Agenda item

The Executive was informed that the mobilisation of the Joint Waste Contract would require additional one-off expenditure, which mainly related to marketing and communication costs but also included some Contract Management Office set up costs. It was proposed to fund this cost from the Recycling /Refuse Equalisation Fund.

Members were reminded that the current household waste and street cleansing contractor, Biffa Municipal, operated a subscription based kerbside garden waste service on behalf of the Council. There were currently 11,000 subscribers to the service. The bins were owned by Biffa.

The contract would expire on 5 February 2018, following which a subscription garden waste service would be delivered by the new service supplier, Amey Municipal. Biffa had agreed to sell the bins used by the current subscribers to the Council at a cost of £10 per bin plus VAT.  Any new customers thereafter would be provided with a wheeled bin directly from Amey Municipal.

It was estimated that a budget of £110,000 would be required for this purchase, which would be offset by the subscription fees charged to the customers. The proposed charge for a fortnightly garden waste service for a 240 litre wheeled bin had been set at £40 a bin per annum. The fee would include provision and delivery of the bin.

The Executive received exempt information on the legal negotiations in progress in relation to the purchase of the garden waste bins from Biffa Municipal.

RESOLVED to

(i)          approve expenditure from the Recycling/Refuse Equalisation Fund of up to £90,000 as a contribution towards the mobilisation costs for the joint waste contract; and

(ii)        amend the 2017/2018 fees and charges to introduce a charge of £40 for a fortnightly garden waste collection service from a 240 litre wheeled bin from the kerbside; the fee to include the provision and delivery of a 240 litre wheeled bin.

RECOMMENDED to Council an amendment to the capital programme for the purchase of garden waste bins at an estimated cost of £110,000; the increased expenditure to be funded from subscription fees charged to the customers.