Agenda item

To receive a report summarising the progress made to date towards achieving the aims, objectives and priorities set out in the Joint Waste Solutions Work Programme for the 2022/23 financial year.

The Committee received a progress update on the Joint Contract Work Programme 2022-23, which itself was an evolution of the 2021-22 programme that had been paused due to driver shortages. The programme included planning to align with national policy on collection arrangements. The programme was to be delivered by a single Officer team, the JWS. JWS manages both the Joint Contract area and a separate work programme for all authorities in the Surrey Environment Partnership (SEP).

Eight objectives were set out, with key points arising as follows:

·         Objective 1: Improved efficiency and effectiveness of services to enable better customer experiences.

o   More information was awaited from the Government in respect to the implication of the National Waste and Resources Strategy waste collection.

·         Objective 2: Deliver operational improvements that enable reductions in waste and increase the quantity of recycling.

o   The JWS Operations Team was assessing 50-55 planning applications a month for new waste storage and collection sites, liaising with agents and developers to ensure adequate arrangements were provided in new developments.

o   The Doman Road redevelopment had begun in partnership with Surrey County Council (SCC) and Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) with the hope that a business case would be signed off in Autumn.

·         Objective 3: Ensure residents are informed about their collection service

o   Focus of communications on the restart of garden waste collections, which in July shifted to focus on the planned industrial action.

o   Communication messages have been designed to advise residents on collection information to supplement the stickers and tags used by crews.

o   Media enquires were largely related to the industrial action during the period between 1^st April and 14^th August and enquiries were directed to the JWS website or Amey if they related directly to pay negotiations.

o   Joint Contract Area partners were provide with a resource pack to share through their own channels.

·         Objective 4: Inspire and encourage residents to prevent, reduce, reuse and recycle

o   The Own Your Impact campaign had been launched in the Joint Contract Area through a variety of media channels in May, with focus switching to DMR contamination reduction in late June.

o   Community events took place throughout April and March with the aim of discussing and education recycling to help schools gain a green flag accreditation.

o   The ‘Rethink Waste’ incentive pilot had been successful in Elmbridge, and would be assessed for roll out across Surrey in 2023

o   JWS had been shortlisted for a national award.

·         Objective 5: Manage the joint waste contract to ensure it is resilient, operating safely and performing effectively.

o   Health and Safety Audits of the 4 depots had been complete and actions tracked where there is further information needed.

·         Objective 6: Support the joint contract authorities’ carbon reduction plans

o   The trials of alternative fuel vehicles will support the carbon reduction plans as the need to decarbonise vehicles had been identified as a component of the reduction plan.

·         Objective 7: Work with partner authorities to ensure the work programme is delivered with appropriate governance and oversight

o   Key work that had been going on in the background since WhiteSpace was introduced was to review and audit the processes that take place for invoicing and performance reporting.

o   A new structure for how reports are produced and an increase in the data available, the JWS wanted to be comfortable with how the data was being used to produced reports and KPIs

·         Objective 8: Enhance our ways of working to deliver organisational efficiencies

o   There was work ongoing between the JWS and Joint Contract Area authorities to review savings and efficiencies going forward.

o   This focused on a range of areas including office requirements and storage for JWS staff.

The Committee noted the report.