The Environment Scrutiny Committee met on Friday 19 June 2026 to discuss a range of environmental issues, including flood risk management, waste services, and the Greater Lincolnshire Groundwater Project. Key discussions included the proposed introduction of a booking system for Household Waste Recycling Centres and a motion to seek further funding for the groundwater project.

Flood Risk Management Authorities Update

Representatives from the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Witham & Humber Drainage Boards, and Lincolnshire County Council's Flood and Water Team provided updates on their activities. Matt Harrison, Flood and Water Manager for Lincolnshire County Council, highlighted ongoing work on Section 19 investigations into flooding causes, with all remaining on track for completion. He also detailed progress on flood alleviation schemes, including completed works at Merrimley Fenn and ongoing projects at Toynton St. Peter and Cherry Willingham. Morgan Ray, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for the Environment Agency, outlined the agency's incident management responsibilities, response capabilities, and flood warning services, noting that 380,000 properties in Lincolnshire are registered to receive flood warnings. Matt Moore, Strategic Partnership Manager for Anglian Water, discussed the company's role as a risk management authority, their cooperation with other agencies, and successful schemes in Gedney Drove End and Long Bennington. Martin Schilling, Director of Engineering and Technical Services for the Witham and Humber Internal Drainage Boards, provided an update on the IDB Storm Recovery and Asset Improvement Fund, detailing the allocation of over £17.4 million across 33 projects to repair damage from storms Babette and Henk.

Contract for the Collection and Treatment of Street Cleansing Residues

Rachel Stamp, Waste Partnerships and Projects Manager, and Leanne Fotherby, Senior Strategic Commercial and Procurement Manager, presented a report on the contract for the collection and treatment of street cleansing residues. The current contract with Invixen Limited is ending prematurely due to unforeseen operational reasons, necessitating a new procurement process. The proposed solution is an open tender for a two-year contract with options to extend, with an estimated total value of £1.3 million. The committee discussed concerns regarding the limited number of specialist suppliers, the monitoring of performance, and the routing of vehicles, with assurances given that appropriate routes would be enforced. The committee acknowledged the report and its recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Environment.

Household Waste Recycling Centres Operational Changes and Infrastructure Improvements

Chris Yorston, Head of Waste, presented a report proposing the introduction of a booking system for all Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) to address increasing operational pressures, including long queues, congestion, and misuse. The system aims to improve customer experience, site safety, and recycling performance, with a conservative estimate of £1 million in annual savings through reduced waste tonnage. The committee engaged in a lengthy debate on the proposal, with concerns raised about accessibility for those without digital access, the potential impact on rural sites, the accuracy of data used to justify the system, and the possibility of increased fly-tipping. Officers provided reassurances regarding non-digital booking options, the system's ability to manage demand, and evidence from other authorities suggesting no link between booking systems and increased fly-tipping. The committee acknowledged the report and its recommendations to the Executive.

Greater Lincolnshire Groundwater Project

Chris Miller, Head of Environment, and Vicki Jones, Flood Resilience Programme Coordinator, presented an update on the Greater Lincolnshire Groundwater Project. The project, funded by Defra, has undertaken various initiatives including natural flood management measures in Barrow upon Humber and Kingston Gardens, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Hillside Avenue, and community-wide water butt schemes in Heighington. The project has also focused on property flood resilience, university research into groundwater flooding impacts, and educational outreach through the Darcy's Tale book. A significant development is the telemetry programme, which involves installing monitoring devices in watercourses and groundwater areas to provide early flood warnings. The committee was impressed by the project's national recognition and innovative approach. A motion was proposed and unanimously agreed to seek further funding to ensure the continuation of this vital work.

Service Level Performance Reporting Against the Performance Framework 2025-2026 Quarter 4: Environment (including Flood Risk Management and Waste)

Chris Miller, Head of Environment, and Chris Yorston, Head of Waste, presented the Quarter 4 performance report. For flood risk management, all Section 19 investigations were completed within the six-month target, and 101 properties were identified as being better protected from flooding due to council investment. In waste management, the household waste collected per household was below the target, which was viewed positively as it indicated waste prevention. However, the overall recycling rate and the recycling rate at HWRCs remained below target. The percentage of waste sent to landfill was significantly below target. The committee discussed the challenges in meeting recycling targets and the potential impact of new government initiatives.

Scrutiny Committee Performance Framework 2026/27

Chris Miller and Chris Yorston presented the proposed performance indicators for the Environment Scrutiny Committee for the 2026/27 period. The committee noted that the indicators would reflect the new Environment Policy Action Plan. Councillor Ashley John Baxter raised concerns about the recycling rate targets and suggested a review of the landfill target. Councillor Courtney Ruben Robinson inquired about the impact of new government recycling initiatives. The committee acknowledged the report and its recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Environment.

Environment Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

Hannah Colclough, Scrutiny Officer, presented the committee's work programme. Upcoming substantive items include an update from Anglian Water on the Lincolnshire Reservoir, pre-decision scrutiny on the re-procurement of mixed dry recycling services and HWRC management contracts, and the Environment Policy Action Plan. Councillor Ian Carrington raised concerns about the lack of progress on installing solar panels on council-owned buildings, requesting a specific report on the matter. Councillor Courtney Ruben Robinson echoed these concerns, highlighting the potential for cost savings and income generation. The committee agreed to add the solar panel update to its work programme.

The meeting concluded with the committee agreeing its work programme and thanking all attendees for their contributions.