Agenda and minutes

Councillor Robert New sent his apologies.

No interests were declared.

Purpose of the Report.

As part of the budget setting process the council has identified an increase in income being required from the Environmental Health Service, 25% from Pest

Control activities and a 15% increase from others areas, such as income generated from Port Health functions. The target levied against all Environmental Health functions equates to on-going additional income of £40,000 per year, of which £20,000 relates to Pest Control.

This report sets out the implications of such an approach but will primarily consider charges necessary to be introduced for pest control treatments as it is these that will have the greatest potential to impact upon the general public.

It is recommended that the Cabinet Member for the Environment and Community Safety approves:

a) The introduction of charges for the treatment of rats in line with those levied for mice;

b) The concession for householders in receipt of a qualifying benefit to be 50%;

c) Due to an improvement in the potency of the poisons available, a reduction in the number of visits carried out within each treatment for rodents to three, following which a further charged will be levied;

d) That only households where the homeowner/tenant or partner is in receipt of a qualifying benefit are eligible for the subsidised rate;

e) That all charges are increased, from the 1 April 2014, in line with inflation.

Alan Cufley, Head of Corporate Assets, Business and Standards, Corporate Assets, Business &Standards and Richard Lee, Environmental Health Manager introduced the report and in response to questions, clarified the following points:

·         It is anticipated that there may be fewer requests for the service; however the service will continue to be advertised on the council's website and in Flagship.  Despite the increase in price the charge remains excellent value for money and below the market leaders.

·         As a result of the introduction of new poisons, treatments are much more effective.  The numbers of treatments necessary has therefore been reduced.

·         Other professional organisations are used to assist with the management of the service.

·         The service will be monitored closely; we aim to balance our operation between full cost recovery and providing treatments for households on benefits.

DECISION
The Cabinet Member for Environment & Community Safety approved:

1.    The introduction of charges for the treatment of rats in line with those levied for mice;

2.    The concession for householders in receipt of a qualifying benefit to be 50%;

3.    Due to an improvement in the potency of the poisons available, a reduction in the number of visits carried out within each treatment for rodents to three, following which a further charged will be levied;

4.    Only households where the homeowner/tenant or partner is in receipt of a qualifying benefit are eligible for the subsidised rate;

5.    All charges are increased, from the 1st April 2014, in line with inflation.

Purpose of the Report.

Portsmouth City Council, working with its main contractor, Biffa, introduced a new garden waste collection service in April 2013. The chargeable 'Green Waste Club' is run on behalf of the council by Biffa, as an optional part of the council's waste collection contract that commenced in October 2011.

This report is an update on the rollout of the Green Waste Club, indicating the

Following:

·         Number of users of the scheme.

·         Any operational changes since the scheme was agreed.

·         Tonnage of garden waste recycled to date, and any impact on recycling levels.

Recommendations

That members acknowledge the progress of the Green Waste Club and support the further promotion of the campaign.

Andrew Morrison, Waste Collection Contract Team Leader introduced the report.

In response to questions, Mike Thomas, Waste Strategy and Disposal Manager from Southampton City Council, Paul Fielding, Assistant Head of Service-Environment & Recreation, Susan Aistrope, Finance Manager, Portsmouth City Council clarified the following points:

·         The recycling collected has been displaced from other areas. 

·         The discounted rate of £30 per bin per year will continue to be offered to the first 5,000 customers until the end of the contract.

·         The cost of waste disposal per tonne at the incinerator is £27.81 and £21.84 for garden waste[1].

·         Customer satisfaction with the scheme is high. 

DECISION

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Community Safety acknowledged the progress of the Green Waste Club and supported the further promotion of the campaign.

Purpose of Report

To update the portfolio holder on the incentives scheme detail, the launch, and the strategy moving forwards.

Recommendations

1.    That members acknowledge the progress of the BIG Recycle reward scheme and support the further promotion of the campaign.

2.    Members approve the re-profiling of the budget as laid out in table 9.3 of the report.

Nicola Waight, Environmental Change and Sports Development Team Manager introduced the report and then in response to questions she was joined by Paul Fielding and Mike Thomas to clarify the following points:

·         Market forces of supply and demand control the prices.  The price for dry recyclables was very high when the scheme was devised.  Since then it has been low for a while but started to increase again. 

·         The price for textiles and glass is currently high so textile collections will be promoted in Flagship.

·         Although the registration rates have been good across the city, this is not shown clearly on the map.

·         The take-up is currently being reviewed and the areas where it could be improved will be targeted.

·         Some other Local Authority areas have more gardens and offer a free green waste collection.

·         Portsmouth has a better recyclable collection rate than Southampton.

·         The DCLG funding received for the campaign has e been re-profiled to either allow for the behaviour change campaign to continue to 2017 or £75,000 pa for 2015/16 and 2016/17 to be used as a contingency in case the savings targets are not achieved.

DECISION

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Community Safety acknowledged the progress of the BIG Recycle reward scheme and supported the further promotion of the campaign and agreed the re-profiling of the budget as described in table 9.3 of the report.

Purpose of Report

This report concerns Portsmouth City Council’s (PCC) Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) located in Port Solent. It will outline the current services being offered and consider the options available for future site management built around a value for money approach supported by a new operating contract from 1 February 2015.

Recommendations

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the contract for the operation of the Paulsgrove HWRC is retendered as part of the Hampshire retender procedure for all 26 HWRC sites in Hampshire.

3.    That the contract allows flexibility for PCC to operate the Paulsgrove HWRC in a way that suits local requirements.

4.    That delegated authority be given to the Executive Member for Environment and Community Safety in consultation with the Head of Transport and Environment and on the advice of Legal Services to enter into the new HWRC contract and to agree the terms of the contract within existing budget limits.

5.    That PCC continue to work with (Hampshire County Council) HCC on agreeing a reduced allocation of costs to PCC for the new contract that reflects the different levels of trade waste controls and different management options that are in place at HWRC sites used by Portsmouth residents.

6.    Details on any cost savings as a result of the new.

Mark Woolnough, Built Environment and Recreation Manager introduced the report.

In response to a question, Paul Fielding explained that retendering a new contract for Paulsgrove with Hampshire and Southampton should bring economies of scale greater than could be achieved if Portsmouth were to tender the site alone.

DECISION

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Community Safety agreed that:

·         The report be noted.

·         The contract for the operation of the Paulsgrove HWRC is retendered as part of the Hampshire retender procedure for all 26 HWRC sites in Hampshire.

·         The contract allows flexibility for PCC to operate the Paulsgrove HWRC in a way that suits local requirements.

·         Delegated authority be given to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety in consultation with the Head of Transport and Environment and on the advice of Legal Services to enter into the new HWRC contract and to agree the terms of the contract within existing budget limits.

·         PCC continues to work with Hampshire County Council on agreeing a reduced allocation of costs to PCC for the new contract that reflects the different levels of trade waste controls and different management options that are in place at HWRC sites used by Portsmouth residents.

·         Details on any cost savings as a result of the new HWRC contract will be finalised once the procurement process has finished.