in Surrey Heath was underway with initial outcomes expected at the end of March 2023. A similar trial in Elmbridge was under development.

·         Publication of a Lone Worker Protocol to ensure a consistent approach was taken by all members of staff when working alone.

 

The Committee noted the report.

32/JW

Joint Waste Solutions Draft Work Programme 2023-24 pdf icon PDF 276 KB

To consider a report setting out the proposed work programme for Joint Waste Solutions for 2023/24.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report setting out Joint Waste Solution’s proposed work programme for the 2023/24 municipal year. 

 

It was proposed that the work programme would be focused around the following seven key objectives:

 

1.    Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the service enabling better customer experience

2.    Delivering operational improvements that enabled reductions in waste and increased the quality and quantity of recycling.

3.    Ensuring residents were informed about their collection service.

4.    Encouraging residents to prevent, reduce, reuse and recycle.

5.    Managing the contract to ensure it was resilient, operating safely and performing effectively.

6.    Working with partner authorities to ensure that work was delivered with appropriate governance and oversight.

7.    Working to deliver organizational efficiencies.

 

It was noted that the proposed work programme had been developed in parallel with the development of the Surrey Environment Partnership’s SEP 2025 strategy delivery plans for the partner authorities to ensure that the priorities in both could be delivered.

 

RESOLVED that the draft Joint Waste Solutions  Work Programme for 2023/24 be approved.

33/JW

Date of Next Meeting

The next scheduled meeting of the Joint Waste Collection Services Committee will take place on Thursday 29th June 2023 at 11.30am.

Minutes:

It was noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Joint Waste Collection Service would take place on Thursday 29th June 2023 at 11.30am.

 

The Committee noted that this would be the last meeting for a number of its members who would not be re-standing for election in May.  On behalf of all those involved with the Committee, the Chairman thanked members for their valuable contribution to the Committee’s work and wished them well for the future.