The Fair Opportunities for All: Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet on 10 September 2025. According to the agenda, the committee was expected to discuss a housing transformation update and a waste and recycling transformation. The committee was also scheduled to review the minutes from their meeting on 9 July 2025¹ and to note the council's forward plan of key and non-key decisions.

Housing Transformation

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report from Aidan Thatcher, Director for Place, regarding an update on the Housing Transformation Programme. The report noted that the programme is designed to align with the principles of Progress with Unity Six Ways of Working² and to deliver on the ambitions set out in the forthcoming Housing Strategy.

The report stated that the Housing Transformation Programme is wide-ranging and ambitious, reflecting Wigan Council's role as both a social housing landlord and a strategic local authority. It also acknowledged the challenges across the housing sector, including market pressures and legislative changes.

The report included a proposal for a refreshed Housing Transformation Programme, structured around five thematic priorities:

1. Inclusive Housing Delivery – Creating Opportunities Through New Homes
2. Creating Inclusive Housing Opportunities for Everyone
3. Generational Unity – Housing That Supports Life Journeys
4. Council Leadership – Excellence as a Landlord
5. Resilient Communities – Healthy Homes in Thriving Neighbourhoods

The report stated that the refreshed programme would reflect Wigan Council's dual housing role: as the strategic housing authority, and as a social housing landlord.

The report noted a number of risks to the delivery of the housing transformation plan, including: financial constraints, increasing demand, regulatory compliance, structural and organisational challenges, legislative changes, national and regional policy shifts, and reputational risk.

The report stated that a key aim of the Housing Transformation Programme is to ensure that residents live in thriving communities and have access to good quality housing and support services.

The report recommended that the Fair Opportunities for All: Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee:

(1) note the wide-ranging nature of the Housing Transformation Programme, the challenges it is designed to address and the significant progress to date; (2) support the continued dual focus on borough-wide housing leadership and excellence in landlord services; (3) recognise the alignment with Progress with Unity and the Six Ways of Working as a foundation for inclusive, place-based, and person-centred housing transformation; (4) consider the refreshed thematic framework for the Housing Transformation Programme; and (5) agree to receive future updates on progress of the housing transformation work.

Waste and Recycling Transformation

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report from Sonia Halliwell, Director of Resident Services, regarding waste and recycling transformation. The report was expected to highlight the council's current recycling performance, future legislation that will impact the service and facilities provided, and initiatives that could improve performance.

The report noted that Wigan's recycling rate for 24/25 was 50.2%, compared to 51.5% in 23/24. It also noted that the amount of residual waste per household was 445.47 kg/hh, compared to 430.20 kg/hh in 23/24, and that the landfill percentage was 1%, compared to 1.7% in 23/24.

The report stated that although Wigan's performance has declined over the previous few years, it is still one of the top performers compared to other similar local authorities. The report gave the following reasons for this performance:

• Increase in the amount of waste generated
• No longer recycling carpets into Equestrian uses
• More extreme weather impacting on garden waste

The report also compared Wigan's performance to that of Greater Manchester as a whole, and to its nearest neighbours (like for like authorities).

The report highlighted a number of pieces of future legislation that will impact the service, including:

• Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR)
• Simpler Recycling
• Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)
• Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)

The report stated that under the Simpler Recycling legislation, councils must provide weekly food collections by 1 April 2026, unless they have 'transitional arrangements' in place to delay.

The report also outlined a number of ways in which Wigan could improve its recycling performance, including:

• Diverting food waste from the black bin
• Restricting the amount of residual waste that is un-sorted
• Charging for DIY waste and other non-household wastes
• Focusing on repair and re-use
• Bringing in more Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes

The report stated that a waste composition analysis carried out last year found that 29.4% of the average black bin is food waste, which equates to around 15,582 tonnes of food each year.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to consider the Executive's Forward Plan of Key and Non-Key Decisions.