Purpose

To seek approval to analyse options of the
waste and recycling service and to introduce the Simpler Recycling
Policy mandated by Government determining waste stream to be
collected and frequency of collection

Content

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

a)            
approves the introduction of a separate weekly food
waste collection service and to transfer the residual waste
collection from a weekly to a fortnightly service from 2026 to meet
the requirement of the National Resources and Waste Strategy and
implement the changes to the collection regime on a phased basis
with the initial roll out from April 2026.

 

b)            
approves a contract extension with Biffa Municipal
for a period of three years from April 2026 with the option to
extend for a further two years thereafter.

 

c)            
approves a virement for £890k for food waste
vehicles and caddies funded from the DEFRA grant award of
£848k and the earmarked reserve of
£42k.

d)            
requests that the Head of Corporate Finance include
additional revenue funding of up to £150k in the 2025-26
Budget and Council Tax report to support the transitional and
project management costs associated with implementing the food
waste collection.

e)            
notes that DEFRA has indicated new burdens funding
will be allocated to support the additional revenue costs
associated with food waste collection and to support the one-off
transitional costs however the amount to be allocated and the basis
upon which this will be calculated have yet to be
confirmed. 

 

f)              
requests that the Head of Major Project and
Commercial Services arranges for an All Members’ Seminar
prior to the introduction of the revised collection arrangements,
to enable Councillors to understand the rationale, logistics and
roll out programme for the proposed service changes. 

Reasons for the
Recommendations
 
The recommendations
will ensure compliance with the Environment Act (2021) requirement
to introduce a separate weekly food waste collection while ensuring
efficient use is made of available resource with the change to a
fortnightly residual waste collection.

The recommendations
will support the Council’s net zero ambition with a projected
35% reduction in carbon emissions from the collection and disposal
of household waste and recycling and a projected 10.4% increase in
the Council’s recycling rate.