The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Dartford Council met to discuss several key reports, including updates on government waste reforms, environmental enforcement, air quality, and the council's Net Zero Strategy. The committee also reviewed corporate plan performance indicators and updated its work plan for the 2025-26 municipal year.

Net Zero Strategy Annual Report

The committee reviewed the council's draft Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan, which outlines Dartford Borough Council's commitment to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. The council has set a target of reaching Net Zero by 2030.

Key actions to date, as detailed in the Net Zero Action Plan, include:

• Securing Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding to decarbonise the Civic Centre, Acacia Hall, the Orchard Theatre and Fairfield Leisure Centre.
• Reviewing and redesigning the Council Procurement Strategy to incorporate best practices in reducing energy use and emissions.
• Switching to a Green Energy Tariff in October 2024.
• Phasing out single-use plastics in the Civic Centre and introducing new recycling initiatives.
• Adopting a Hybrid Working Policy.
• Developing Carbon Literacy Training for officers and members.
• Establishing a Staff Cycle to Work scheme.

The report also highlighted progress in transport, built environment, energy generation, waste management, and land use and biodiversity.

Data from the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) indicates that emissions in the Borough have dropped from 778 ktCO2e in 2005 to 416.9 ktCO2e in 2023, a reduction of 46%.

The committee noted the contents of the report and appendices, acknowledging the progress made and the ongoing efforts to achieve the Net Zero targets.

Air Quality Annual Report

The committee discussed the 2025 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR), which provided an update on local air quality, including pollution levels across the Borough and within the three declared Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). The pollutants of greatest concern in Dartford are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), primarily arising from transport, domestic combustion, and industry.

The report noted that pollution levels are now below objective levels within all AQMAs. Local authorities are required by Defra to revoke AQMAs where concentrations have been below objective levels for three or more years.

The council monitors compliance with National Air Quality Objectives for:

• Particles (PM10)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

The report stated that monitored levels of NO2 continued to decrease, and none of the monitoring sites breached the annual objective level. The highest recorded monitoring location was DA43 Overy Liberty (East Hill) which recorded a level of 35.9 μg/m3. Monitored levels of PM10 also remained below the objective levels at both automatic analysers (Greenhithe 19 µg/m3, Bean 12 µg/m3). The PM2.5 recorded an annualised annual average of 8 μg/m3.

The committee noted the findings of the 2025 Annual Status Report and the associated work undertaken to monitor and improve air quality across the Borough.

Environmental Enforcement Update

The committee received an update on the council's environmental enforcement services, detailing incidents of environmental crime dealt with by the council's enforcement team officers and / or officers of the council's enforcement contractor, Kingdom LA Support, including the new Town Centre Wardens, for the period 1st October 2024 to 1st August 2025.

Offences dealt with include littering, fly-tipping, flyposting, waste duty of care, the carrying of waste without a waste carrier licence, trade waste, graffiti, dog fouling and Public Safety Protection Order (PSPO) breaches relating to alcohol, drugs and nuisance vehicles.

Since early 2021 Waste Watch cameras have been in use at Birchwood Road, Hawley Road and New Barn Road recycling centres to deter and catch flytippers. In May 2025, the council purchased four of these cameras, sited at the three recycling centres and at Joyce Green Lane.

The report highlighted new initiatives, including the Name & Shame Page and the introduction of the Town Centre warden service. Town Wardens deal with Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) breaches relating to alcohol, drugs and nuisance vehicles, particularly e-scooters.

The committee noted the contents of the report.

Update on Government Waste Reforms

The committee received an update on the government's implementation of its waste reforms, specifically focusing on elements directly relevant to Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) and Waste Disposal Authorities (WDAs).

The three main elements of Simpler Recycling are:

• Consistent Collections: Requires separate collection of recyclable household waste, including food waste collected separately (from 1 April 2026 unless a later date is agreed with DEFRA) and at least once per week.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Requires commercial producers and users of packaging to pay into a fund redistributed to WCAs and WDAs to help pay the costs incurred in dealing with their packaging waste.
• Deposit Return Scheme (DRS): Envisages an extensive network of reverse vending machines for used plastic bottles and cans, with a deposit charge added to these items.

The council has received £860,000 from the government to cover the implementation costs of a new food waste collection service and will implement a service for the separate collection of food waste in the middle of 2026. For 2025, the council will receive approximately £912,000 from the Extended Producer Responsibility fund, which can only be reinvested into waste services.

The committee noted the content of the report.

Corporate Plan Performance Indicators 2025-26

The committee reviewed the first quarter returns on the Corporate Plan performance indicators. The Corporate Plan sets out the vision and priority themes for the Council and the Borough, focusing on delivering high-quality services and regeneration.

The Corporate Plan themes are:

• Economic Development and Regeneration
• Health and Wellbeing
• Safe and Cohesive Communities
• Environment and Sustainability
• Housing
• A Council Performing Strongly

Overall, the Corporate Performance Indicators evidenced strong and consistent performance across most areas. The committee received and noted the Corporate Plan Performance Indicators and commented on matters it may wish to recommend to Cabinet.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Plan 2025-26

The committee considered an updated Work Plan for the 2025-26 municipal year. The Work Plan is reviewed at each meeting to allow for new items to be added or the timing of existing items altered. The committee noted the updated 2025-26 Work Plan and agreed to review it at subsequent meetings to add new topics or defer/delete existing topics as appropriate.

The updated Work Plan included the following items:

• Regulation 9 Notice
• Update on Government Waste Reforms
• Environmental Enforcement Annual Update
• Air Quality Annual Report
• Net Zero Strategy Annual Report
• Quarter 1 2025-26 Corporate Plan Performance Report
• Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Plan 2025-26
• Local Government Reorganisation Update (January 2026)

The committee agreed that an update on Local Government Reorganisation be added to the Work Plan for the 27 January 2026 meeting and the Update on Council Parks and Open Spaces be moved to a future meeting after the January 2026 meeting.